The Labyrinth at St. Stephen
The labyrinth is a pattern and a symbol passed down
through the centuries dating back over 4,000 years. The
design which rose from the Christian tradition describes a
meandering path that leads from the outside into the center
and back out again. The St. Stephen labyrinth, dedicated on
September 19, 2004, is known as an eleven circuit Chartres
style labyrinth, an exact replica of the labyrinth at
Chartres Cathedral in France.
Illumination may be found in the central rosette of the
labyrinth where we may receive what God has to offer us. The
rosette or rose has symbolized many things over the
centuries, human love, enlightenment and God’s love for the
world. The six petals of the rosette are said to represent
either the six days of creation or the six stages of
creation: The first petal representing the mineral kingdom,
the second, the plant kingdom, the third, the animal
kingdom, the fourth, the kingdom of human beings, the fifth,
the kingdom of the angels and the sixth represents the
esoteric, the unknown, the conscious being.
Around the perimeter of the labyrinth, there are 112 partial
circles. These are called the lunations and are
characteristic of a Chartres style labyrinth. It is thought
that because the number of lunations in each quadrant of the
labyrinth design corresponds to the lunar cycle, they served
the ancients as a calendar, a way of counting the days until
the lunar feast of Easter. Many people believe that no
labyrinth walk is complete without walking the lunations.
The Prayer Garden and Outdoor Labyrinth
Through donations of very generous church
members and friends of St. Stephen, a new outdoor
prayer garden and labyrinth were completed in the Fall of
2006, and were dedicated on September 24, 2006.
This Labyrinth is available at any time and
open to the public. Thanks to a generous gift to St.
Stephen, a large, blue granite Celtic Cross is installed in
the northwest corner, serving as a centering point for
walking this labyrinth .
The St. Stephen outdoor labyrinth and prayer
garden are listed on the World Wide Labyrinth Locator. This
web site, sponsored by The Labyrinth Society and Veriditas,
Inc., is a database of labyrinths located around the world.
Visit the site by clicking
here.
 View
a slideshow of the prayer garden and outdoor labyrinth
here.
|
