The Diocesan Dialogue
Current Issue
April 2008

Walking the labyrinths of Utah

The labyrinth at St. Jude’s in Cedar City invites all who enter the chapel to pray and meditate.
Dialogue photo.

The popularity of labyrinths gracing the landscape and interiors of various churches is growing. St. David's in Page is laying out a labyrinth in its new campus. The Episcopal Church Center of Utah is finishing its outdoor stone labyrinth that is part of the landscaping between the ECCU and the plaza behind the historic St. Mark's Cathedral.

The Rt. Rev. Carolyn Tanner Irish says the labyrinth represents an ancient tradition of spiritual renewal. "It's circular and has many pathways within it. The first Christians were called people of the way. We have used those words—the path and the journey—in our faith. It is an opportunity for kind of a walking prayer to be expressed."

The bishop continues that there is not only one way to walk the labyrinth. It is all up to the person walking the circular journey. On its webpage, Grace Cathedral in San Francisco has offered several suggestions for those wishing to experience labyrinths. The cathedral suggests three stages of the walk. The first is Purgation. This is a letting go of your thoughts and distractions. The second is Illumination. Grace's labyrinth webpage suggests staying in the center to meditate, pray and receive. The third stage is Union. The suggestion is to follow the same path out as you followed in.

The original Utah Episcopal Church labyrinth is in Logan. St. John's has invited all to walk the indoor labyrinth in the church anytime the parish building is open and when there are no conflicting events. The church has set aside Wednesday afternoons from 3:00 to 5:00 for uninterrupted visits.

St. Jude's in Cedar City also has an indoor labyrinth that serves as the chapel floor. Services are done with the labyrinth as part of the setting of the remodeled space.

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