Pilgrims of the Cross

Lent is often compared to a “pilgrimage” - a time of walking with Christ on the path to Calvary. One of the best ways to enter into Lent is by meditating more deeply on Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. Many great saints encourage meditating on these great mysteries; one such saint, St. Alphonsus Liguori, declared, “No practice is more profitable for the entire sanctification of the soul than the frequent meditation of the sufferings of Jesus Christ.”

There are many ways and methods in which we can unite ourselves more deeply to Jesus’ Passion during these forty days. But did you know that there are a few places in the United States where you can - quite literally - walk with Jesus through the Paschal Mystery?

One such site is located in St. John, Indiana, the Shrine of Christ’s Passion was built to help pilgrims to enter into the events of the Easter Triduum - and beyond. With specially designed architecture and landscaping, the Prayer Trail is designed to make you feel you stepped back in time to the Holy Land. 

Along the path, you’ll encounter 40 bronze statues depicting the last days of Christ. These life-sized depictions allow one to immerse oneself fully into the events of the Last Supper, the Stations of the Cross, and even Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven. 

The Prayer Trail is also illuminated in the evening, allowing you to contemplate more deeply what the evening of the Last Supper might have felt like, or what it may have been like to pray with Jesus during his Agony in the Garden. 

Perhaps another wonderful aspect of the Shrine of Christ’s Passion is its accessibility. Those who are visually impaired should not be deterred from making a pilgrimage here, they too can experience this beautiful walk through Christ’s passion thanks to audio recordings of meditations along the path. The Prayer Trail is open all year-round, weather permitting.

If you are able, we at CatholicGo encourage you to make a special pilgrimage this Lent to a site particularly devoted to Christ’s Passion. Other locations across the country that are home to special Stations of the Cross or other devotions to Christ’s Passion include (but are not limited to):

• The Shrine of St. Joseph in the Mountains in Yarnell, Arizona
• Our Sorrowful Mother Sanctuary in Portland, Oregon
• The Cloisters on the Platte in Gretna, Nebraska
• Holy Hill Shrine in Wisconsin
• The National Shrine of Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts
• The Grotto in San Antonio, Texas
• Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe, New Mexico
• The House of Mary Shrine in Yankton, South Dakota
• The Shrine of the Little Flower in Burrillville, Rhode Island
• Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows in Rhineland, Missouri

If you are unable to physically make a pilgrimage to any of these sites, we encourage you to meditate on the mysteries of our Lord’s Passion by:

• Praying the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary
• Participating in your local parish’s Stations of the Cross or praying them at home
• Making a “virtual pilgrimage” by learning about a holy site through their website

No matter how you choose to walk with Jesus, we pray that your Lenten pilgrimage brings you ever closer to Him!