Prayer Walk in Northern Indiana
Some journeys require you to travel a great physical distance. Others are a short car ride away, but provide an immense emotional and spiritual journey. The latter sums up my recent prayer walk in Northern Indiana at the Shrine of Christ’s Passion.
I’ve lived in the Hoosier state for over 4 decades and yet somehow I just recently learned about the Shrine of Christ’s Passion. Located in St. John, Indiana, you can take a prayer walk through lifelike sculptures depicting Jesus’ final days.
For those who consider themselves Christians, a visit to The Shrine of Christ’s Passion brings familiar scripture from the Bible to life in an extremely moving way. And it costs far less than a trip overseas to the Holy Land! (It’s actually free!)
Those who are history buffs or simply curious about the life and death of Jesus will also find The Shrine of Christ’s Passion to be a memorable and educational outing.
Regardless of your religious affiliation, The Shrine of Christ’s Passion should be on your travel itinerary the next time you are in northern Indiana.
Prayer Walk
The prayer walk is approximately a half-mile long and follows a flat, wide, paved path. While people of all ages can safely enjoy The Shrine of Christ’s Passion, a decent amount of walking is involved. For small children or anyone with mobility issues, I recommend a stroller or wheelchair to ensure a pleasant experience.
The thoughtful and well-manicured landscape quickly shields you from the surrounding traffic and bustling town nearby, allowing visitors the opportunity for introspection. Along the way, small pillars play instrumental music, which helps to set a serene tone.
Each of the 18 stops along the way includes a lifelike sculpture taking you through a chronological progression of Jesus’ final days, death, and resurrection. At each stop, you will find a pillar stating the title of that sculpture and a button to press to hear a short description of that incident in Jesus’ life.
The narration along with the realistic and interactive nature of the sculptures serve to make these important historical scenes come to life.
Sit at the table with Jesus for the Last Supper.
Pray with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Weep at the foot of the Cross.
Rejoice as Jesus ascends to Heaven!
Christ’s Final Days
For an accurate account of Christ’s last days, consult Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the Bible. For the purposes of this blog and sharing my experience at The Shrine of Christ’s Passion, I think it is best to lead you through the prayer walk with photos.
Not to Miss Extras
In addition to each of the scenes along the prayer walk, there are two other outdoor displays you should visit. To the right of the main entrance to the gift shop you can’t miss the massive metal sculpture of Mary, Jesus’ mother.
Mary’s Shrine is not on the path of the prayer walk, but it is worth the diversion to admire this beautiful piece of art. Many visitors leave flowers and light candles to pay their respect to the mother of our savior.
Additionally, at the start of the prayer walk, you can take a short detour to the newest addition to the grounds. Follow the path lined with massive rocks that leads to Moses on Mount Sinai with the 10 Commandments.
In all, I recommend allowing at least an hour for the prayer walk and to tour all the grounds outside. I attended on a cold winter day and basically had the path to myself, which was perfect! I suspect that it is much more crowded on pleasant weather days, so allow extra time to ensure you can fully experience this meaningful historical display.
Gift Shop
If you are like me and love a good gift shop, you won’t be disappointed at The Shrine of Christ’s Passion! With numerous rooms to explore covering more than 12,000 square feet, avid shoppers will want to plan another hour for browsing and buying.
As expected you will find anything and everything of a religious nature for sale. Shop for bibles, rosaries, crosses, first communion gifts as well as faith-inspired home decor, jewelry, shirts, knick-knacks and so much more.
In addition to Christian-themed items, the gift shop also houses plenty of secular offerings and seasonal gifts.
Be sure to venture to the back of the gift shop and step into the small theater. Sit a spell as you watch the short video playing on a loop that shares the history of how The Shrine of Christ’s Passion came to be and the people who are responsible for bringing it to life.
What You Need To Know
The Shrine of Christ’s Passion
10630 Wicker Avenue (U.S. 41)
St. John, Indiana 46373
The Prayer Walk is open 361 days a year, weather permitting. Regular hours are 10am-5pm.
It is free to visit, but donations are accepted to support The Shrine of Christ’s Passion, which is a non-profit organization.
To arrange a field trip or group tour, reach out through the website.
www.shrineofchristspassion.org
God Bless You!
Where have you traveled that had a spiritual impact on you? Share your experience in the comments below.
Wherever the road takes you, make it a joyous journey,
Traveling Tanya
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