At the corner of Walnut and College Streets in the park adjacent to the Church, Centre College and the Presbyterian Church share a labyrinth.
A labyrinth is a large circle with a single path that winds back and forth moving alternately toward and away from the center, covering every quadrant, leading ultimately to a central prayer circle. The labyrinth is a metaphor for our spiritual journey. To walk the labyrinth is to make a pilgrimage and to be present to and with God, ourselves, and others. It allows us to bring our whole being into the experience, worshipping with our bodies as well as our hearts and minds.
Our labyrinth is modeled after one set into the floor of Chartres Cathedral in Frances (built between 1194 and 1220 CE). It offered a safe alternative to the practice of pilgrimage to the Holy Land to those for whom such travel was dangerous or impossible. Today, the spiritual practice of walking the labyrinth is being revived all over the world.