Why visit seven churches on Holy Thursday?

Holy Thursday’s pilgrimage of Seven Churches is rooted in a desire to follow Jesus from his arrest, through court trials, and finally to prison.  This prayer expresses our desire to suffer with Christ and not abandon Him as did His disciples, even after He asked them to pray that you may not fall into temptation (Lk 22:30).  Moving from place to place, you follow Jesus’ nocturnal journey from Annas, to the high priest Caiaphas for an illegal night trial, Herod, and jail.  In recent years WNY has witnessed a tremendous growth of participants, as much of Buffalo’s East Side experiences traffic jams of buses and cars in the evening hours.

Moving from church to church draws additional meaning from ancient Rome. Here, Pope St Gregory the Great celebrated different feasts at the various Basilicas of the holy city.  The entire city became a place of prayer.  St Mary Major, housing the relics of Baby Jesus’ crib—was the pope’s Christmas Station(-al) Mass and St John Lateran—his cathedral, for Holy Thursday.  Not far away were the Holy Stairs Jesus walked to be condemned by Pilate’s civil court. The nearby Church of the Holy Cross honors the relics of the True Cross, and the Coliseum, once filled with the blood of Christian Martyrs, is where the pope leads the city in the Stations of the Cross.

Your reverent visit means silent prayer throughout, especially when in a group.  Take in the inspiring architecture, kneel before the Repository altar and pray your personal intention for undertaking this walking prayer (distinguishing a tour from a pilgrimage). Keeping total  silence means you are remembering how Jesus was led as a lamb to the slaughter, opening not his mouth (Is 53:7). 

Upon entering each church go directly to the Altar of Repose, kneel, make the Sign of the Cross, read and meditate on the Bible reading of the appropriately numbered church given below. Mindfully and slowly pray an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be. Spend a few minutes in quiet prayer then, end your station with:

Through Your wounds and shameful passion,

Jesus, Savior show us Your compassion.

St Casimir Buffalo, NY

Never saying "used to" to tradition.