It’s Good Friday and it’s Cincinnati.? So hundreds of people are walking the steps up to Immaculata-Holy Cross Church, praying every step of the way.? Some few start from Columbia Parkway, a few more start from the foot of Mt. Adams, most of us start from St. Gregory Street, 100 steps or so from the church high on the hill.
I had never walked the steps, though my son Brian has done it for the last several years – including last year’s monsoon deluge.? I knew it was an experience I wanted, so this year I joined him.
And this year the weather was absolutely perfect, bright spring sunshine and about 60 degrees.? We arrived in the neighborhood about 4 p m – it was crammed with cars, so we trusted to the Garry luck to find an excellent place, and so we did.? Then we walked down the hill to the steps and on past to the end of the line almost a block further on.
Brian had stopped to pick up two of the free rosaries the parish provides, a blue one for him, a green one for me.? We got to the foot of the steps at 5:15, having had lots of conversations with friends and with strangers while in line.
As soon as the first foot was put on the first step, quiet reigned.? Beautiful and peaceful.? The grounds were green and natural, beautiful trees.? And there are several piles of large stones stacked intentionally? that look like Irish dolmens.? Some folks were reciting the rosary, one bead per step.? Some looked to be internally focused, some seemed to be trying to get the top without a lot of delay.? A wonderful joint experience of the sacred, no matter what the belief of the walker.
I expect I’ll be back next year.? And I’ll bring along some dollars, so we can participate in the fish fry.