集美麻豆

About the Memorial Labyrinth

On September 11, 2003, a memorial labyrinth was dedicated to the 22 Boston College alumni lost in the 9/11 tragedy.

This labyrinth is a copy of the 13th-century labyrinth laid in stone on the floor of the nave of Chartres Cathedral. Labyrinths were common in Europe in the Middle Ages, and walking them was part of popular and religious culture. Labyrinths in sacred spaces represented the intersection of the human and the divine. This is a unicursal labyrinth, with a single path to the center and out again.

The symbolism of the Chartres labyrinth is complex. The circle, a perfect form, can be seen as symbolizing eternity, the universe, the repetition of the seasons, the cosmos鈥攖he overall perfect plan of the divine. The cross that bisects the circle can be seen as a symbol for Christ in the world. The meandering path is the journey of life. It can also be seen as a path of truth through the maze of choices that the world presents.

The path through the labyrinth constitutes the longest possible way to arrive at the center. It is important not to hurry the experience, but to submit to its structure and discipline. This path is an opportunity for meditation. Walk its circuitous route mindfully. It is a symbol of the universe, God's masterpiece.

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