St. Stephen’s Labyrinth

In Lazarus Park

A gift to the Middlebury Community from St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church


Introduction to the Labyrinth

A labyrinth is an ancient pattern found in many cultures around the world, often used today as a pathway for reflection, contemplation, and meditation.  It is a wandering yet purposeful path from outside the labyrinth to the center, then back to the outside. The physical experience of walking this path offers the opportunity to explore one’s own centering while on this journey.

Unlike a maze, the labyrinth has no tricks or dead ends. (1) It is not a problem to be solved or a puzzle.  Instead, the labyrinth offers an opportunity for personal exploration along a safe path.

The St. Stephen’s Labyrinth

The labyrinth in Lazarus Park is a six-circuit design based on the labyrinth in Chartres Cathedral in Chartres, France.  Its course takes the walker through all four quadrants before reaching the center rosette, then back through each quadrant.  The design and specially molded pavers for this labyrinth were created by The Labyrinth Company in Greenville, South Carolina.  More information is available about the Abingdon à la Chartres™ design on their website: https://www.labyrinthcompany.com.

We are grateful for the collaborative effort that resulted in the labyrinth’s inclusion in the new downtown park.  The Middlebury Selectboard approved the design for Lazarus Park.  St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church sourced and funded the pavers.  The Vermont Agency of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration funded the labyrinth’s installation by Landshapes, a Vermont landscaping company working under general contractor Kubrick Construction.  This was truly a broad-based effort, from the point of conceptualization through completion of this beautiful park that serves the Middlebury community as well as our visitors from around the world.

The St. Stephen’s Labyrinth is listed by the World-Wide Labyrinth Locator, an international database of labyrinths around the world.

Walking the Labyrinth

There are many approaches to walking a labyrinth, but no right or wrong way to do it (2).  Here are a few suggestions that may help those who are new to this experience:

  • Taking some quiet time before entering the labyrinth can be a helpful way to prepare.

  • There is an opening on the outer ring that offers a place to begin. Many find it helpful to start at this point and move at a comfortable pace toward the center, offering a chance to relax and “let go” on the journey inward.

  • Pausing in the center can provide an opportunity for receiving and refection.

  • Following the same route back often provides a chance to integrate the experience on the return.

  • Sometimes walkers bring a question, prayer, or mantra to help focus their journey, but it’s also fine to simply slow down and enjoy a break from your hectic schedule.

We encourage you to use the labyrinth in a way that meets your needs, while also respecting others who are using it at the same time. Children are welcome to explore the labyrinth.  Parents are asked to accompany their young children on this journey so that others can enjoy the contemplative aspects of this practice along with your children.

(1)“What is a Labyrinth” by Veriditas at https://www.veriditas.org.

(2)“Guidelines for Walking the Labyrinth” by Veriditas at https://www.veriditas.org is the source for much of the information in this section.

More Information

Recommended Books

  • Lauren Artress, Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Sacred Tool. New York: Riverhead Books, 2006.

  • Lauren Artress, The Sacred Path Companion: A Guide to Walking the Labyrinth to Heal and Transform. New York: Riverhead Books, 2006.

Recommended Websites