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Labyriths

There's is evidence of labyrinths dating back as far as the Egyptians in 1000BC although the term was first used in 484BC by Herodotus and they are made from a variety of materials from stone, turf (in Britain) and tiles (Roman).

To be a labyrinth rather than a maze they have to have one path leading to the centre and the same path out.

The use of labyrinths in Churches is uncertain: it has been suggested that they had various uses


  • Ending a pilgrimage
  • A preparation for services
  • A way of becoming calm

    In the 12th Century the journey to Jerusalem became difficult and dangerous because of the Crusades and during this time the labyrinth in Chartes cathedral was built (between 1194-1220) as a substitute to pilgrimage.
    The labyrinth’s path is 861.5 feet long which is the number of days it took to travel to Jerusalem and its diameter is 42 feet with the path 16 feet wide. The Cathedral has, in its east, a great rose window and if this were lain flat it matches exactly to the labyrinth’s centre and the rose is the rose of Mary. The six petals of each represent the six days of creation.
    Labyrinths can be used as a metaphor for either the journey of life or the pilgrimage as you must look ahead to see the twists and turns of the journey and the way that it doubles back can be seen as the unexpected events in life and its complexity can help with meditation.
    Nowadays a pilgrim can use a labyrinth as a way of prayer or meditation or in place of a physical pilgrimage or to prepare for a pilgrimage.

    Chartes Cathedral Labyrinth - taken from the Cathedral website at 
     http://www.cathedrale-chartres.org/fr/les-parcours-de-pelerinages,13.html

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