CHARLOTTE — The Seven Churches Visitation, a Lenten tradition to visit seven churches on Holy Thursday, gives Catholics the opportunity to recall the seven stops of Jesus Christ along the Via Dolorosa. Consider trying some or all of this pilgrimage yourself.
Also known as “Visita Iglesia,” the visitation to seven churches on the evening of Holy Thursday dates back to the 16th century, originating in Rome with St. Philip Neri. The pilgrimage encompasses the seven Roman basilicas: St. John Lateran, St. Peter’s, St. Mary Major, St. Paul-Outside-the-Walls, St. Sebastian, Santa Croce-in-Jerusalem and St. Lawrence-Outside-the-Walls.
Following the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Thursday evening, the Blessed Sacrament is reserved on an Altar of Repose for Adoration. During the pilgrimage, the faithful visit several churches – sometimes seven, or whatever number is possible – to pray before the Blessed Sacrament in each church, remembering Our Lord’s words to His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane to keep watch with Him for one hour.
In the Diocese of Charlotte, a growing number of priests, seminarians and lay people set out to follow the path of Rome’s seven stational churches by making a similar pilgrimage to seven churches in Charlotte. St. Patrick Cathedral, the seat of the diocese, and St. Peter Church, the oldest church in Charlotte, are popular stops along the pilgrimage.
The seven churches pilgrimage has grown to places outside of Charlotte. Several Triad-area churches are also participating. Find a route with seven churches near you. At www.charlottediocese.org: See a complete list and directions to all of our parishes.
The following Charlotte-area churches will have the Blessed Sacrament in repose for Adoration:
• Queen of the Apostles, 503 North Main St., Belmont; Starting at 8:15 p.m.
• St. Ann, 3635 Park Road, Charlotte: 8:30 p.m. to midnight 8:30 p.m. in the gym
• St. Gabriel, 3016 Providence Road, Charlotte: After 7 p.m. Mass to midnight in the school cafeteria
• St. John Neumann, 68451 Idlewild Rd, Charlotte: After 7 p.m. Mass to midnight in the Parish Hall
• St. Mark; 14740 Stumptown Rd, Huntersville: After 7 p.m. Mass until midnight in the Parish Hall
• St. Matthew, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy.: 8 - 11 p.m. in the Parish Center gym
• St. Michael Church, 708 St. Michael’s Lane, Gastonia; 8:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. Friday in the parish gym
• St. Patrick Cathedral, 1621 Dilworth Road East, Charlotte: 8 p.m. to midnight in the great hall of the Family Life Center
• St. Peter, 507 S. Tryon St., Charlotte: After 7 p.m. Mass to 11:30 p.m.
• St. Thomas Aquinas, 1400 Suther Road, Charlotte: 8:30 p.m. to midnight in Aquinas Hall
• St. Vincent de Paul Charlotte, 6828 Old Reid Rd, Charlotte: Following 7:30 p.m. Mass
Triad-area Catholics can also make a seven churches pilgrimage:
• St. Joseph's, 512 W. Wainman Ave., Asheboro: After 6 p.m. Mass to midnight
• St. Leo the Great, 335 Springdale Ave., Winston-Salem: After 7 p.m. Mass to 10 p.m.
• Our Lady of Mercy, 1730 Link Road, Winston-Salem: After 7 p.m. Mass to midnight
• Holy Cross, 616 S. Cherry St., Kernersville: After 7 p.m. Mass to 10 p.m. in Salesian Hall in the Education Building
• Immaculate Heart of Mary, 4145 Johnson St., Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: After 7:30 p.m. Mass to midnight in the Gathering Place
• St. Paul the Apostle, 2715 Horse Pen Creek Road, Greensboro: After 6 p.m. Mass to 10 p.m. in the Parish Chapel
• St. Pius X, 2200 N. Elm St., Greensboro: Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament after 7 p.m. Mass to midnight in the side chapel
• St. Benedict, 109 W. Smith St., Greensboro: After 7 p.m. Mass to 9:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall
• Our Lady of Grace, 2205 W. Market St., Greensboro: After 6:30 p.m. Mass to midnight in the Parish Life Center
Catholics in Greensboro are invited to join a pilgrimage group led by Father Casey Coleman. The group will be leaving from Our Lady of Grace's Tremont parking lot at approximately 9 p.m. to begin the seven churches pilgrimage.