The beautiful hand-laid stone design on the Bankston Green is a gift of St. Paul’s Church to the greater Houston community. Modeled after the 13th-century labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral, this public path of prayer is used by modern day pilgrims seeking guidance and centering in their lives.

Walking a labyrinth is a meditative practice observed across world religions. Archeologists have discovered labyrinths created by ancient societies that date back millenia. Unlike a maze, a labyrinth guides the traveler through a predetermined, circuitous path to its center point and back out. There are no diverging pathways where the traveler makes a conscious choice to turn right or left. In this way, the mind can relax as the body simply puts one foot in front of the other. This practice promotes contemplation and prayer.

To walk the labyrinth, enter near the statue of Jesus and follow the stone pathway to the center of the labyrinth and back out. Take whatever pace you’d like. If you have a smart phone with you, you’re invited to listen to this medley while you walk…

Listen while you walk

Music credits:

• “Ave verum corpus” – William Byrd

• “Set me as a seal” – Rene Clausen

• “God be in my head” – John Rutter

• “Ave verum corpus” – W. A. Mozart

• “The Lord Is My Shepherd” from Requiem  – John Rutter (Linda Gilbert, oboe)

To schedule a Group Walk

Please contact hspaw@stpaulshouston.org to schedule time for your group on the labyrinth.

History of labyrinths at St. Paul’s

The outdoor labyrinth in Bankston Green was installed in the summer of 2011 by Marty Kermeen of Labyrinths in Stone. An indoor triune labyrinth was incorporated into the floor of the Activity Center/Gym when it was renovated in the summer of 2015.