Greenfield church to celebrate World Labyrinth Day for 17th year

The Episcopal Church of Saints James and Andrew will participate in World Labyrinth Day for the 17th consecutive year, welcoming the public to the labyrinth on its side lawn, pictured, as a moving meditation for world peace on Saturday, May 3. STAFF PHOTO/PAUL FRANZ

By DOMENIC POLI, Staff Writer for the Greenfield Recorder                                                                  Published: 04-29-2025 10:03 AM

GREENFIELD — The Episcopal Church of Saints James and Andrew will participate in World Labyrinth Day for the 17th consecutive year, welcoming the public to the labyrinth on its side lawn as a moving meditation for world peace on Saturday, May 3.

The Community Labyrinth Coalition invites everyone to 8 Church St., at the corner of Federal Street, to “Walk as One at 1:00,” when thousands of people around the world will walk labyrinths at 1 p.m. in their respective time zones in a symbolic demonstration of unity and peace. The labyrinth is non-denominational.

“I’m interested in it as a tool for prayer or meditation because … you have to slow down and you get to the center of it, and you get to pause and to reflect back, and one of the ways that I use it is reflecting on my life as a whole,” said Community Labyrinth Coalition member Becca King.

Non-maze labyrinth paths are found throughout the world, with the oldest dating back thousands of years. Nearly 6,650 labyrinths are listed on labyrinthlocator.org and an estimated 15,000 people from 100 countries participate in World Labyrinth Day.

Community Labyrinth Coalition member Laura Schlaikjer said her mother, Elise Schlaikjer, got the idea to create the labyrinth at the Episcopal Church of Saints James and Andrew. She said her mother also has one at her house.
“There’s a distinct difference between a maze and a labyrinth,” she explained. “In a labyrinth there’s one way in; the same way out.”

Schlaikjer noted the coalition is made up of mostly older people and she is trying to recruit younger people to keep the tradition going.
King said labyrinths consist of turns and surprises, just like life.

“But different people use it different ways,” she said. “I tend to be a Speedy Gonzales-type person, so this is a way to help slow me down.”

More information about World Labyrinth Day can found at worldlabyrinthday.org. For more about the Community Labyrinth Coalition, visit saintsjamesandandrew.org/labyrinth.

Reach Domenic Poli at: [email protected] or 413-930-4120.