St George's Cathedral, Cape Town

What is a labyrinth?

Labyrinths have been used as spiritual tools in many faiths for thousands of years. Christians in the Middle Ages adopted labyrinths when pilgrims could not safely journey to the Holy Land.

Perhaps the most famous Cathedral labyrinth is at Chartres in France, which was laid into the floor about 800 years ago and is still usable. Dr Lauren Artress of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco can be credited with the modern revival of the labyrinth as a spiritual tool. Her book Walking a Sacred Path contains a wealth of information on the history and sacred geometry of the meditative path.

St George's Cathedral labyrinth is a permanent fixture outdoors in the courtyard, built of brick paving and contrasting grey cobbles to mark the path. It is a classical 11-circuit labyrinth – like the one in Chartres – about 14 metres across.

A labyrinth is not a maze. It contains no dead ends or wasted journeys. It is a meditation tool. By giving the body something simple to do, it provides a focus for those who struggle with sitting in silence and helps to ground and centre our prayers.

The spiritual presence of the labyrinth will become an integral part of the Cathedral, available for a mini-pilgrimage at any time to residents of the city, as well as visitors, tourists and pilgrims from all over the world. The Cathedral is busy training facilitators and guides for groups who wish to use it on retreat or team-building experiences.

The Labyrinth is available to members of the public. The Cathedral doors are open during weekdays, until 17:30, and on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

St George's Cathedral's labyrinth

Sacred Geometry

Thoughts on the labyrinth

Siyahamba Labyrinth Ministry

Back to Home Page