By Aaron Lambert
Holy Thursday is one of the most beautiful yet somber nights in the liturgical year. During the Holy Thursday liturgy, called the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, the priest washes the feet of his parishioners, as Christ did his disciples at the Last Supper. Then, as the Mass ends, the Blessed Sacrament is processed out of the sanctuary and placed atop the altar of repose, where it will remain “entombed,” as it were, in darkness until the first light of Easter Sunday breaks.
Not only does Holy Thursday mark the beginning of the sacred triduum, it is also when the Church commemorates the institution of the Eucharist and the priesthood with it. Important as these are, there is another, lesser known devotion that the Church has practiced for centuries that the faithful are invited to participate in: the seven churches visitation.
History of the devotion
The seven churches visitations finds its origin in Rome, during the time of St. Philip Neri in the 16th century. A popular pilgrimage route at the time was known as the “seven churches of Rome,” which included the four major basilicas of St. Peter’s Basilica, St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. John Lateran and St. Mary Major, and the three minor basilicas of St. Sebastian’s, Holy Cross in Jerusalem and St. Lawrence Outside the Walls. St. Philip Neri would walk this route as a personal devotion and, over time, pilgrims began to join him. He would lead them in hymns and prayers at each church, share a brief spiritual reflection and break bread with the people. During Lent in particular, the crowds became larger.
This devotion eventually became linked to both praying the Stations of the Cross (two at each church) and also meditating on Scripture passages that recount the seven last places Jesus visited before He died. Those Scripture passages include: Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Lk 22:39-46), Jesus before Annas (Jn 18:19-22), Jesus before Caiaphas (Mt 26:63-65), Jesus before Pilate (Jn 18:35-37), Jesus before Herod (Lk 23:8-9; 11), Jesus before Pilate again (Mt 27:22-26) and Jesus’ crucifixion and death (Mt 27:27-31).
From these traditions and St. Philip Neri’s earlier practice in Rome arose the devotion of the seven churches visitation, which has slowly changed over time into the modern-day version. Today, it is practiced primarily in Latin America, Italy, Poland and the Philippines, but it has been rediscovered in recent years and is once more growing in popularity as a Holy Thursday tradition.
How to do the seven churches visitation
In its modern form, there’s no need to go to Rome to do the seven churches visitation (though that is certainly still an option). The great thing about this devotion is it can be done anywhere in the world where there are at least seven Catholic churches in somewhat close proximity to one another. In a city like San Francisco, that can mean both within walking and driving distance.
To start, choose seven churches to visit on Holy Thursday. They can be of your choice, or perhaps your diocese will offer a specific pilgrimage route; either will suffice. You can also do the seven churches visitation individually or in a group. The first church you’ll visit is the church at which you attend the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. After Mass, when the Blessed Sacrament is placed on the altar of repose, you’ll have the chance to spend time in adoration and keep vigil with Christ. Spend some time in prayer before the Lord, using the Stations of the Cross and the aforementioned Scripture passages as aids for meditation. Then, you’ll go from church to church, visiting the Lord at the altar of repose in each one and spending time in prayer before Him.
The Church intentionally places the Eucharist in darkness on Holy Thursday to recall the darkness that the world experienced at the time of Jesus’ death on the cross. Praying at the various altars of repose is meant to be a solemn and somber experience, but even so, it is still a beautiful prayer experience that brings us deeper into the spiritual realities of the triduum. Like the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, we too are invited to keep watch with Christ as we contemplate Christ’s death and resurrection and prepare our hearts to rise in joy with Him on Easter morning.
Despite the darkness that Holy Thursday brings, the seven churches visitation is a powerful devotion that keeps the light of Christ aflame; for as it states in the Gospel of John, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (Jn 1:5).
Find an Altar of Repose near you here.
Aaron Lambert is a writer from Denver.
Photo: Dennis Callahan
