Grace Cathedral — Attraction in San Francisco

The Swig Labyrinth at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco

A Labyrinth exists mostly as a place within the mind. A Labyrinth like the one on the grounds of Grace Cathedral on California Street in San Francisco, at the top of Nob Hill, modeled on the famous Chartes Cathedral labyrinth near Paris, France, is a physical place yes, but there are no fences, hedges or canals to keep you within it: no bounds beyond the human desire to follow the labyrinth where it goes.

Do you cheat and skip a few lanes to get to the center? Do you call it a day and walk off once you have reached the center or do you follow the lengthy lines of the labyrinth in the opposite direction to get out?

Only you will know.

Sometimes it is noted that people may bring an "intention" to the labyrinth: a formal issue to solve. Or just whatever is on your mind: a question, a concern the reason you are walking the labyrinth in the first place, if you know it.

Who am I? A person that walks a labyrinth and considers life's questions?

No one but yourself will know what you have considered in your heart nor what conclusions you came to.

In the original Greek mythos about the labyrinth, a minotaur at the center of the labyrinth must be defeated in order to escape.

There is a minotaur of sorts at the center of every labyrinth, having perhaps to do with stepping aside from the concerns of existence, the cares of the every day- the labyrinth of our lives, you might say- and we grapple with this minotaur within the time and space of the labyrinth.

If you do walk the labyrinth and give it due time, all your questions may not be solved, all your deep concerns may not be much clearer, but perhaps a little. You have taken time and space to address the thoughts of your heart and that is perhaps the purpose of the labyrinth.

A very melding of time and space occurs throughout the walking of the labyrinth and within the center of the labyrinth, perhaps, they coalesce and become one: you have reached the moment, the Now. The only place where you can truly be. The only place where the true, pure...

Update to the person writing responses to the Google reviewers: Please take steps to research the issue before responding to reviewers. I did share with the desk custodian, specifically, that I was a TEC member and had entered many times to visit and pray. The response was “pay or leave.” I even asked him if he knew what type of funding gap had arisen to cause the change away from radical hospitality. I have been visiting Grace all my life. It was my 18th trip to SF and would have been my 18th visit to Grace. I always stay across the street and had the tradition of entering for reflection on my first and last day. I will email the Dean to learn how much money is needed to stop the charge of $14 to pilgrims seeking entrance. Thank you.

Original Review: I was stunned by the fact it is now $14 ticket price to enter. The security is very kind, but the person at the ticket desk seemed unhappy, tired and very frustrated. While Grace has many treasures, it also has massive trust and gifts which have sustained it for decades. While offering an excellent architectural example for the WC, the cost is a concern considering the how many founders tried to ensure this day of monetization would never occur. So many of life’s basics are now monetized, but reflection, inspiration, mediation and prayer are another story.

Recommendations for the committee and management would be, if you need to charge, offer high end customer care at your reception desk. It is still supposed to read as a religious institute/museum. Visitors are likely expecting Trader Joe’s friendliness, or Ritz Concierge desk helpfulness, but are instead getting an unwelcome surprise. There are still lots of SF churches and temples which are free and open to the public. Many have docents and welcoming staff. Look around and you will find...

The Episcopal cathedral church of the Diocese of California, that is the seat of the bishop, built 1928-1964 in the historic French Gothic as one of the largest Episcopalian cathedrals in the US. A great place to see French Gothic ecclesiastical architecture, and much precious art in its intended setting, ranging from Gothic to contemporary. A set of running murals along the sides of the nave represent the story of San Francisco, from the first Anglican mass at Drake's landing, and the coming of the Franciscan missionaries to the founding of the UN. The only oddity is that its facade holds niches designed to hold statuary images of saints, but the bishop at the time of its completion, James Pike, opted to leave the niches empty. Two years later this bishop was censured and resigned, and after his son killed himself he turned to clairvoyanice and spiritualism. He had also been twice divorced, and was an alcoholic. In any case, the older stained glass windows are beautiful and cast beautiful light into the nave. The main doors were cast from Lorenzo Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise at the Florence Baptistry. For those who enjoy choral music, this is probably the place to go in the Bay Area. They still have a choir of men and boys who sing evensong (part of vespers) once a week during the school term. And they host choral concerts from the likes of Westminster Abbey, Kings College, etc. Some of the canons still employ the melodious Queen's English. They also have a floor labyrinth traced from Chartres Cathedral. An adjacent quadrangle which houses a fine k-8 boys school. In the crypt there is a cafe and gift shop. Unfortunately there was a beautiful, limestone chapter house fronting the facade that they decided to tear down in order to build a massive and quite ugly staircase all...