Each year, more than half a million pilgrims travel to Rome to climb the ancient steps known as the Scala Sancta. Located across from the Basilica of St. John the Lateran, the 28 marble steps are venerated by the faithful as those Jesus Christ ascended when he appeared for judgment before Pontius Pilate.
According to longstanding Catholic tradition, the Holy Stairs were brought from Jerusalem to Rome in the fourth century by St. Helena, mother of Constantine the Great. For centuries, pilgrims have ascended not on foot but on their knees, praying in meditation on the Passion of Christ.
While such a pilgrimage may seem distant for most Catholics, the faithful in western Pennsylvania can encounter a similar devotion much closer to home.
Within Pittsburgh’s historic Strip District, Old St. Patrick’s Church, today part of St. Patrick-St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish, houses a replica of the Holy Stairs that invites visitors to undertake the same prayerful ascent.
Upon entering the church, visitors immediately encounter the marble staircase, which leads up to a small chapel. Pamphlets line the stairs with prayers and meditations on Christ’s Passion for each step. While visitors may not walk up the stairs on foot — following
