“There aren’t a lot of quiet spaces in this world, but we’re hoping we can change that for the people in the community looking for a place to reflect, remember and grieve.”
Richmond pastor Christoph Reiners at Our Saviour Lutheran Church is working with Richmond Hospice and Richmond Funeral Home to build a labyrinth to offer a place of solace for anyone in the community in need of a quiet space by themselves or with family.
The project, titled Labyrinth of Our Saviour, will be a 42-foot labyrinth circle made of a paver stone footpath between low-growing plants in the church’s backyard on No. 4 Road, just south of Westminster Highway.
“This is a tool that we offer to the community to explore what it means to be human and what it means to embark on this pilgrimage through life,” said Reiner.
“This is a project for the community and for the people, not for the church.”
A member of the church, Eva Harris, told the Richmond News the last couple of years have been difficult for many, including people involved in the ongoing overdose crisis.
“There’s no real support for those who are going through that specific type of grief and I’m hoping to reach out to those, as well as supporting organizations, to help them,” said Harris.
She added that once the footpath is laid out, the church will invite community members to help with planting the flowers and greens in between.
Erin MacPherson, manager of Richmond Funeral Home, described the labyrinth as “more than bricks and mortar.”
“It builds awareness and empathy within the Richmond and Lower Mainland community around the topics of grief and loss,” said MacPherson.
“I think it’s a place for people of all faiths to seek solace during a difficult time or a time of meditation or thought.”
A recent donation of $10,000 was made by the Arbor Memorial Foundation to help jumpstart the project. MacPherson said the project is still actively raising funds as they have a goal of raising an additional $20,000 to complete it.
Construction of the labyrinth is expected to start this fall.
