Broadway Fillmore Alive provides self-guided 7 Churches visitation tours

For the past 17 years, Broadway Fillmore Alive, a local neighborhood preservation group, has kept the Holy Thursday tradition of the seven Churches Visitation alive by organizing a self-guided pilgrimage to historic churches in the Broadway-Fillmore/Polonia, Downtown, First Ward and Kaisertown areas.

The tradition of entering seven churches to pray before the Blessed Sacrament mimics Jesus’ walk between the Last Supper and His crucifixion.  

Christopher Byrd grew up in the Broadway Fillmore neighborhood, but moved out with his family in his teens, leaving the family tradition behind.

“When I was young, we would go to the seven churches,” he explained. “Every Holy Thursday, we’d be out with my mother and grandmother visiting the churches throughout the Broadway Fillmore Neighborhood.”

As he got older, he grew nostalgic for the traditions of his youth. “I got kind of hungry to rediscover these things that I left behind,” he said.

In 2006, he co-founded Broadway Fillmore Alive to encourage interest in his old neighborhood, especially the Polish and Catholic aspects. Adding the self-guided tour seemed like the ideal way to share some of his favorite memories.

“As I rediscovered this tradition, I really wanted other people to rediscover it,” Byrd said. “The lightbulb went off one day to promote the seven churches visitation.”

As the years went by, he noticed a growing interest. “I get so much web traffic just from this when I put it out there. It’s kind of astounding to me. It’s really caught on,” he said.

His website https://broadwayfillmorealive.org/2.0/ receives “thousands and thousands” of hits during the Easter season from people wanting to see what parishes will be on the list that year.

“I get people emailing me, ‘When are you going to put out the list for the seven churches?’ I get churches calling, ‘How come we’re not on your list?’ And I have to explain I’m trying to do it in my old Polish neighborhood.”

It has expanded, but the churches remain tightly located as there is only a few hours to see all the churches after Holy Thursday Mass.

Byrd points out that other organizations lead tours to appreciate the architectural beauty or historical significance of the church, but this tour is different.

“A big thing that I love to do is have people come to see these churches in their intended purpose. You’re not coming to look around. You’re coming to actually see people worshipping on one of the holiest nights of the year. It’s a touching night for Catholics. I think people see why we do this. Even if they’re not Catholic, they get a better understanding of what a night this is for the Catholic Church.”   

This year, 10 Churches are included: Our Lady of Perpetual Help, St. Stanislaus, Corpus Christi, St. Adalbert Basilica, St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy, St. John Kanty, St. Casimir, Our Lady Help of Christians, St. Josaphat and St. Anthony of Padua. A Google Map can be accessed at: https://tinyurl.com/seven-churches,