The twenty-eight marble steps that Jesus walked upon to meet Pontius Pilate is one of the holy sites that is visited by people from all over the world.

While these steps were originally constructed in Jerusalem, they were moved to Rome in the 4th century by order of St. Helen. They can now be found in the Church of the Holy Stairs in Rome.

There are only three replicas of these stairs that have been made. There is one in Lourdes, France, one in Quebec, Canada, and one in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in America. While my family has been blessed to visit and pray on the Holy Stairs in Rome twice, we are also able to keep the tradition of praying the holy stairs each year since we live close to Pittsburgh, PA.

This particular replica is located within St. Patrick Church on Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rev. William F.X. O’Brien was assigned to create a parish in Pittsburgh in 1808, when only 20 Catholic Families lived in Pittsburgh. St Patrick’s Church was built and dedicated in 1811.

My family has had the tradition of visiting the replica of the Holy Stairs in Pittsburgh for many years. Each year on Holy Thursday morning, as we enter the Holy Triduum, we visit St. Patrick’s Church and pray on the Holy Stairs replica. The uncomfortable trip on our knees up the 28 stairs done in prayer is a good reminder of our Lord’s passion. After this, we go to many of the stores located on Liberty Avenue to shop for our upcoming Easter Feast.