Students, staff, faculty members and families prayed in the Numen Lumen Pavilion’s Sacred Space on Good Friday.
One of the first religious observances in the university’s Numen Lumen Pavilion took place Friday as members of the campus community prayed the Stations of the Cross in observance of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection.
Led by Trung “T” Huynh-Duc, business manager for Catholic Campus Ministry, the prayer was open to all faith backgrounds. He was assisted by staff from the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life.
The prayer took place in a circular room known as the “Sacred Space,” a location with no affixed religious symbolism that allows the area to be used for celebrations by all faiths, whether Christian, Jewish, Muslim or others.
Gatherers slowly circled the room as a cross was moved around the perimeter for each of 14 prayer stations depicting Christ’s trial before Pontius Pilate and his death sentence.
“It was wonderful to have the prayer here,” Huynh-Duc said after the observance. “It’s good for our campus to be exposed to different services, and not just those that are Christian.”
Students also reflected on the significance of the occasion. “Easter is my favorite time of the year,” said Thomas McGuire, a sophomore history education major from Ames, Iowa. “It’s what our faith is based on and where our traditions come from. Everybody gets excited about Christmas but I get excited about this. It’s even more important.”
The Numen Lumen Pavilion, which opened in late February, is a place for prayer, meditation and reflection in the heart of campus. Its addition to the Academic Village is part of Elon’s efforts to promote interfaith dialogue and understanding.