After Mass on Palm Sunday, March 24, the gym at Sagrada Familia Church was swept carefully and long sheets of plastic were taped to the floor indicating the outline for this year’s Carpets of Holy Week.
Individual panels for the carpets were traced onto other pieces of plastic and these were taped onto the long sheets. The panels then were filled in with sawdust, flour, glitter and other materials to bring the design to life. Panels were produced by individuals, families, organizations and others. Each panel has a religious theme.
(See photo gallery above.)
This is the 11th year Sagrada Familia has done the carpets, which began as a Boy Scout project for a parishioner. Volunteers from Sacred Heart Chapel in Lorain, another Hispanic parish, helped launch the Sagrada project. Sacred Heart Chapel has been producing sawdust carpets for about three decades. Click here to learn more about their carpets.
Volunteers dyed copious amounts of sawdust for the carpets. Flour and glitter also were available. Those who wanted additional materials for their panels provided other things, including small, artificial flowers. Ideally, the panels are created using natural materials.
The public is invited to view the carpets until Good Friday morning, March 29. The traditional Good Friday procession through the West Side of Cleveland begins at 11 a.m. at Sagrada Familia. At that time, the faithful will meet at the church and walk through the gym, destroying the carpets as they leave.
The procession will move to nearby St. Colman Church, where the Passion liturgy will begin. It will resume and walk to St. Michael the Archangel Church, where the Passion liturgy will conclude.
Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost will walk in the procession and preside at the liturgies at each church.