What miracles abound in the first reading and the Gospel. From leprosy to flesh “like the flesh of a little child.” Amazing! It reminded me that this summer I had an encounter with the miraculous as well. I had the pleasure during a road trip to the great state of Colorado to make a small detour to Santa Fe, NM because of a story I’d heard about a miraculous staircase built by a mysterious man back in 1873. The place is called the Loretto Chapel and the staircase is called The Miraculous Staircase.

The story goes that when the Loretto Chapel was close to completion, the architect died without telling anyone how he had planned to access the choir loft twenty-two feet above. If a regular staircase was built, it would interfere with the interior space of the small chapel. Legend has it that to find a solution to the problem, the Sisters of the Chapel made a novena to St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters. On the ninth and final day of prayer, a man appeared at the Chapel with a donkey and a toolbox looking for work. Months later, the spiral staircase was completed, and the carpenter disappeared without pay or thanks. After searching for the man and finding no trace of him, some concluded that he was St. Joseph himself, having come in answer to the sisters' prayers. (Information obtained from lorettochapel.com).

 What makes this staircase “Miraculous?”

 It is said that the tools he used were rudimentary at best.

 The staircase has two-360 degree turns and no visible means of support.

It was built without nails or glue - only wooden pegs.

The exact wood used to build the staircase is still unknown, although it has been confirmed that it is a type of spruce - which is not native to New Mexico. And scientifically, this wood is not identified anywhere else in the world.

Master carpenters who’ve been consulted on the staircase, consider it a work of art. Even using modern tools, building this type of structure would be an incredible feat. And this mystery man built it with rudimentary tools and no one to help him. 

Now, I believe we don’t need to visit Santa Fe to experience miracles all around us. But if you ever get a chance to make a pit stop in Santa Fe, NM, it will be well worth it to take a moment to see the Miraculous Staircase, where possibly St. Joseph himself made a pit stop!