Media Release
March 17, 2008
Contact: Paul J. Anderson,
The Shrine of Christ’s Passion, 219.616.2028
Lake
Religious Shrine to Draw Faithful Travelers
The Shrine provides an intimate environment for spiritual renewal. The fifteen acre site was designed to reflect the period of time when Jesus was alive as well as the geographic landscape, typical of an arid climate. Pilgrims will experience as never before the Passion of Christ beginning with a Last Supper scene, The Garden of Gethsemane and then journey through the Passion as depicted in the Stations of the Cross. There will be background music along the entire trail and each setting will provide a listening station where visitors can listen to a description of the scene and a short meditation recorded by Chicago broadcast journalist Bill Kurtis.
The religious tourism market is steadily growing; according to a Travel Industry Association study, 25 percent of travelers surveyed expressed interest in taking a spiritual vacation such as a religious retreat or pilgrimage. “I anticipate that the shrine will do well enough that you will see new hotels nearby,” said Michael Chaseley, Partnership Development Manager for the Lake County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
The Shrine of Christ’s Passion is funded by a private not-for-profit foundation and all proceeds from the Gift Shop and donations will be used for maintenance of the Prayer Trail. The Shrine’s campus includes parking space for 10 tour buses and 75 cars. Volunteers will also be on hand to provide rides on power carts for the handicapped.
The Shrine of Christ’s Passion is located at
“Come Take The Journey”
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