Why pilgrims come
A sacred place worth the journey.
A former Catholic chapel built for the Sisters of Loretto, famous for the extraordinary spiral staircase that a cherished tradition attributes to St. Joseph after the sisters completed a novena for help.
The pilgrim’s guide
What makes this visit meaningful
Visit Loretto Chapel as a place where Catholic prayer, craftsmanship and enduring mystery meet. When the completed chapel lacked access to its choir loft, the Sisters of Loretto prayed a novena to St. Joseph. An unknown carpenter then built the remarkable double-turn staircase and left without payment. The tradition associates him with St. Joseph, while historical research proposes a named French carpenter; pilgrims can appreciate the story without confusing devotion with formal Church recognition.
The Sisters’ novena to St. Joseph
The devotional story begins with nine days of prayer to the patron saint of carpenters for a solution to the inaccessible choir loft.
The double-turn staircase
Study the compact wooden helix, assembled with wooden pegs and without a central supporting pole.
Tradition and historical evidence
The unknown-builder story inspired devotion to St. Joseph, while later research suggests the French carpenter François-Jean Rochas.
Chapel of Our Lady of Light
Notice the Gothic Revival chapel, French stained glass and the legacy of the Sisters of Loretto in Catholic education.
Feasts, anniversaries & celebrations