By Meena and Alexa
On the second day of our Sacred Spaces IL, our group traveled to several different sacred spaces in Philadelphia.
When our group first arrived in the city, we took a tour of Friends Center, a Quaker meeting center. There, we learned all about the different organizations that work with Friends Center and use their spaces, such as the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. We got the opportunity to learn about the history of the meetinghouse, such as how the it used to be separated into two different spaces for men and women.
After learning about the long and unique history of Friends Center, our group took our lunch break at one of Philadelphia’s most popular food spots, Reading Terminal Market. The group was able to roam the space freely to find food. Students broke off into small groups and explored the many different cuisines Reading Terminal has to offer.
After lunch, our group visited the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, which is another church several blocks away from Reading Terminal and Friends Center. As we toured the building, we noticed the beautiful architecture and unique paintings; our guide helped us learn their symbolic and historical significance. During our tour, we were able to learn about Catholicism, as well as the connection between this church to churches across the world.
Our visits to these starkly contrasting sacred spaces gave us a new perspective on the different ways in which people view and worship religion.