Where the dead speak

The National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg held its Back from the Dead cemetery walk on October 9. The event featured ten actors portraying saints, martyrs, and souls in heaven and purgatory to share stories of their lives.

Father Brian Nolan, pastor of St. Ignatius in Ijamsville, created the dramatic tours to provide an alternative to traditional lectures about faith. He developed the program to teach about topics such as purgatory and the devil in a way that avoids the themes found in secular haunted attractions.

Rob Judge, executive director of the shrine, said the tours are intended to be uplifting and to help participants reflect on important aspects of life. Father Nolan described the walks as a form of prayer and meditation designed to teach the faith through an engaging experience in the cemetery.