St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church (Harper's Ferry, W.V.) - Erin Reno

Since last class on Thursday, the concept of finding religion in nature has stuck with me.  Both of my parents were raised Catholic, and while I would not say that I am active in the church, the majority of my time spent in places of worship have been those of the Catholic faith.  One place in particular that I found exceptionally special was St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church in Harper’s Ferry, W.V. It was opened in 1833, and was the only church in Harper's Ferry to not suffer damages during the Civil War.  Today, it still holds Mass for both tourists and locals, and is open for wedding ceremonies. Inside it looks much like a typical Roman Catholic church in the neo-Gothic style (though it was originally designed in the pseudo-Gothic style and later altered in 1896), but it is its location that is truly exceptional.  The church rests on a cliff overlooking the gorge where the Shenandoah River meets the Potomac. Sitting on the cliff next to the church, I remember feeling something borderline sublime, in this tiny place of worship right on the edge of nature. I remember thinking that this was the closest I had ever felt to God, which was interesting as I am not particularly religious.  Next to it is a street connected to the Appalachian Trail, so I can imagine that many a hiker has passed it on their travels and felt the same feeling I did when I visited two years ago.