Every year bicycles are blessed in New York: why and how this tradition appeared

Among the many New York rituals, this one is already unshakable. For 23 years in a row, at the beginning of May, everyone who wants to bless their bicycles comes to the world's largest Gothic Cathedral of St. John the Divine. It doesn't matter who you believe in or whether you believe at all - it is only important to be a convinced cyclist. The edition told in more detail "Present".

You can even be a dog, like old Rosie, who for 15 years of her life traveled around the city with her mistress only on a blessed bicycle.

“She really loves going to Central Park. As I prepare my bike, she looks at me with genuine concern, wondering if she will ride too. And I'm terribly happy when I put her in the bike basket, ”said Rosie's owner Alexandra Hazen.

The ancestor of an unusual tradition was a man who is far from religion - Glen Goldstein, just an avid cyclist, or rather his walking mother.

“Many years ago, my dear mother, gave me a little newspaper article about the blessing of motorcycles at some shrine. And like all Jewish sons, I rolled my eyes when I saw another newspaper clipping from my mother and threw it somewhere, says Goldstein. "But many years later I remembered about her and it dawned on me that it was a great idea."

“I came to this wonderful cathedral and, very embarrassed, asked about my idea. I thought they wouldn't like it, but they turned out to be so friendly and open, and that's how it all started, ”Goldstein continues.

Since then, he was often asked why all this is. Some took holy water on bicycles seriously, some thought it was one big joke, some were deeply offended.

But Glen, who himself does not believe in miracles, preaches the old adage: “Trust in God, but don’t do it yourself.” He is sure that no one will hurt at least once a year to slow down and think about their own safety.

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“I also don’t believe that holy water will help. But this cathedral is so beautiful and such a wonderful event, I am not risking anything, ”says cyclist Fred Leffel.

“Does it help? Unknown. But you are being lent a helping hand and it certainly will not harm in any way, ”notes Jim Hughes.

Words about the ordinary worldly bicycle as a way of salvation during a pandemic are rarely heard from priests. The abbots of the cathedral, according to their admission, have never gone down the metro themselves over the past year and now prefer to pedal.

“Over the past year, we have been locked in our homes, fearing contact with any objects. We were all afraid to go outside. And I propose to remember the courageous people - couriers, many of whom are illegal immigrants. They worked on their bicycles so that you and I had food on the table while we were locked up. These people on bicycles have made our lives possible in many ways during the COVID-19 pandemic, ”says Priest Patrick Malloy.

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Every day two cyclists are killed on the roads of American cities. In 2020, activists counted many couriers on the death rolls. At the cathedral, these statistics are traditionally turned into the names of everyone.

“You can see memorials to the victims — white ghost bicycles — all over the city. It's good that we have special tracks, but accidents still happen all the time, says Andrea Macao. “I think the blessing, like the ghost bikes, is a good way to remind all of us, not only of the people who lost their lives on the road, but also of how important it is to be careful along the way.”

“It's tragic and horrible and sad. But the service, like the memorials to cyclists, helps those who drive multi-ton cars to realize how easy it is to injure a person on two wheels, ”notes Jennifer Bez.

And before the owners of two-wheeled vehicles again join the mad city traffic, the priests wish them a fair wind and a clear road. After that, the new cycling season will be announced open.