Tiny Peaceful Chapel - St. Jude's Chapel of Hope in Trust, NC
Beauty, peace, and a place to pray and reflect.
Have you ever been somewhere and immediately felt “at home”? A place where there is a great comfort and maybe even familiarity, even though it is new to you! There is just something special about it, even if you can’t put your finger on what it is.
Well, nestled in the rolling hills of North Caroline along a slow-paced winding road is a place like that for me (and probably thousands of others), the quaint St. Jude’s Chapel. It was named after St. Jude, the patron of lost causes. The chapel (and even the town of Trust) is a little place, that if you blink, you would never even know it was there. This unexpected 12’ x 18’ (some articles say 12’x14’) wooden chapel is softly placed among the trees. On one side of the chapel, you will find a soothing little stream that is always pretty no matter the season. And on the other side, just feet away is Hwy 63. It is located in the bustling (said in a sarcastically nice manner) town of Trust, NC, which neighbors the town of “Luck”. Just a stone’s throw away you will find the Trust General Store & Cafe. “Trust” me when I say you will want to stop to visit this special chapel at least once. And I have a mighty strong feeling if you stop once, you will be just like me and stop every time you are nearby.
The time of day is no matter, as you will find the chapel open 24/7. There is no fee, and you just walk right on in. I have never been at night. It has always been during daylight hours that we would pass by, but I imagine it is pretty amazing even in the dark. I can envision the glow of light through the beautiful stained glass as you pull into the parking area.
Personally, this little chapel means something special to me for several reasons. Not only do I get comfort there, but it also leads me down memory lane. You see, the first time we visited this chapel, we went looking for it because someone dear to me told us about it. It had to be sometime back in the mid to late 90’s that my aunt, Geral, and her husband, Earnie, told my family about this cute little place they came across while riding their motorcycle around the Hot Springs area. They had visited there several times and she loved this place. She was a great Christian woman, and you could feel her faith by just being around her. So, I knew she truly meant this place was something special. I have no doubt she spent some prayer time here. Not long after her sharing this place with all of us my mom and dad found it and told us how beautiful it was.
I was pretty young then and just married. Probably mid 20’s at best. My husband and I were just starting to take road trips. It might have taken us a year or so, but one day we decided we would set out on an adventure and see if we too could find this special little place. It doesn’t matter which direction you come from the journey over is worth it. Whether venturing out from Asheville, Hot Springs, or Lake Junaluska you need to slow down, take your time, and enjoy the views as you wind around the curvy road, valley farmland, and babbling streams. Our first trip was back in the day before everyone had GPS and smartphones. We had to rely on a map and a few directions. Can you even imagine! But, even with the lack of technology and fancy gadgets, we managed to find it.
It was more than I envisioned. The chapel was built after a lady named Beverly Barutio prayed to St. Jude after being diagnosed with non-Hodkin lymphoma. She prayed, “If I make it, someday I will build a chapel.” Moving ahead some years, she began to fill a “pull” 10 years later while in remission. Now, I was raised Southern Baptist, so I do not totally understand all Catholic things. I can tell you, that just being on the grounds is peaceful, but walking through this door you can feel such a rush of peace come over you.
As soon you enter you will find a guestbook to sign. I highly recommend doing this. On that first visit, I was able to flip through the big book to find and photograph where my aunt had signed it. Of course, back then it was film and not all digital like it is now. It was so meaningful to me to see my aunt’s name there. So, be sure to share your visit in the book. You never know when you may be by again or someone you know may find you listed as a past visitor. I do feel the chapel is visited way more now than it was back then. I am certain that the book fills up more quickly than it used to. It is nice to read through some of the writings in the book as well.
Before I go on with my story, let me share a little summary of the history of St. Jude Chapel. If you are interested in learning more, click here for a great article. I mentioned Beverly Barutio above. She was married to Bill. You will find a lovely home located behind a gate at the chapel. This used to be their home. They were very involved in this community and in 1981 Beverly received her diagnosis. 1990 the chapel was designed, and the building began. 10 years later she lost her battle with cancer. Bill no longer lives there, but the new owners have continued to honor and respect Beverly’s wishes for the chapel keeping it the way she had it and leaving it open for visitors.
The location alone is a soothing place. Even with the road less traveled right beside the chapel you still feel relaxed. In the summer, it is wrapped in lush shades of green with the plentiful trees surrounding the chapel. Fall is a beautiful time to experience the chapel. The dark wood tones, blend so perfectly with the red and orange hues of the fall foliage. I have never been in winter with snow, but I have seen pictures and it looks magical! Maybe one day I will see it in person. But for me, a fall day during peak leaves right after a rain makes this chapel picture perfect.
The chapel entry has a few steps, so if you are in a wheelchair or can’t do steps, you would need someone helping you with the 4 small rocky steps at the entrance. Once inside you should be just fine. The chapel is only steps away from the parking through the well-maintained grass. Parking is gravel.
There is an altar at the front of the chapel. Here you will find all sorts of things visitors have left behind. On each visit, you will find different things, from bracelets to letters, postcards, jewelry, and so on. Certainly, many hearts have poured out their hurts, joys, worries, and blessings at this little altar. I know I have sat in the tiny pews and prayed a few prayers myself over the years visiting.
In 2006 I lost my grandpa to heart failure in May, my dad to lung cancer in June, and my granny to Alzheimer’s/heart failure in October. Losing that many people you love so close to one another makes you rethink life. In 2010, my aunt Geral passed away after a very long battle with Kidney Failure. Every time I come here great memories of her is abundant because of her love for this place. On my visits, I like to spend at least a little time in the pews. Time reflecting on life, walking down memory lane, and praying. A few years later a friend’s dad passed away and we took a day and went for a ride. This is where my heart and my car led her. I guess I felt I wanted to share the comfort I had found here with her in hopes she too, would be able to feel the same.
As the years have carried on, my husband and I have visited many times. I have been several times with my mom. Our daughter has grown up knowing this will be a stop anytime we are near. And just recently we stopped by with her boyfriend on a backroad trip to go see the elk in Cataloochee.
The sign above says “stop - rest - reflect”. I do hope each of you will find your way to this chapel and take time “stop”. While there, take a load off and sit a spell to enjoy a “rest” by the creek or sitting on a pew. And by all means, take in the comfort you will find within those walls and “reflect” on whatever you find in life that needs some focus. Whether, big or small, we all have areas we need to reel in and take charge of. This is a great time to do just that.
The article I linked above, states this door is 150 years old and Beverly choose it from Europe. Can you imagine what this door has absorbed over all those years? I think of the travel to get here, the people who have touched it, the stories it has heard, the sorrow it has been witness to, and the comfort it has led so many to. By just opening this door, the world can change. I wholeheartedly believe that Jesus Christ is the ultimate comfort and comforter. With that said, I feel that he uses places to help us experience that. Pushing open this incredible door may help you find a little piece of that.