The Blessing of the Bikes

Churches are encouraging bike travel by holding rituals to Bless the Bicycles.

Yale Climate Connections
October 27, 2015

In 1999, the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York City held the world’s first organized blessing of bicycles. Now this new ritual has spread to different denominations and to cities as far away as Melbourne, Australia.

As part of the ritual, riders have their bikes blessed with holy water, remember cyclists who have died, and say a prayer for safe biking.