I Was Here

At the St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Chapel, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem

When you walk into the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and walk down to the St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Chapel, you will notice hundreds of tiny carved crosses etched into the walls. They are called Pilgrim’s Crosses.

Each cross was carved by a pilgrim who came from far away. Some walked for months. Some sold what they had. Some took risks we can hardly imagine. They came to stand where Christ was crucified, buried, and raised. And when they arrived, they didn’t carve their names; they carved a small, simple cross. As if to say, “I was here. God met me here.”

It reminds us that, deep in every human heart, there is a quiet desire: every one of us wants our life to leave a mark. Not a mark of ego, but a mark of meaning. A mark that says, “My faith mattered. My prayers mattered. My journey mattered.”

You don’t have to travel to Jerusalem to leave that kind of mark. You are already leaving marks on hearts every single day. You leave marks in your family by how you love, forgive, and show patience. In your church, by how you serve, encourage, and remain faithful. In the world around you, by how yoy live with integrity, compassion, and hope.

Every choice you make, every act of love, every moment of faith leaves an imprint. You may not see it right away. Others may not notice it immediately. But over time, those marks tell a powerful story. A small cross carved with love outlasts grand monuments built for pride.

The greatest mark ever left on this world was not carved by human hands, but by Christ Himself, through His Cross and His Resurrection. That mark speaks of love stronger than death, hope stronger than despair, life stronger than the grave. And because of that mark, your life has eternal meaning.

So don’t worry about making a name for yourself. Focus on making a difference. Leave your mark not on stone, but on hearts. On your children. On your church. On the people God places in your path.

And one day, when your journey is complete, your life will quietly echo the message of those pilgrim crosses: “I was here. God met me here. My journey mattered.”