The Loretto staircase is known for three mysteries that still baffle people even today and they are.
1. Who was the builder?
2. How does the structure stand, and balance without a central support?
3. The origins of the wood?
To this day all of the above questions remain unanswered. The Catholic nuns of Our Lady of Light, in Santa Fe, had the chapel built, but the builders failed to put in a staircase to the choir loft. When the nuns tried to get one built they were informed it was impossible, and that a normal staircase would take up too much room.
In faith they did a 9 day novena prayer asking Saint Joseph, who was a carpenter to intercede for them for a staircase to be built. On the ninth day of prayer a mysterious man showed up with simple tools, a donkey, and looking for work. He asked if he could build the staircase, he built and completed it. Then the man disappeared into the night without payment, and even though the nuns searched for him he was never seen again.
So the mysteries remain to this day as the builder has never been found or identified for certain. The staircase was built without any nails, or glue, and without any central support, which has caused many engineers to marvel in disbelief at its construction. Many of them say the construction is impossible, and should have collapsed the moment a person stepped on it. Also the wood is not found anywhere in the region, which has led many to conclude this was a miracle, and the man was indeed Saint Joseph. If anyone has ever traveled to Saint Joseph’s Oratory, in Quebec, Canada, and studied all the miracles that have occurred there through the powerful intercession of Saint Joseph, then one could easily believe that Saint Joseph could have somehow had a hand in this.
