BELMONT — Msgr. Charles Schluter will speak on Thursday, March 24, at 7 p.m., at St. Philomena Church, 338 Chestnut St. His topic will be the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre has had a long and interesting history. Early Christians venerated the sight as the place where Jesus was crucified. The Roman Emperor Constantine, after his conversion to Christianity, sent his mother, St. Helena, to the Holy Land to find the site of the crucifixion. Bishop Macarius of Jerusalem identified the spot. Upon excavation Helena found the relic of the true cross. Her son Constantine built the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the years 325 and 326.
Since the 4th century it has been an important sight of pilgrimage. In 1099 the Muslim leader Caliph al-Hakim ordered the destruction of the church. It was later rebuilt by the Crusaders. An earthquake in 1927 made it possible to determine the topography of Golgotha and the tomb of Christ.
Today, the Franciscan Order is the guardian of the Catholic parts of the Holy Sepulchre. Monsignor Schluter’s talk will be a beautiful preparation for the Easter Triduum. All are welcome to this event sponsored by St. Philomena, Immaculate Conception, and St. Michael Parishes.