St. Cleophas Church

Cloaked in the shadows of history, the St. Cleophas Church stands as a silent witness to centuries of faith and pilgrimage. The St. Cleophas Church, also known as Emmaus Church, marks a pivotal moment in the Christian narrative. It is here, in the Palestinian village of Al-Qubeiba, where Jesus is said to have revealed himself to two disciples after his resurrection. St. Cleophas Church isn’t just a building. It’s a story etched in stone. The Crusaders, captivated by the significance of this location, recognized it as Emmaus in 1099. They discovered a Roman fortress nearby and named it Castellum Emmaus, solidifying their belief in this place’s sacred history. The Franciscans embraced the site in 1335, establishing an annual pilgrimage to the St. Cleophas Church that continues to this day. A church was built here, reflecting the belief that it was constructed on the site of Cleophas’s house. This house may have been destroyed during Hadrian’s reign, rebuilt, and then destroyed again by the Persians in 616. The church itself has seen its share of turmoil. Destroyed in 1187, it lay in ruins for centuries. By the nineteenth century, only the remnants of the nave and a three-meter high wall remained where the apse once stood. The Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land renewed the annual pilgrimage in 1852. Marquise Pauline de Nicolay, a woman of great faith, purchased the ruins of the St. Cleophas Church in 1861 and generously donated them to the Franciscans. Thanks to her, and the permission granted by Sultan Abdul Hamid II in 1902, the Franciscans were able to rebuild their cherished church. This resurrected St. Cleophas Church became a minor basilica in 1919, further solidifying its place as a sacred destination. One of the disciples Jesus met on the road to Emmaus was Cleophas, the brother of St. Joseph and thus, Jesus’s uncle. Cleophas was also the father of two apostles, James the Less and Jude, and the grandfather of two more, James the Greater and John. Tragically, Cleophas was martyred in the very house where he hosted Jesus on that first Easter Sunday. As you stand before St. Cleophas Church, remember. It is more than just stones and mortar. It’s a testament to faith, resilience, and the enduring power of the resurrection story.