BELMONT — Prayers and hymns in ancient languages rose into frigid air Dec. 20 as more than 150 Eritrean Catholics gathered for an Advent retreat at Belmont Abbey.
Father Michael Solomon Debesay, who arrived in Charlotte a year ago to care for the growing Eritrean Catholic population, said the community of about 250 families usually holds an annual Advent retreat at its property in Mint Hill.
This year, however, he reached out to Belmont Abbey because its Basilica of Mary, Help of Christians was a designated pilgrimage site for the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope, which concludes on Jan. 6, 2026.
“We wanted to go there to make the entire retreat a pilgrimage of hope,” Father Debesay said. “We are so grateful to Abbot Placid Solari and the monks for receiving us, for opening their hearts and their house to us.”
The retreat’s theme centered around Romans 5:5: “And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”
The day started with a rosary procession leading up to the doors of the Basilica. Despite temperatures in the low 30s, participants ranging from small children to senior citizens walked solemnly behind a beautiful gold cross carried by an altar server.
They stopped periodically, reciting the rosary and other prayers in English; Tigrinya, one of the languages spoken in Eritrea; and Ge’ez, an ancient court language from the period when Ethiopia first adopted Christianity. Ge’ez is no longer spoken but is used for sacred liturgy.
Participants then entered the Basilica for a Mass celebrated by Benedictine Father James Raber. They filled many of the pews, the women covering their heads with traditional white prayer shawls. The Eritreans were part of a diverse crowd hipping at the Basilica, including Hispanic Catholics from Our Lady of the Highways Church in Thomasville and others from the surrounding community.
After Mass, the day included prayer and fellowship as well as breakout sessions for children, young adults and adults.
Father Raber, campus chaplain at Belmont Abbey College, offered a lesson on the importance of the Jubilee year after which young people rotated through interactive reflection stations focused on different themes.
The first station emphasized mercy and letting go, and invited participants to reflect on forgiveness and renewal by releasing their worries and burdens to God. The second station, “Wall of
Hope,” gave young people a chance to express their hopes, prayers and dreams for themselves, their families, the community and the world. Station three, “Walking with God,” focused on the concept of faith as an ongoing path and encouraged the youth to name one small step they could take to walk more closely with Jesus.
The final station, “Making Room,” tied the theme of the Jubilee year to the birth of Jesus, reminding participants that Christ entered the world amid a backdrop of busyness and upheaval, being born while his parents were traveling to Bethlehem to take part in the Roman census. Reflections focused on “how the busyness of life can crowd out faith – and how intentionally making room for Jesus allows hope to be born again,” said Semret Hailemarian, a member of the community.
The adults’ sessions focused on the Jubilee Year’s call to be pilgrims of hope, and the fact that Catholics’ hope is rooted in God’s love and faithfulness. Participants were invited to renew their trust in God’s promises and carry that hope into their daily lives.
“This retreat in Advent offers a transition into the Christmas celebration and invites people to receive Jesus into their heart,” Father Debesay said. “Jesus is the special gift of hope and is born among us at Christmas. We want the people to make hope present in their hearts as they prepare for His birth.”
The Eritrean Catholics will celebrate Christmas on Jan. 7, because the Eritrean rite follows the Julian Calendar, not the Gregorian one, which places Christ’s birth on Dec. 25. Their Christmas liturgy will be at 6 p.m. Jan. 6 at the community’s Mint Hill property.
— Christina Lee Knauss
