A church in Bluefield, West Virginia, commemorates its 100th anniversary by giving tours of its historic building

Bluefield West, Virginia – A prominent special guest is expected to join a local congregation as they commemorate a century of worship in their elaborate church structure.

The first Roman Catholic church was established in Bluefield, West Virginia, more than a century ago by immigrants who were relocating there. But as the city’s population increased, they eventually had to expand the structure as well.

Under the direction of Father Olivier, the church’s then-pastor, they constructed the Sacred Heart Catholic Church utilizing local sandstone and a medieval Spanish Gothic style.

“Well, immigrants built this region. “Theresa Bales, a lector for the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, explains, ‘When you have a huge Catholic population, you have to have the church that fits the needs, and this accomplishes it. A lot of Irish, Italian, and Hungarian people were Catholic, and it developed so quickly that they overflowed the smaller church.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the cornerstone being laid in 1924 for the construction of the building on Wyoming Street.

They invited the community to come in for tours on Saturday in celebration of this significant milestone.

Bishop Mark Brennan of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston will be the main guest during the celebration’s special service and banquet on Sunday.

“Well, we must acknowledge this building’s beauty. It is simply a magnificent structure. The masses are beautiful, and the one tomorrow will be quite remarkable. There will be a large celebration and banquet when the bishop arrives. We had to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Bluefield’s most exquisite structure,” Bales explains.

On Sunday, the mass will begin at 4:00 pm, and dinner will be served at Fincastle afterward. Bales describes Sacred Heart Catholic as an active church that is available to anyone in need, and he recommends anyone searching for a church to give it a try.