The Magic of Vézelay's Basilica

November 8, 2025, 10:30 AM-12:30 PM
Rotary Club of Milwaukee Community Room
Central Library
814 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53233

FREE and open to the public, RSVP below

Join us for a talk by Christopher Kelly, exploring the philosophical and architectural sources of Vezelay's ethereal charm and grace while celebrating the basilica's seemingly impossible design from such an early chapter in our shared history. This event is sponsored by the French Heritage Society in partnership with the French Heritage Corridor.

ABOUT THE BASILICA

A masterpiece of Romanesque architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Basilique Sainte-Marie-Madeleine de Vézelay has been a major pilgrimage destination since the Middle Ages, welcoming visitors from around the world. The Basilica is the recipient of a special FHS grant to restore, reinforce, and preserve its structure and sculptural elements.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Christopher Kelly graduated from Cambridge University with a degree in history before moving to Paris where he majored in business at the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce. He worked in business in London and Paris. He then focused on the artistic and social world, including cultural projects in poor rural areas and organizing musical exchanges between France and North America. Since 2009, he has been a guide based in Vezelay, accompanying the development of the Maison du Visiteur there, creating new media for visitors and coordinating artistic and spiritual projects locally, regionally, and internationally. During Covid, he walked from Vézelay to Assisi.