Joy Sorensen said it’s meaningful to her that a cave is so central to the redemption story.
“The nativity is often portrayed as a barn, but it’s much more likely Jesus was born in a cave,” she said. “So at Christmas, we’ve got the greatest gift being given in a cave, and then later Jesus’ resurrection in one.”
So for Sorensen, Christmas is a marvelous time of year to visit a cave, and as president of Majestic Caverns in Childersburg, she’s inviting everyone to join her for Adventus, an event that takes place Dec. 9, 16 and 23 from 5-9 p.m.
There will be live family-friendly entertainment, caroling and an a capella group singing in the caverns, which at their largest space are more than 10 stories high and bigger than a football field.
“There’s nothing like it; the acoustics are beautiful,” Sorensen said.
From a Christian perspective, it’s a “pilgrimage must” to experience Christmas through the lens of a cave, she said. At Adventus, there’s an opportunity for prayer, communion and hearing the Christmas story.
There’s also fun for the whole family — food, games, fire jugglers, peppermint-scented snow, a train ride and more.
‘Experience that honors God’
The cave itself is 60 degrees year round, regardless of the weather outside, and the entrance is wide enough to drive a small vehicle into.
“We always look forward to hosting a place where people can make memories and have an experience that honors God and where you would feel comfortable inviting a non-Christian family member or friend,” Sorensen said. “We want to be a place that’s warm and welcoming to people and they can enjoy and hopefully encounter Jesus.”
Sorensen said her family’s legacy of faith has been a part of the caverns for a long time. Her great-great-grandmother, Ida Mathis, bought the cave more than a century ago, and in the 1970s, Sorensen’s father, Allen Mathis III, turned it into what it is today. For decades, it went by the name DeSoto Caverns, but Sorensen changed it to Majestic Caverns in 2022.
The new name gives glory to God for His majestic works, Sorensen said, and it also helps visitors differentiate it from DeSoto State Park two hours north in Fort Payne.
The caverns welcome visitors year round.
Year-round opportunities
“We love church groups to come and spend the night in the cave,” Sorensen said, noting that there are bathrooms inside as well as electricity for lights, air mattresses and other needs.
She said singing worship songs in the caverns is a moving experience and it’s a great place to “go deep with God quite literally.”
“We want to tell stories inside the cave — a place of natural beauty — and blend faith and history,” Sorensen said. “It’s a majestic creation God has made for us to steward well.”
For more information, visit majesticcaverns.com/adventus.
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