Events and spirituality
From Friday 9 to Saturday June 10 650 places of worship of the Country in the Alps will welcome tourists, faithful and visitors. The program includes concerts, prayers and various cultural initiatives. The proposal was conceived and developed in several North European Countries, from France to Lithuania, from the Czech Republic to Germany. An original prospect to “be with the people”
The “Long night of the Churches” is an international event that draws inspiration from a proposal advanced in the framework of ecumenical dialogue across a number of European Countries, whose major events will take palce this evening, Friday June 9, with the adhesion of Austria, Estonia, Czech Republic and Slovakia. But the project, that was standardized also through the commitment of the World Council of Churches, has great following also in Switzerland and France, where events take place on different dates, and in South Tyrol, where it was held past May 26. In Germany, the venue of the first initiative in 1995 on a proposal of Catholic and Evangelical communities titled “The Night of the churches”, dioceses and deaconships organized meditations and moments of celebration on various days from spring until late autumn. One of the most anticipated events will take place in Hamburg on the night of September 16-17, attended by almost ninety-thousand faithful each year.
Almost three thousand events in the Country. Some 650 churches in Austria will open their doors tonight: visitors will have the opportunity to choose among as many as 2 686 events ranging from prayers to Adorations, from Gospel choirs to parties for children. In presenting the tenth edition of the “Long Night” in the diocese of Eisenstadt, the bishop, Mons. Ägidius Zsifkovics, pointed out: “the ecumenical cooperation of Protestants and Catholics during the long night of the churches provides the opportunity to make experiences, to experiment and to discover.” “It could be a concert or an invitation to perceive the power of silence, to grasp the joy of the presence of God in the world.”
Thirteenth edition in Vienna. The archdiocese of Vienna organizes its thirteenth “Long night” with the opening of 179 places of worship, including churches and convents, that will welcome the faithful in sites located at the centre, in the periphery and in the industrial district of the capital city. Events in Vienna will be opened by a silent walk through the centre to remember the tragedy of persecuted Christians in the world. To reflect on the anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation, the archbishop of Vienna Cardinal Christoph Schönborn and Lutheran bishop Michael Bünker will be the protagonists a “Late Night Talk on the 500 years of the Reformation”, at 11.pm in the church of Saint John of Nepomuk.
“Pause of reflection for the faith.” During the press conference for the presentation of the events in Vienna – as many as 965 – the Episcopal Vicar Msgr. Dariusz Schutzki, spoke of the features of ecumenism and hospitality:
“All visitors return, because the open churches offer a warm welcome”,
the vicar said. Referring to the celebrations marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, he remarked: “it proposes a pause of reflection for the faith and the social world, a sunrise of the modern times.” For Schutzki it’s important to remember that “faith-related issues have sparked off conflicts owing to their deep significance but they escalated owing to political tensions and persecutions. Now the war is over.” Nowadays, the vicar pointed out, we should ask ourselves “how the different faiths and beliefs can reach an agreement with society”, also considering that for many people faith has become a private issue. “We should ask ourselves how to handle religion whilst ensuring its relationship with society, and how values are represented in the churches.” For Schutzki the “Long night of the churches” is an “excellent opportunity” to present “churches that have a single voice” in the social and cultural realms.
The message of the Federal President. An important sign of the social relevance of the “Long Night of the Churches” is found in the welcoming address of the President of the Federal Republic of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen for the 2017 edition: “Dear visitor, stop, look, think, meditate, meet, know: these words and similar ones express the invitation of Austrian churches to ensure peaceful coexistence, rich with experiences.” For Van der Bellen the Long night of the churches “sounds like a counter-programme of our frantic, fast-paced life, whose short amount of free time leaves us with bated breath. Hence many people feel the deep need for such opportunities.”
