In the traditional Night of Churches, around 130 buildings will participate in the Olomouc Archdiocese

Olomouc – At least 126 sites within the territory of the Olomouc Archdiocese will participate next Friday in the traditional event known as the Night of Churches. This number is not final, as more are still being added, informed ČTK today by Jiří Gračka, spokesperson for the Olomouc Archdiocese. This year's themes will include care for the environment and charitable work. Due to the lingering measures related to the pandemic, some events will also take place outdoors.

"The repertoire of represented sites is wide and diverse, both in terms of artistic style and affiliation with individual churches. Over ninety Roman Catholic churches and chapels are registered, with a dozen from the Czech Brethren Evangelical Church and slightly fewer from the Czechoslovak Hussite Church and Orthodox Church," stated Gračka. According to him, this year representatives from the Baptist Brotherhood, Old Catholic Church, Apostolic Church, and Brethren Church have also joined the event.

This year, despite the lingering anti-epidemic measures, visitors can look forward to accompanying events. "After a long uncertainty about what the organizers of the project are allowed to prepare for visitors, the idea of an online Night of Churches has quite evaporated, although at some places, such as the Church of the Holy Family in Luhačovice, they plan to stream their program live via webcam," noted the diocesan coordinator of the Night of Churches, David Mikša.

This year's theme also includes Charity and the life stories of two honorees - St. Ludmila (1100 years since her martyrdom) and Antonín Cyril Stojan (170 years since his birth and 100 years since he was elected Olomouc Archbishop). On the occasion of the Night of Churches, an exhibition about Archbishop Stojan and the beginnings of Charity in Moravia will be opened in St. Wenceslas Cathedral. "At the same time, that day we will launch an online gallery of images from the history of charitable work at www.StoletiCharity.cz. People can participate in its creation by sending materials they own," added Martin Kučera, head of the Archdiocesan Center for Culture. He added that the goal is to create a map of charitable work in Moravia.

The focal point of most programs, whose complete offerings can be found on the website www.nockostelu.cz and in a special mobile app, consists primarily of individual tours of typically inaccessible chapels, crypts, sacristies, and other places that visitors can find in churches, congregations, or other types of buildings used for prayer. The Night of Churches is unique in that it offers visits to these places on Friday afternoon and evening.

The official diocesan opening will take place in St. Wenceslas Cathedral in Olomouc with the participation of representatives from churches and local government. A welcoming concert by Karel Martínka is prepared for visitors.