Long night of the churches: 700 doors open for 300,000 visitors!

Long night of the churches: 700 doors open for 300,000 visitors!

On Friday, May 23, 2025, the now famous “Long Night of the Churches” takes place throughout Austria. Around 700 churches will open their doors and invite you to a diverse experience with over 3,000 program items. In the past few years, the event has always been a great success with over 300,000 visitors. The organizers expect similar figures this year too. The motto of the event is "We can #Offen" and refers to the topics of the churches and hope.

The long night of the churches goes beyond the borders of Austria, because it takes place in eleven cantons in Switzerland, South Tyrol and in the Czech Republic. In the Czech Republic, more than 1,600 churches are involved and offer around 4,000 events. Around 2,000 events are on the program in Switzerland, while around 100 offers are made available in South Tyrol. katholisch.at reports that all Austrian dioceses participate in this major event.

diverse program and important topics

The program includes a wide range of offers. Visitors can look forward to musical performances, prayers and services, artistic installations, but also discussion events. These deal with urgent social issues, such as peace, physical and mental health as well as responsibility for creation. In addition, places of silence and meditation are offered, as are culinary delights.

Project manager Markus Pories and the organization team have put together an exciting and appealing program. Due to the close integration of art, culture and social dialogue, the event becomes an important place of exchange and encounter. This also reflects the increasing importance of identity, religion and culture in global discourses that include topics such as climate crisis and migration.

intercultural dialogue and social responsibility

The long night of the churches is not only an event in church space, but also a platform for intercultural and interreligious dialogue. Such dialogues are central elements of Austrian foreign policy and contribute to the breakdown of stereotypes and prejudices. They promote international trust, conflict resolution and peace insurance. bmeia.gv.at emphasizes the need for special instruments that are based on Austrian values ​​such as democracy and human rights.

The integration of civil society, including science, religious communities and NGOs, is crucial for dialogue with different political currents. The long night of the churches offers a suitable framework to bring these elements together and make a contribution to promoting intercultural understanding.

For more information about the Long Night of Churches, interested parties can visit the official website of the event.