On Friday May 28, 2010 Night of Churches will take place in the whole Czech Republic. The project aims are to offer the public an uncommon experience from the visit of churches.
Prague (CZ): The event called Night of Churches in the Czech Republic was inspired by the same event that has been taking place regularly in foreign metropolises as Vienna, Cologne (am Rhein), Hamburg, Linz or Salzburg for several years already. For the first time this project was introduced in Vienna five years ago. Received with great interest, this idea has soon spread over the borders of Austria. For the first time in our country, people from the dioceses Brno and Plzeň could come across with the event Night of Churches last year. This year doors of churches throughout the whole Czech Republic will open on May 28, 2010.
Plenty of information can be found already on the website www.nockostelu.cz. One can choose from almost 2000 programme proposals prepared in more than 320 churches, chapels and houses of worship in all regions of the Czech Republic.
The main aim of the Night of Churches is not only to open and introduce the churches, monasteries, chapels and houses of worship to the visitors but also to offer them spiritual and culturally educational programme. The Night of Churches has ecumenical character which means that various Christian Churches associated in the Ecumenical Council of Churches participate in this event. During this night, places in the churches that are normally closed to public will be exceptionally opened. Guided tours to towers, bells and crypts will be prepared as well as prayers, youth programmes, workshops, pantomimes, theatre and musical performances and further more.
The characteristic attribute of the Night of Churches is that parishes are free in deciding how to shape the programme, how to offer the visitors the spiritual values of the Church and the artistic treasures of their churches. What all have in common is the date and the publicity graphics that help to address the public at length. This year’s unifying motto is the quotation from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah: “They should keep praying all day and all night. You, who pray to the Lord, don’t be silent!” (Is 62:6)