File photo of Cardinal Péter Erdő
The 19th Ars Sacra Festival, held under the motto “Pilgrims of Hope”, was officially opened on September 13 at the Matthias Church in Buda’s Castle District. The opening ceremony featured speeches from Cardinal Péter Erdő, the festival’s ecclesiastical patron, and Zsuzsanna Nagy, wife of the President of Hungary and secular patron of the event.
The ceremony began with a musical tribute by the Gemma Vocal Ensemble, honoring the 500th anniversary of Renaissance composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. The choir performed sacred polyphonic works and Marian hymns, including pieces by Liszt, Arvo Pärt, Francis Poulenc, and Benjamin Britten.
In her remarks, Zsuzsanna Nagy emphasized the transformative power of sacred art, saying it “lifts the gaze and the soul toward the infinite” and offers peace and consolation in an increasingly distracted world. She noted that the festival’s spiritual and artistic offerings help reveal “the invisible beauty” woven into everyday life.
Cardinal Erdő reflected on the Christian roots of European culture, drawing on Biblical and early Church perspectives on art and beauty. He highlighted how sacred art should guide believers toward both truth and divine beauty, reminding the audience that “nothing could be further from Christianity than celebrating something that is beautiful but not true.”
The cardinal also praised the festival’s alignment with the themes of the Holy Year, particularly its blend of pilgrimage and artistic expression. “We do not worship the work of our own hands,” he said, “but dedicate our talents and creations to God and the saints.”
The Gemma Vocal Ensemble, formed in 1996 and closely tied to Hungary’s prestigious Kodály Choir School, closed the event with Josquin des Prez’s 12-part Marian motet, Inviolata, performed as an encore following enthusiastic applause.
The Ars Sacra Festival, which spans multiple venues across Hungary and beyond, continues through the coming week with concerts, exhibitions, and spiritual-artistic programs that aim to connect the sacred and the cultural.
More information: www.ars-sacra.hu
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Via Magyar Kurír; Featured image: MTI/Lakatos Péter
The post Sacred Art Meets Faith at Opening of 19th Ars Sacra Festival appeared first on Hungary Today.
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