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The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) invites you to the international symposium “Churches and Religious Heritage in transformation. The potential of sacred spaces as ‘third’ and ‘fourth’ places”, taking place on 22–23 September 2026 at the Secretariat of COMECE at Square de Meeûs 19/1, Ixelles, Brussels. Participation is open to the public. Registration | Programme
The international symposium will explore the potential of churches and other sacred spaces in a changing society, as places of encounter, exchange and community as well as distinctive forms of cultural heritage.
The event builds on the New European Bauhaus (NEB) Lab “Renovation, transformation and renewal of church buildings and religious heritage in the EU”, officially established in November 2025 and headed by COMECE, the Catholic Private University of Linz (KU Linz), Austria and Future for Religious Heritage (FRH). It also builds on the travelling exhibition “Kirchen als Vierte Orte – Perspektiven des Wandels”, organised by the Museum der Baukultur NRW, Germany.
It aims to bring together different perspectives and interests, connect existing initiatives, critically reflect on challenges and foster dialogue across institutional and disciplinary boundaries. It encourages broader reflection on the particular status of churches as cultural heritage and on the implications this status has for their transformation and future use.
Situated between religious memory, architectural and cultural significance and new forms of social use, churches can be understood as “fourth places”: spaces that extend beyond the familiar categories of home, work and public space and that have the potential to create new forms of community, participation and belonging.
The programme will open on Tuesday, 22 September at 16:00 CET with a welcome address by Fr. Manuel Barrios Prieto, General Secretary of COMECE, followed by contributions addressing sacred space as a “fourth place”, rural religious heritage as a territorial asset and the transformation of churches and mosques. Speakers include prof. Anna Minta (Catholic Private University Linz), prof. Chiara L. M. Occelli and prof. Irene Ruiz Bazán (Politecnico di Torino), prof. Krzysztof Nawratek (University of Sheffield) and Felix Hemmers (Stiftung Baukultur NRW). The first day will conclude with a round table discussion involving prof. Sven Sterken (KU Leuven), prof. Mariateresa Giammetti (University of Naples Federico II) and Fr. Thierry Bettler (French Bishops’ Conference). The first day will conclude with an evening reception.
On Wednesday, 23 September, the symposium will resume at 08:30 CET with a focus on initiatives and approaches to transforming religious heritage, with contributions from prof. Manuela Klauser (University of Bonn), prof. Arnaud J. Lambert (Catholic University of Louvain) and prof. Roel de Ridder (Platform Toekomst Parochiekerken Belgium). The final session will address activities, necessities and challenges related to churches as “fourth places”, with contributions from Jan Jaspers, Martine Van den Bergen (Eglises Ouvertes) and Vanessa Fraga-Prol (Europa Nostra), followed by a discussion and feedback session. The event will conclude with a farewell lunch reception.
The symposium will provide an opportunity to exchange experiences, connect initiatives and reflect on the challenges and opportunities surrounding the transformation and future use of churches and religious heritage in Europe.
The event will be hosted by the Secretariat of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) at Square de Meeûs 19/1, Ixelles, Brussels. Participation is open to the public.
Registration is strongly recommended
Programme
