From May 14-17, 2026, “Katholikentag” (Catholics’ Day) took place in Würzburg, Germany.
The Catholic Church in Germany organizes this event every two years. It is a celebration of faith that features liturgical celebrations and prayer, as well as numerous discussions, concerts, and a rich program of spiritual activities. Over 70,000 people attended the event in Würzburg. What made this gathering especially meaningful for us Conventual Franciscan friars was the fact that our Friary of the Holy Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ is located in the city center and that we, too, were able to participate as guests.
The President of the Republic of Germany traditionally attends the opening of “Katholikentag”. This year, Frank-Walter STEINMEIER, a Protestant Christian, encouraged Christians to pursue ecumenism more boldly. He stressed that if Christians wish to play a meaningful role in today’s society, they must increasingly do so together.
A concrete sign of this commitment was the “Ecumenical Convent,” an initiative of the Conference of Major Superiors and several Evangelical communities. During “Katholikentag,” many sisters and friars were on hand to introduce people to their communities and to discuss life and faith with them as well.
Another particularly significant moment was the reception we hosted at our friary for the Conference of Major Superiors. Well over one hundred religious attended the evening gathering.
We organized two midday prayer services in our church, attracting several hundred participants. In addition, we hosted an Orthodox Evening Prayer service, a prayer for peace, and a Mass for the Franciscan Family. We also used the cloister as a space for dialogue with visitors.
A large mural was created to serve as a lasting memory of this event. Our Province of St. Elizabeth in Germany donated a wall of its former seminary on which artists fashioned a “picture of the future” during “Katholikentag.”
Friar Andreas MURK
