Catholic cemetery church in Vienna to host ‘silent disco’ with approval of parish priest

VIENNA (LifeSiteNews) — A Catholic church in Vienna’s largest cemetery will host a profane “silent disco” event with the approval of the parish priest.

The Viennese Cemeteries (Friedhöfe Wien) describes the event as follows: “Experience a silent disco in one of Vienna’s most impressive Art Nouveau buildings: the Church of St. Borromeo at Vienna’s Central Cemetery. On April 17, the historic church interior will be transformed for one evening into an atmospheric, tranquil, yet energetic dance venue.”

The event will feature two DJs performing simultaneously on two different channels. According to the organizers, the musical lineup includes house, electronic, hip-hop, and pop music, as well as alternative, indie, and rock, along with “musical highlights that tie in thematically with the Central Cemetery or cemetery culture.” Tickets to the event cost 15 euros (just over $17).

“Without compromising respect and reverence for those who are grieving, we want to create special event formats that foster interaction and a sense of community,” said Renate Niklas, managing director of Friedhöfe Wien GmbH. The silent disco is also intended to encourage people to “rediscover the place, overcome their reservations, and become more aware of the historic surroundings,” she stated.

The profane event is sanctioned by the parish priest and rector of St. Borromeo church, Jan Soroka.

“Even a silent disco can show, in its own way, that faith is not just about silence and reflection, but also about lightheartedness and a zest for life,” Soroka said.

“Where people laugh, dance, and are there for one another, the Church becomes tangible,” the priest continued.

Life at the cemetery transcends all boundaries and “shows us that life continues after death, that we are called to eternal life,” he stated.

According to Canon Law, sacred places, such as a consecrated church, may be used only for religious purposes, and events that contradict the church’s sacred character constitute desecration. Canon 1210 reads: “Only those things which serve the exercise or promotion of worship, piety, or religion are permitted in a sacred place; anything not consonant with the holiness of the place is forbidden. In an individual case, however, the ordinary can permit other uses which are not contrary to the holiness of the place.”

Furthermore, Canon 1211 states: “Sacred places are violated by gravely injurious actions done in them with scandal to the faithful, actions which, in the judgment of the local ordinary, are so grave and contrary to the holiness of the place that it is not permitted to carry on worship in them until the damage is repaired by a penitential rite according to the norm of the liturgical books.”

Vienna’s Central Cemetery (Wiener Zentralfriedhof) is one of the largest cemeteries in Europe with around 330,000 graves. The Art Nouveau church of St. Borromeo was built between 1908 and 1911 and is considered one of the architectural highlights of the Central Cemetery.