Santa Maria della Carità in Bologna reopens. No longer a Church but a shared space for a "Shekinah" festival

From post-earthquake restoration to the "Shekinah" festival: concerts, guided tours, and cultural initiatives in the heart of Via San Felice from September 8th to 14th

From September 8th to 14th, 2025, Bologna will celebrate the reopening of the Church of Santa Maria della Carità, on Via San Felice, with a week of free events, including concerts, guided tours, cultural and sporting activities. This special occasion marks the rebirth of one of the most significant sites in the Porto-Saragozza neighborhood, restored to its former splendor thanks to a meticulous restoration that lasted over two years after the 2012 earthquake.

The project is called Shekinah, a word derived from the Talmud and which, as parish priest Don Davide Baraldi explains, represents "the idea of the divine withdrawing to make room for creation." The chosen name reflects the spirit of the initiative: transforming the church into a shared space, where the spiritual dimension intertwines with the daily life of the community.

"The reopening is an invitation to communion, to the active participation of the men and women of our time in a sacred architectural space," Baraldi stated at the press conference. Leading the project is Alessia Marchi, who describes Shekinah as a "symbolic cloak to envelop the neighborhood and present the church to the city after its restoration, which enhanced its frescoes, furnishings, and lighting."

An opportunity to build community

The reopening is not just a religious or artistic event, but an opportunity to rebuild bonds. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, present at the presentation, also emphasized this: "We need a strong community, otherwise we will simply become a crossroads. A city is made of history, encounters, and shared meaning. And beauty, often forgotten, must be savored and contemplated. This is why restoring, reopening, and restoring meaning to places is essential."

Zuppi calls Santa Maria della Carità "an excellent example of method for the entire historic center," because it successfully combines spirituality, art, social interaction, and participation.

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