Les Sacrées Journées de Strasbourg

Les Sacrées Journées: When Music Fosters Dialogue Between Spiritualities

Born in 2011 from the initiative of a group of enthusiasts organized as an association, the festival Les Sacrées Journées de Strasbourg has carried an ambitious challenge since its creation: to share strong cultural moments through music from different beliefs and origins, by offering a concert format unique in France. The founding principle is bold: to bring together on the same stage, in the same place of worship, musical groups from different religious traditions.

An Unprecedented Format in France

During the very first edition, the Orchestre Abdelkrim Raïs de Fès (Andalusian music, Islam) shared the bill with the Chorale David Hameleh (liturgical music, Judaism) at the Synagogue de la Paix in Strasbourg. This inaugural gesture laid the foundation for a festival that has continued to grow: each year, concerts take place in mosques, synagogues, Protestant temples, Catholic churches, Buddhist pagodas, and concert halls, creating musical bridges between cultures.

Strasbourg, Capital of Interreligious Dialogue

Strasbourg, seat of the European Parliament and a city historically marked by the coexistence of confessions, is the ideal ground for such a festival. The presence of a Gothic cathedral, Protestant temples, a large mosque, synagogues, and places of worship of various traditions offers an exceptional architectural and spiritual journey that the festival highlights.

A Program Balancing Tradition and Creation

Each edition is built around a unifying theme—the Earth in 2025—and features about fifteen concerts, conferences, workshops, and exhibitions. The program blends high-level traditional music ensembles, contemporary artists reinterpreting sacred repertoire, amateur choirs, and local groups. Concerts take place in about ten places of worship and cultural spaces in Alsace, from Strasbourg to Mulhouse, including Colmar and Cernay.

Over the years, the festival has hosted artists from Morocco, Senegal, India, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Japan, and many other countries, making Strasbourg a global crossroads for sacred music.

A Commitment to Living Together

Beyond the artistic dimension, Les Sacrées Journées carries a message of tolerance, openness, and fraternity. The festival organizes interreligious gatherings, conferences on the dialogue of civilizations, and educational workshops for schoolchildren, contributing to making culture a tool for social cohesion.