A fascinating article by Fr David Stewart SJ for America magazine invites readers into the heart of the Edinburgh International Festival and its exciting new addition, the Edinburgh Festival of the Sacred Arts. Launched in 1947 to mend a divided Europe through the power of art, the International Festival has since grown into a major cultural event, giving rise to iconic spin-offs like the Fringe Festival. Fr. Stewart’s article highlights how this year's Sacred Arts festival, seamlessly integrated into the Fringe, is being brought to life with key support from the Edinburgh Jesuits.

Running from Sunday 11 to Saturday 17 August, the Sacred Arts programme for 2024 offers a rich display of artistic experiences. It features classical music by Fauré and Bernstein on August 14, modern jazz on August 12, and a focus on sacred cinema on August 16. Attendees can also enjoy guided tours of participating churches and readings of Scottish religious poetry from the Middle Ages to the present on August 11. A standout event this year is a competition for young composers of sacred music, with the winning pieces to be performed on August 15 at the historic Canongate Kirk.

Fr Stewart highlights how the Jesuits, from its early days, have been profoundly engaged in the arts and culture, and how this “compelling intersection” of art and faith is what drew the Jesuit city church in Edinburgh to embrace this new addition to the festival season.  Fr Adrian Porter SJ adds that “Jesuit cultural and artistic engagement with the arts really derives firstly from the conviction that Ignatius bequeathed to us, that it is possible for us to seek and to find God in all things; from that moment, we come to see that the arts, as they probe for expression of ultimate truth and beauty, are fully complementary activities that we can celebrate and promote.”

For a deeper look at how the Sacred Arts festival is revitalising Edinburgh’s cultural scene and to explore the exciting events on offer, dive into the full article, Reclaiming faith’s place in culture: A celebration of sacred art joins Edinburgh’s festival season. It offers a compelling insight into how art and faith are coming together to make this festival season truly remarkable.

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Photo: Detail of embroidery in Canongate Kirk explaining the origin of the church - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73268446)

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