Hermeneutics of liturgical space in the service of evangelization, as exemplified by the Church of St. John Paul II in Szczecin

Abstract

The Church of St. John Paul II in Szczecin, built between 2016 and 2025, is a votive offering of gratitude for the person and work of the Holy Father, as well as for the sacrament of baptism administered to the people of Pomerania nine hundred years ago (1124–1125) by St. Otto of Bamberg during his Christianization mission. The collaboration of a theologian, architect, and many artists in the creation of this work draws on the traditions of the Church, points to a deep biblical and theological reflection, and gives a sense of the sacred. The iconography of the temple, referring to the beginnings of the universal Church, as well as the beginnings of the particular Church in Pomerania, draws attention to the unity of faith, which is based on Peter’s confession. The style, referring to the Romanesque art of the 12th and 13th centuries, connects contemporary times with the time of the first evangelization of Pomerania. The attention paid to iconography and places of celebration makes the liturgical space a place of kerygma and evangelization. The publication points to the need for liturgists and artists to reflect on many theological and practical issues concerning the mutual relationship between architecture, art, and liturgy.