by Bohumil Petrík
Bratislava – Three bishops inaugurated the XXXIV edition of the Gorazdov Močenok 2026 National Christian Theatre Festival.
The event is renewed every year with the aim of expressing, through theatrical art, a Christian vision of the world. This year’s subtitle is a quotation attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi: “All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.”
The Festival opened with a Mass celebrated on July 27, the liturgical memorial of Saint Gorazd, the saint after whom the event is named. A missionary saint and disciple of Saints Cyril and Methodius, Gorazd accompanied them when they arrived in Great Moravia in the 9th century and helped bring an alphabet for the Old Slavonic language to the local population.
The Eucharistic celebration was presided over by Auxiliary Bishop of Bratislava Jozef Haľko and concelebrated by Auxiliary Bishop of Nitra, Peter Beňo, and Bishop Emeritus of the Military Ordinariate, František Rábek.
In his homily, Bishop Haľko drew the attention of the faithful to the figure of Saint Gorazd and to the importance of proclaiming the Word of God through every possible means, including the language of art and theatre.
The bishops later took part in a discussion presenting the figure and legacy of Saint Gorazd.
The highlight of the Festival will take place on Saturday, August 1, with the announcement of the winning. In addition to performances open to the public by 12 amateur theatre companies, the program also includes opportunities to participate in Eucharistic celebrations, go on pilgrimage, visit an exhibition, and attend performances by choirs from nearby villages.
The Festival was founded in 1993 in the village of Močenok, near Nitra, home to the oldest Slavic diocese, dating back to 880. It is believed that Saints Cyril and Methodius may have had a residence in Nitra itself.
In addition to the 12 theater companies, with about 200 actors and creators, 160 singers from various gospel and other groups – the organizers explain to Fides –
the Festival also welcomed dozens of special guests from ecclesial and cultural institutions, including priests from the Saint Gorazd Seminary in Nitra.
The event is regularly attended by hundreds—and at times thousands—of spectators from the region.
The final performance of the Festival will be dedicated to Don Quixote.
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