On June 11, 2025,the organizational meeting of the History and Conservation of Sacred Architecture Commission of PKN ICOMOS took place in-person with the possibility of online participation. The KHiKAS PKN ICOMOS was established in 2006, and since then, its chairperson has been Prof. Ewa Łużyniecka.

During this year's meeting, the list of members and supporters of the commission was established. Dr. Monika Dąbkowska took on the role of the commission's secretary. The main tasks of the commission were determined, focusing on organizing discussions on the research of sacred architecture and conservation issues. Planned meetings will also serve as a platform for exchanging views on monuments and their usage. The commission intends to revert to the name of these cyclical meetings: Conversations about old sacral architecture. 

It has been preliminarily established that committee members will be able to participate in online meetings organized once every two months on Thursdays at 5:00 PM. The schedule and topics of the meetings will be presented in the near future. Information regarding the committee's activities will be published on the KHiKAS PKN ICOMOS tab at https://intercathcon.pwr.edu.pl/ and https://icomos-poland.org/pl/. Please send seminar topic proposals and correspondence to the address Ten adres pocztowy jest chroniony przed spamowaniem. Aby go zobaczyć, konieczne jest włączenie w przeglądarce obsługi JavaScript..

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The committee meeting was scheduled for the second day of the International Interdisciplinary Cathedral Conference, organized by the Faculty of Architecture at Wrocław University of Technology and the Pontifical Faculty of Theology in Wrocław. During the InterCathCon_2025 discussions held from June 10 to 12, 55 speakers from Poland and abroad participated. Among the registered participants were researchers from Poland, Italy, Germany, Austria, Ukraine, and Turkey.

Venue of the conference InterCathCon_2025. The building of the Faculty of Architecture at Wrocław University of Technology and the building of the Papal Faculty of Theology in Wrocław.

The meetings took place in the Faculty of Architecture at Wrocław University of Technology in the faculty council room and in the building of the Papal Faculty of Theology in Wrocław in the Benedikt XVI room. On the first day, topics related to issues of liturgy, architecture, and the furnishings of cathedrals in Wrocław and Strasbourg predominated. Cross-sectional topics were also presented on the architecture of cathedrals in the 20th and 21st centuries in Poland, Ukraine, the USA, etc. On the second day, topics concerning the adaptation of religious and parish churches to cathedral functions were discussed. An initial discussion began on architectural research of various types of churches, and examples of conservation and adaptation to new functions were presented. This issue was also addressed on the third day of the conference.

The exhibition titled: Sacrum – profanum – sacrum, presented within the interior of the building of the Faculty of Architecture at Wrocław University of Technology.

The exhibition of student works Sacrum – profanum – sacrum is an attempt to engage in the discussion about the essence of the sacred monument. It is also evidence of the crucial role of the social aspect in the protection of sacred cultural heritage. The presented collection of materials is part of an archive currently consisting of about 400 examples, being developed under the direction of Professor Ewa Łużyniecka. These are used in the educational process at the Faculty of Architecture of Wrocław University of Technology. In the first part of the exhibition, 80 adaptations are presented, including 70 sacred objects adapted for other functions and 10 transformations of secular buildings into places of worship.

Visiting the Archdiocesan Museum in Wrocław as part of InterCathCon_2025.

As part of InterCathCon_2025, a visit to the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, the Collegiate Church of the Holy Cross, and St. Bartholomew’s Church was also organized. The exhibits at the Archdiocesan Museum in Wrocław and the display of relics from the Piast prince’s castle were also viewed.

Preparation:

Ewa Łużyniecka

Monika Dąbkowska