Catholic church to host concert based on ‘pagan spirituality’

DIJON, France (LifeSiteNews) — French singer Julie Zenatti will perform at a Catholic church as concerns continue among some faithful over canon law violation for the use of churches for non-liturgical events.

On June 13, French singer Julie Zenatti is scheduled to give a concert at Saint Bernadette Church in Dijon, eastern France, as part of a tour promoting her album Le Chemin (“The Pathway”). The event comes days after controversy surrounding occult-inspired exhibits held in Paris during the city’s “Nuit Blanche” festival and amid continuing discussion about the use of Catholic churches for activities unrelated to worship.

READ: Archdiocese of Paris allows occult-inspired exhibits in church, police beat outraged Catholics

In an interview with Lyon-based radio station M Radio on May 16, 2025, Zenatti said that she had been performing in churches and cathedrals across France for several months and described the buildings as places with a distinctive atmosphere.

“In the end, between worship and culture [in French: cult et culture] there is only a single syllable separating us,” Zenatti said. “I feel the desire to share my emotions, my story, and also to encounter this place that welcomes me because … I was invited. It’s beautiful that, after 25 years of career, the doors of a place I’ve never known before are opening to me.”

The artist explained that she was invited to develop a specific project in order to perform in religious settings. Although she does not mention any particular person or institution by name, Zenatti stressed the symbolic value of the invitation, saying that it is gratifying to have the doors of a place “unfamiliar” to her opened.

Furthermore, Zenatti admitted in the interview that she is not a believing Christian and that her album on spirituality – Le Chemin – which will be presented on tour in French churches, expresses a form of “pagan spirituality.”

Tribune Chrétienne reported on June 9 that some members of the faithful have expressed concern about what they describe as a gradual loss of the sacred character traditionally associated with consecrated places of worship. The French Catholic outlet questioned the decision of Church authorities and parish leaders to permit variety concerts and similar events inside churches. According to the report, supporters of such initiatives often cite cultural promotion, preservation of religious heritage, or financial considerations as reasons for opening church buildings to a wider range of activities.

“Even more troubling is that behind these initiatives there often lies a recurring motive: money,” Tribune Chrétienne writes. “This logic is dangerous. For when financial imperatives take precedence over the spiritual vocation of a consecrated place, the house of God gradually becomes an event venue that must be filled, animated, and made profitable. The sanctuary then ceases to be regarded as a place dedicated to God and becomes just another cultural facility.”

READ: Archduke Eduard Habsburg: Latin Mass is ‘absolute antithesis to today’s world’

The French outlet also notes that the improper use of consecrated places constitutes a canonical offense. To this end, Canon 1210 states: “Only those things which serve the exercise or promotion of worship, piety, or religion are permitted in a sacred place; anything not consonant with the holiness of the place is forbidden.”

Debate over the profane use of sacred spaces gained renewed attention following activities associated with the 2026 Nuit Blanche festival in Paris. Historic Catholic churches in Paris were used to host exhibits featuring voodoo‑inspired objects and “unsettling” soundscapes, all with the approval of the Archdiocese of Paris.

The events, directed by LGBT activist Barbara Butch, sparked outrage among Catholics, who gathered outside Saint‑Laurent Church to pray and protest peacefully before being forcibly dispersed by police, including women both young and old.