Between incense, protest and political prominence: The Catholic Congress 2026 in Würzburg
This article was originally published in German. The English version is an automatic translation and may contain errors. The German original is authoritative.
From 13 to 17 May, Würzburg was entirely focused on the 104th German Catholic Congress. Under the motto "Have courage, stand up!" around 74,000 guests flocked to the city. For five days, our university city became the centre for debates about faith, social cohesion and the future of the Church. But beyond the official stages, there was also loud criticism and protests.
What stuck around? Here is the big "This happened, these are the results" review.
That happened: The highlights of the major event
The opening kick-off: Despite mixed weather, the event started on Wednesday with prominent speakers. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Bavaria's Minister-President Markus Söder and the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) officially opened the days in front of thousands of people with rain ponchos and scarves.
Federal Chancellor in the firing line: On Friday, Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz faced questions from young people in the packed CongressCentrum (including representatives of the Federal Student Conference and the BDKJ). The discussion about young people's participation in politics was accompanied by loud protests in the hall.
Culture & Encounter: Würzburg's city centre transformed into a huge meeting mile. Panel discussions, concerts and spiritual offerings shaped the cityscape, whilst the Residenz was temporarily closed for regular guided tours.
The conclusion: On Sunday, the gathering ended with a large open-air service. The Chair of the Bishops' Conference, Bishop Heiner Wilmer, called for worldwide action in the face of global crises (such as the humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan): "You don't extinguish fires by watching!"
The flip side: Criticism and protest actions
Such a large event naturally attracts headwinds in a student city. The Catholic Congress was by no means a purely harmonious event.
The human chain for reforms: On Friday afternoon, around 30 church reform groups formed a human chain from the Cathedral to the Augustinerkirche. Their core demand: finally bold reforms in all areas of the Catholic Church and significantly more consistent processing of cases of sexual abuse.
Criticism of financing: The protest alliance and secular groups criticised the immense financial support from tax revenues. With total costs of around ten million euros, questions were raised about why the state subsidised so heavily – particularly given the enormous financial strength of the Diocese of Würzburg, whose church tax revenues in 2026 were around 178 million euros.
The climate and animal welfare gap: Although sustainability was officially on the agenda, there was sharp criticism from animal welfare advocates. In the over 300-page programme, terms such as "factory farming", "vegan" or "animal welfare" were conspicuously absent. For many students, a sign that the Church is skirting around the real problems in the ecological transformation.
These are the results: What remains for Würzburg and the Church?
A clear commitment against extremism, antisemitism (reinforced by Central Council President Josef Schuster) and social division emerged clearly from the debates. The Church is attempting to position itself as a democratic anchor. The desire for change was also carried unmistakably upwards from within, through the grassroots and youth associations. Demands include, amongst other things, more women's rights, LGBTQ+ acceptance and flat hierarchies. Pressure on the bishops consequently remains high.
Even digitally, things were upgraded: intercessions at the closing service were submitted via QR code and smartphone, from which a huge word cloud was generated live on the screens.
Würzburg itself presented itself as an excellent host. The city was lively, hotels fully booked. At the same time, locals had to accept considerable traffic restrictions and closures (e.g. Friedensbrücke).
The Catholic Congress 2026 was colourful, keen on discussion and politically charged. Whether the Catholic Church will find the courage that the motto demands and also moves structurally will be shown in the coming years. The baton was passed on in any case: the 105th Catholic Congress will take place in Paderborn in 2028.