THE RECORD-BREAKING SACROEXPO 2016

"I feel honoured to be the one who formally opens the exhibition; SACROEXPO is held under Primate's auspices.  Not only it this place a spiritual feast, this is also the  place where we become more spiritualised"   - the exhibition was officially opened by Polish Primate, Archbishop of Gniezno Rev. HE. Wojciech Polak PhD.  The inaugurating ceremony of this year's expo was graced with the presence of the Kielce Diocese Bishop Jan Piotrowski PhD, Deputy Minister of Culture and National Heritage Magdalena Gawin, Kielce Mayor Wojciech Lubawski, Swietokrzyskie Voivode Agata Wojtyszek and Targi Kielce President of Board Andrzej Mochoń PhD. The opening ceremony was also attended by numerous exhibitors and as well as exhibition guests.

Presentation of the Pontifical Council for Culture's Medal, high-brow sacral art exhibitions, church-business sector's trends and developments - this is a nut-shell presentation of the XVII International Exhibition of Church Construction, Church Fittings and Furnishings and Religious SACROEXPO. This year's expo is truly record-breaking - it is the showcase for 280 exhibitors from 11 countries - Italy, Spain, Germany, Ukraine, Slovakia, Slovenia, Portugal, Greece, Russia, Ukraine and Poland.

SACROEXPO is Central and Eastern Europe's most important church-related exhibition and one of the Old-Continents most prominent trade shows.  This is one-stop-shop presentation of the latest trends in sacral art, devotional items and accessories as well as church fitments, new technologies for sacral construction and properties and heritage conservation.

- We have been a part of the Kielce expo for 12 years; we cannot imagine missing out on this opportunity. SACROEXPO has given us the chance to meet at least half of our existing customers. This is the place to talk, exchange views and experiences and, last but not least boast our latest projects. The number of visitors speaks for itself. Numerous priests and nuns put this exhibition at the top of the ranking list of church-expo business - says Ewa Stawicka from the Stawiccy Carpentry Workshop.

SACROEXPO - the meetings venue

 Every year the event's prestige has been highlighted with numerous high-ranking church officials
 and ecclesiastical authorities' representatives. This Expo programme is complemented and enhanced with numerous conferences, exhibitions and artists meetings. These generate an avid interest.  The SACROEXPO 2016's program includes the Conference of Polish Church Economy Officers and Monastery Superiors and  Provincial Secretaries  of Religious Convents in Poland, the "Business And Gospel" Conference, the 9th SACROENERGIA Forum, the museum-professionals convention "Contemporary Museum".

 - This year we will have the chance to admire a beautiful photo exhibition opened by HE Bishop Paul Ibi PhD - the laureate of this year's Per Artem at Exelcis Medal.  This exhibition will depict exceptionally beautiful
 modern sacral interiors furnished with  altars, pulpit of different materials as well as stained glass windows. These works demonstrate the sacred arts culture as befits the twentieth and twenty-first century. These are mere imitations or references to past eras.  They represent the direction set out fort by the Second Vatican Council in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy - art is not an imitation but  a reflection of the times we in live and the faith we experience  - Says Father Paweł  Tkaczyk, director of the Kielce Diocesan Museum.

The expo programme also offers SACROMEDIA - workshops for parish newspapers' editorial teams. Father Jozef Kloch - former spokesman of the Polish Episcopate will be one of the keynote speakers.

- Near is my shirt, but nearer is my skin Local information of great importance. Therefore parish newsletters have a raison d'etre.  To get the most out of editors' capabilities and promote magazines, I will tell you how to use social media. Twitter is a a simple example. Therefore a parish newsletter can live 7 days a week, 24 hours a day - says Father Jozef Kloch.

Art with a capital "A"

SACROEXPO encompasses two dimensions – on the one hand this is the pure trade and business aspect; on the other hand this is the sphere of culture.  The Kielce expo is the world’s only exhibition where the Pontifical Council for Culture Medal “Per Artem ad Deum” has been awarded.  The Medal has been awarded to artists or institutions whose artistic achievements and heritage contribute to the culture development and shapes man's spirituality. This year's Medal laureates are:  Antonina Krzysztoń - Polish singer, composer and songwriter; Arvo Pärt - Estonian composer of choral and instrumental music. and  Arnaldo Pomodoro - an Italian sculptor and goldsmith.

Following many-year tradition the distinctions are presented during the gala ceremony; the evening will gain extra splendour owing to Antonina Krzysztoń and her band live performance. At the ceremony other distinctions and accolades will be presented:  Honorary Medal of the Polish Primate, HE. Archbishop Wojciech Polak,    Honorary Medal of HE  Primate Cardinal Jozef Glemp,   PER ARTEM AD EXCELSIS MEDAL   - the annual award of Council for Culture and Cultural Heritage Protection of the Polish Bishops' Conference  and the Honorary Medal of His Eminence Jan Piotrowski, Kielce Bishop.

(BS)