The city of Munich is marking the 868th anniversary of its founding with a two-day celebration on June 13 and 14, 2026. The event, known as the Bennofest, features Gottesdienste, a diverse stage program, and various stalls, all dedicated to commemorating the city’s patron saint, St. Benno.
Church Diversity on Display at Bennofest
Visitors to the Bennofest will have the opportunity to explore the wide array of church offerings and initiatives, as announced by the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising. This celebration aims to showcase the church’s multifaceted presence within the community.
Highlight: Festive Gottesdienst with Cardinal Marx
A central event of the Bennofest will be a festive Gottesdienst held on Sunday at 10:00 AM in the Liebfrauendom. The Gottesdienst will be led by Cardinal Reinhard Marx, Archbishop of Munich and Freising. The musical accompaniment will be provided by the Cathedral Choir’s vocal ensemble and the Cathedral Brass under the direction of Cathedral Choirmaster Lucia Hilz, featuring Gerald Fischer’s Missa Carminum.
Pontifical Vespers and Relic Procession
Later on Sunday, at 5:00 PM, a Pontifical Vespers with a relic procession will take place. During this service, the Cathedral Choristers, the Girls’ Cantorei, the Young Cathedral Cantorei, and the Cathedral Brass will perform the premiere of Fischer’s Bennovesper, conducted by Cathedral Cantor Benedikt Celler.
General Vicar Christoph Klingan, the Archbishop’s deputy, expressed his anticipation for the event: “We look forward to a weekend of encounters, common prayer, the visibility of the church in its diversity, and not least, joyful togetherness in the heart of the city.” Klingan emphasized that the Bennofest offers an opportunity to experience the church as open, approachable, and close to the people.
The Legend of St. Benno: Domschlüssel im Fischbauch
The feast day of St. Benno is June 16, marking the day of his death. As Bishop of Meißen in the eleventh century, he promoted missionary work and strived to mediate conflicts of his time. During the Investiture Controversy, Emperor Heinrich IV expelled Benno from his bishop’s see and appointed an anti-bishop. A legend surrounds this event: Benno is said to have thrown the cathedral keys into the Elbe River upon leaving the city. Years later, when he returned to Meißen and was served a fish, he reportedly found the keys inside the animal’s belly.
Soon after his death on June 16, 1106, Benno was greatly revered. Pope Hadrian VI canonized the bishop in 1523. During the turmoil of the Reformation, in 1576, the last Catholic bishop of the old Diocese of Meißen handed over the saint’s relics to Duke Albrecht V of Bavaria. Since 1580, these relics have been housed in Munich’s Liebfrauendom.
A Brief History of the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising
Around the year 724, Saint Korbinian arrived in Freising from Arpajon near Paris as an itinerant bishop, preaching the Christian faith in Old Bavaria. He is considered the spiritual father of the Diocese of Freising and the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising. The Diocese of Freising was established in 739 and subsequently developed into the cultural center of Old Bavaria.
The Bennofest not only celebrates the city’s founding but also provides a platform for the Archdiocese to engage with the public, highlighting its historical roots and contemporary activities. The event underscores the enduring connection between the city of Munich and its spiritual heritage, embodied by St. Benno.
Source: https://www.domradio.de/artikel/stadt-muenchen-feiert-ihren-stadtpatron-st-benno
