Chapels

The three Chapels, located in different parts of the Centre, represent its essence. In these spaces, guests can experience both a personal and a community encounter with oneself and with transcendence and enjoy the regenerating effects of prayer and meditation.

Bishop Carlo De Ferrari Chapel

Monsignor Carlo De Ferrari (Archbishop of Trent from 1941 to 1962) followed and blessed the beginnings of the Focolare Movement, whose novelty he understood and defended, in his Diocese. The Chapel next to the auditorium Marilen, the ‘architectonic centre of the building’ (arch. Fumagalli), is dedicated to him. A statue of ‘Our Lady dressed in the Word’ decorates the chapel. It was realized by sculptor Peter Kostner (from nearby Val Gardena) in cooperation with Milan artist Maria Benedetto Pietrogrande.

J. Hanselmann Ecumenical Chapel

The Ecumenical Chapel is located next to the Marilen Auditorium and is dedicated to Johannes Hanselmann, a German Lutheran Bishop who played an important role in international ecumenism and passionately promoted unity between the Churches of the Reform and the Catholic Church. As a sign of gratitude, Chiara Lubich suggested that this chapel, a place of common prayer for Christians of different denominations, should be dedicated to him. It is meant to be a permanent sign of the ecumenic dimension of the Centre.

Chapel among the rocks

There is also a small chapel embedded in the rocks. This unusual peaceful place for prayer and meditation is visible through the big glass window and covers a small space between the altar and the natural apse provided by the rocks.