Religion, Public Space and Society

Dear Colleagues,

Public space has the capacity to transform itself into a community platform to celebrate and host a variety of religious and popular celebrations. This has been the case since time immemorial, though becoming particularly important and reaching its zenith during the Baroque period, when ephemeral monuments and temporary structures were built to decorate and provisionally complement liturgical events. The architecture of the city, thus, becomes the scenic backdrop for religious activities. Specific streets and historic buildings are adorned with tapestries, banners, and various kinds of ornaments, becoming the background for these celebrations. Indeed, the sacred building has an area of influence that extends beyond the plot that it occupies. Urban spaces in the city, especially those surrounding temples but also many other locations, have the ability to transform their transitory attributes into platforms for socialization and an extension of liturgical functions.

The origin of Western Catholic liturgy is, precisely, the celebration itself; its genesis is the nature, and the only protagonists are the congregation and the officiant. Etymologically, the word 'ecclesia', derived from Greek, focuses more on content than on container, as it designates the activity carried out: a gathering of citizens or communities convened according to a public call, i.e., an assembly. This possibility of celebrating anywhere, whether indoors or outdoors, has allowed, over the centuries, the emergence of mechanisms that support the celebration both inside and outside the temple.

These liturgical celebrations can be periodic, such as Sunday masses; celebrations linked to seasons and annual festivities; or specific, like grand events such as councils, dedications of major temples, royal weddings, or funerals of recognized personalities, in nature. Over the centuries, the urban space surrounding temples and the public space of the city have proven that they can be transformed to host all these celebrations, becoming both the platform and the backdrop.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to show examples from all times, ranging from the most recent period of the 21st century to the most ancient eras from previous epochs, where the presence of religion in the public space of the city is evident, forming a perfect connection between the architecture of the city as scenery, the platform of public space as the stage, the ritual of liturgical celebration as the script, and society and citizenship as participating audiences.

Louis I. Kahn asserts that 'a city is measured by the character of its institutions. The Street is one of its earliest institutions.' The Church is also one of these institutions. He adds, 'Today, these institutions are under discussion. I believe that happens because they have lost the inspirations that motivated their beginnings.' If, as Kahn states, Street and Church return to being social and civic institutions, true to their origins, both institutions must be capable of acting in coordination, offering architectural platforms for community use. In conclusion, we return to the same triad: Religion, Public Space and Society.

This Special Issue aims to focus on the analysis of urban and architectural space, i.e., proposals with an intentional spatial vocation. Professionals who can write on these matters include, in addition to architects and urban planners, historians, art historians, anthropologists, sociologists, theologians, political scientists, and artists. The topics are open to cities, towns, territories, and landscapes, i.e., all realms of space where religious expressions are carried out through various liturgies or ceremonies. Original research articles and reviews are both welcome.

Research areas may include, but are not limited to, the following topics:

• Ephemeral religious architecture in public spaces;
• Temporary occupation of public spaces for liturgical reasons;
• Exteriors near temples as complementary public spaces for liturgy;
• Expansion of the temple interiors into public spaces;
• Historic buildings as scenic backdrops;
• Major religious milestones and the temporary transformation of the city;
• Ephemeral religious architecture in public space in emergency situations.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Alba Arboix-Alió
Prof. Dr. Magda Mària Serrano
Guest Editors

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• public space
• urban liturgy
• religious commemoration
• religious architecture
• urban backdrop
• city scenario
• religious enclaves
• public celebration
• church and city