Church in the Arena

In January 2007 the Lutheran Churches in Hessen and Nassau (EKHN) and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Limburg opened an ecumenical prayer room, the 'Church in the arena', in the Frankfurt Commerzbank-Arena. It is located at the entrance to the main bleachers. The arena operator, the Stadion Frankfurt Management GmbH, placed the facility at the disposal of the churches for 20 years at no cost. The Stuttgart artist Professor Werner Pokorny created the entire furnishings, including the altar, pulpit, baptizing basins and chairs.

During the soccer World Cup, the 90 square meter room was a part of the press center. Now it is a chapel equipped with approximately 25 seats in a flexible use configuration. In the 'Church in the arena' the churches want to provide spiritual impulses for the athletes, fans, lounge users, employees and visitors of the arena, as well as to facilitate events in the areas of sports, art, leisure time, education and pastoral care.

Because of theological differences sacred rooms can only be used for official occasions of the Lutheran Church (extraordinary functions like weddings and baptisms). Next to the prayer rooms in Gelsenkirchen (Schalke) and Berlin, the Frankfurt "Church in the arena" is the third such facility in a German stadium.

Do you have questions about the 'Church in the arena'? Pastor Eugen Eckert will answer them by e-mail at: kirche@commerzbank-arena.de.