America’s 1st basilica uses lights to show Catholic heritage

When the United States debut performance of "Luminiscence" ends its run at Minneapolis’ Basilica of Mary on February 14, more than 100,000 guests will have visited the iconic church. Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026, America’s first Basilica was dedicated as such by Pope Pius XI. 

As another first in the U.S., the Basilica of Mary debuted a popular immersive light show that originated in France. The initial site for the show was the Cathédral Saint-André in Bordeaux.

Artistic creator Romain Sarfati, who co-founded Lotchi, the company that creates the productions, desired to reconnect people with the beauty of their shared heritage. 

With little coverage by US Catholic media but broad secular coverage by local media, Sarfati told FOX 9’s Shayne Wells in late October that the Minneapolis basilica was a “natural choice” as the tour’s first U.S. site. Its combination of art, innovation, and community connectedness paired well with the centennial celebration and concurrent renovation project. 

In that interview, Sarfati explained that 3D scans were made of the basilica’s interior, then worked on for six months in Lotchi’s Paris-based studio. For the show’s production, lights and acoustics were installed in less than two weeks on site before opening on October 31. 

Fr. Daniel Griffith, the basilica’s pastor, saw the project as an opportunity to celebrate the church’s centennial anniversary and highlight the interior’s full restoration process. As a sign of their dedicated commitment to preserving historic landmarks, “Luminiscence” donates a portion of the proceeds for the restoration. Guests were also invited to donate directly to the effort. 

On the Basilica of Saint Mary’s own website, the invitation is made to “feel the Basilica of Saint Mary awaken around you – as a symphony of voices and instruments carry you through decades of art, culture, and timeless beauty.”

Belgium-native Dr. Johan van Parys has been the Basilica’s Director of Liturgy and the Sacred Arts for 30 years. He was interviewed in late October by ABC 5’s Kristin Haubrich who shared the special significance of the Basilica for herself, having been confirmed there.

Van Parys told the reporter that part of the “Luminiscence” vision and mission is to bring life back to “under-visited beautiful buildings” through music, light, and narration. 

He shared that after they were approached about hosting the show, he studied the program and contacted churches in Europe that had been tour sites. Their complimentary experiences were encouraging, and he believed the performances pair well with the basilica’s broader outreach mission beyond the Church -- one of which is to celebrate the arts in the local community. 

Admitting he discovered new things about the basilica in the process, his biggest takeaway was people’s own reaction and the opportunity to expose more and more people to the basilica and its value as a monument to beauty, and ability to plant seeds of faith.  

Signage inside the basilica was available for viewing before and after each performance. Information included content about the sacred objects and vestments used for liturgical celebrations and their Jewish roots; also reflective instruction on “Sacred Art and the Word,” and its place in worship.

Other signage provided history and photographs of artisans and craftsmen and an overview of the planned restorations.

One featured artisan was Florence Neubauer, a basilica parishioner whose childhood story was included in the written narration for the light show. As an adult, she worked on stained glass windows in the basilica. It is believed that the cherubs included in the great Rose Window were based on childhood images of herself.

Kate Monaghan Connolly of Honor and Gold Communications, who oversees public relations alongside marketing and ticket manager Fever, crafted the narration. She did firsthand research into the history of the basilica and its connection with the Minneapolis community.

The narration begins quoting Archbishop John Ireland, appointed bishop of St. Paul in 1884:

The basilica, in first person, converses with young Florence speaking of the “answered prayers” and “whispered hopes” of the archbishop’s vision that came to fruition within her walls: “this house where earth and heaven meet.”

Florence recalls the 20,000 people who attended the laying of the church’s cornerstone in 1907 but then admits she’s not sure what a basilica is, she just knows it makes her “feel small and full of wonder at the same time.”

Traversing decades the narration continues the archbishop’s vision of the house of God as a waiting room for heaven.

Lines from architect Emmanuel Masqueray interject to explain specific construction and artistic elements. The basilica adds, “My dome was meant to draw every gaze upward, so that God is the first thing anyone notices … Buildings like me communicate – even without words.”

Connolly clarified that, “while this experience is offered within a house of worship,” the nature of the show is not meant to be religious. As part of a community who believes in the heritage and cultural value of these landmarks, she wrote the script with the intention of introducing the story of the Basilica to new audiences “while hopefully providing a new way of experiencing the basilica to audiences already familiar with it."

Producers have a clear understanding that these buildings are worship spaces first and foremost. They are careful not to interrupt liturgical schedules or church life in any way. It is their hope “that their identity as beloved cultural and community settings will only be more embraced after these shows,” Connolly said.

She added the context that historically, “cathedrals have held many different kinds of non-liturgical events as they were often the centers of their communities.”

In the final story lines, the basilica concludes,