Station 3 – Multipurpose Use

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Station 3

Today, the French Church is used for both worship and cultural purposes. The movable pews are oriented either toward the pulpit or toward the stage. The stage organ opposite, dating from 1889, was only installed in the French Church in 2025.

Kuhn Stage Organ

From 1889. Installed in the French Church since 2025.

Shared Use

From 1806 to 1864, the Reformed had to share their church with the Catholics. Here you can see the Reformed communion table (in the middle) and the Catholic altar (in the back).

Also listen

JAN DISMAS ZELENKA - Missa omnium sanctorum: Gloria ZWV 21 (1741)

Jura Camerata, conducted by Riccardo Bovino, Les Grands Concerts du Jubilé, 29 September 2023

FELIX MENDELSSOHN (1809–1847) – Excerpt from the 2nd Organ Sonata (1845) & Lied ohne Worte op. 109, for cello and organ (1868)

Jürg Brunner, organ, Matthias Walpen, cello, inauguration of the Kuhn organ, January 25zh 2025

JOSEF GABRIEL RHEINBERGER (1839–1901) – Excerpt from Vision, Op. 156 (Zwölf Charakterstücke für die Orgel, 1888)

Antonio García, Kuhn Organ, Inauguration of the Kuhn Organ, January 25th 2025

LOUIS VIERNE (1870–1937) – Messe Solennelle op. 16, for two organs and choir – "Kyrie" (1899)

HEP Chamber Choir (Lausanne), Antonio García and Vincent Thévenaz, organs, Julien Laloux, conductor – Inauguration of the Kuhn Organ, January 25th 2025

BERNHARD EDUARD MÜLLER – Prayer for Horn and Organ – Op. 65a (1905)

Christian Holenstein, french horn; Antonio García, Kuhn organ; Inauguration of the Kuhn organ, 25 January 2025.

Use by the Catholic community

The use of the French Church, respectively the Dominican Church, by the Catholic community can be divided into three phases:

1799–1803: With the adoption of the Reformation in 1528, only the Zwinglian evangelical denomination remained in Bern. In 1799, the Helvetic government reintroduced Catholic worship in Bern and made available for this purpose the ground floor of the choir of the Dominican Church, separated from the nave.

1804–1864: During the Mediation period, Bern once again recognized only the Reformed confession as the sole official denomination, but tolerated Catholic worship in the capital. The Reformed church council made available the western part of the Dominican Church for Sunday services. The shared use lasted from 1804 to 1864. Then St. Peter and Paul, the first Catholic church in the Protestant cantonal territory, was inaugurated.

1875–1899: But in 1875, during the Kulturkampf, the Bernese government banned Roman Catholic worship. It transferred the new church to the state-recognized “Old Catholic” (later Christ Catholic) Church. The Catholics who remained loyal to Rome again found accommodation for Sunday services in the Dominican Church, where they were once more allocated the western part. In 1899, they were then able to occupy the newly built Trinity Church.

Margrit Wick-Werder