A dance performance featuring near-naked performers and raw chicken carcasses inside Paderborn Cathedral has sparked outrage among German Catholics and drawn demands for a public apology.
What was meant to be a solemn commemoration of Westphalia’s 1,250th anniversary quickly turned into a scandal that shocked many Christians. At the heart of the region’s religious life, the majestic Paderborn Cathedral—one of Germany’s best-known churches—became the stage for a controversial performance during the official state ceremony.
Arne Hückelheim, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Semi-nude dancers performed a routine involving plucked chicken carcasses wrapped in diapers, while a song titled “Fleisch ist Fleisch” (“Flesh is Flesh”) played in the background. For many, the symbolism was unmistakably a direct mockery of the Eucharist and the dignity of Christian worship. The scene, staged in a church built for the glory of God, sparked widespread outrage among Catholics.
Within hours, nearly 20,000 people signed a petition demanding a public apology for what they described as a “desecration” of the Paderborn Cathedral. The petition condemned the act as a “mockery of the central contents of the Christian faith” and a violation of a sacred space. The organizers point the finger directly at Archbishop Udo Markus Bentz, accusing him of failing in his duty to safeguard both the cathedral and the Church’s moral authority.
The archdiocese released a statement expressing “regret that religious feelings were hurt,” claiming that this had “never been intended.” Yet, these words have done little to quell the indignation. For many Catholics, this episode is not an isolated accident but a symptom of a broader trend in which the sacred is increasingly pushed aside in the name of so-called artistic freedom.
The contrast between the setting and content of the performance is especially painful. In a place where, for centuries, the mystery of faith has been celebrated, a spectacle many consider not just irreverent but outright offensive was allowed to take place. Political reactions have followed swiftly: the regional branch of the right-wing AfD in Westphalia-Lippe has released a video denouncing the event, standing in solidarity with those demanding accountability.