September 5, 2025

Festival of Faiths to be held on Sept. 14 in downtown Indianapolis

By Sean Gallagher

Center for Interfaith CooperationArchdiocesan Catholics will represent the Church in central and southern Indiana at the Festival of Faiths, to be held from 1-5 p.m. on Sept. 14 at University Park, 307 N. Meridian St., in Indianapolis.

Offered by the Indianapolis-based Center for Interfaith Cooperation, the Festival of Faiths is an annual free event for Hoosiers to learn about and celebrate the wide diversity of faith communities that have central Indiana as their home. The Archdiocese of Indianapolis is one of three partnering sponsors of the event.

Among the faith traditions represented at the festival will be Christianity, Judaism, Islam and the Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist and other faiths.

Music, dancing and food representing different faith traditions from around the world can be experienced at the festival, as well as interfaith dialogue and interactive booths.

Each year, the festival has a theme that often highlights commonalities among a variety of faiths. This year, the event’s theme, “One source, many streams,” emphasizes the place of water in faith traditions around the world.

Father Rick Ginther, director of the archdiocesan Office of Ecumenism and InterreligiousAffairs, spoke about the festival’s importance.

“It is significant, given the predominance of Christianity here in the greater Indianapolis area,” he said. “The event showcases each religion’s use of particular symbols or realities and allows for direct interaction between those visiting the event and the practitioners of each religion at the booths.”

Father Ginther encourages archdiocesan Catholics to take part in the event.

“Come out to spend an hour or two on this late summer afternoon to learn about other religions whose adherents are our neighbors,” he said. “Come with an open mind and heart to take in the experience and rejoice in our religious freedom in the United States.”
 

(For more information about this year’s Festival of Faiths, visit www.indycic.org/2025-festival-of-faiths.) †

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