Philly’s Cathedral Basilica is the canvas for a new immersive light show

If you’re in a church and the ceiling starts pulsating and streaks of lightening splinter down the walls, it’s usually a good sign that more than the homily is about to go down.

But at “Luminiscence” it’s all part of a new immersive experience that uses light to alter one of Philadelphia’s most famous altars — the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.

On select evenings through August, "Luminiscence" brings the interior walls of the 164-year-old mother church of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to life with 25 high-definition projectors, 360-degree video mapping, and accompanying performances by a live choir and orchestra on select dates.

This sacred space where two popes have celebrated mass, countless Philadelphians have been laid to rest, and the remains of a saint are enshrined is now host to a visual and auditory odyssey that traces the history of the cathedral as high-definition lights trace every nook and cranny of its walls.

Think of it as a laser light show for the digital age and mature palette. Instead of spacing out with Pink Floyd in a planetarium, you’re basking in bright lights with Bach in a basilica.

“We really wanted to see the building come alive and be featured in ways that it hasn’t ever been seen before, together with music that really illuminates the soul,” said Clayton Ferguson, executive producer and general manager for Banijay Americas Live, the media and production company behind show.

Father Dennis Gill, rector of the Cathedral Basilica, said he was approached about hosting the production a little less than a year ago.

“They were very impressed by our cathedral building and they thought it would be a wonderful place to highlight with light,” he said. “It took some convincing. My primary concern was respecting the cathedral. The primary ministry of the cathedral is the worship of God and I wanted to make sure Luminescence would protect and promote that.”

“Luminiscence” events — which are specifically designed for cathedrals and basilicas — began in France, where Banijay Americas Live parent company, Banijay Entertainment, is headquartered. Philadelphia is only the second U.S. city to host a production. The first was held at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis last year.

“It’s about sacred spaces but it is not a faith-driven show, so it is absolutely for all audiences,” Ferguson said. “I wouldn’t say that it’s a secular story or a religious story. I think that it is about beauty and hope and creativity.”

This isn’t the first time projection mapping has been used to transform an iconic Center City building. For years, Philadelphia’s own Klip Collective brought the exterior of City Hall to life during the holidays with their free Deck the Hall Light Show. But “Luminiscence” is the first time an immersive experience like this has been done in the Cathedral Basilica, or in any Catholic church in Philly.

Gill said he had three reasons for agreeing to participate.

“My first reason was it would highlight the architectural beauty of our cathedral. Second, it would draw people to church, and my third reason was it would bring us some financial assistance,” he said.

A portion of ticket sale proceeds go to the Cathedral Basilica, but Ferguson declined to detail how much.

Last week, entry lines snaked around the building as people packed the pews for the first performance. Prior to the start of the show, the basilica’s domed ceiling was bathed in a dark cerulean light dotted by hundreds of stars. Human silhouettes walked slowly and methodically along the walls high above the crowd.

Ferguson and Gill offered brief opening remarks, with the latter also offering a blessing.

As I sat listening in a pew, I tried to think of the last time I was in the basilica. Was it really 11 years ago when Pope Francis in town? I often visit churches in Europe just for their beauty and architecture, but not those in my own backyard. Maybe I feel like I need a purpose when it’s so close to home.

“Talking it through, everybody kind of understood how it would really, really help get more people through the doors,” Ferguson said. “I mean, this building is stunning. It’s incredible. How many people have maybe walked past it over all of the years and not even had a chance to walk inside?”

The show began with a narration welcoming us to “prepare to board on a timeless journey.” Over the next 45 minutes, the basilica was transformed into a night sky, a golden palace, an architect’s drawing board, a stormy sea, stained glass, a garden of falling petals (that defied the laws of gravity and rose upward), a kaleidoscope, a cloudy sky filled with angels, and, for a brief moment, a black-and-white scene that looked straight out of a Tim Burton movie.

“Wow!” and “Oh my God!” I can hear myself saying on my video recordings (probably should have rethought that last exclamation in a Catholic church).

“Goosepumps” I wrote in my notebook (hey, it was dark).

The visuals were stunning and the live orchestra and choir of local musicians sounded lovely, even if I only recognized a few of the pieces of classical music they played, like “Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 (Ode to Joy).”

I did struggle to follow along with the narration and tenuous storyline though, which mostly focused on the creation of the Cathedral Basilica, but also tried to tie in the founding of the United States and Philadelphia. Ferguson called it a “poetic love letter to Philadelphia and the cathedral.”

“It’s really about less is more,“ he said. ”We try to use as few words as possible to elevate the senses along the way."

God and the church also feature prominently in the narration, which perhaps is to be expected, given the setting, but it also makes the program feel less than secular. I didn’t find it off-putting but I can see how some people may.

The strength of this show lies firmly in its visuals, which helped me to see one of Philadelphia’s most storied edifices in a new way — alive.

But it’s always alive, every day, with people and services. That was one of the biggest difficulties Ferguson and his crew faced when setting up “Luminiscence.”

“One of the hardest challenges is how do we kind of disappear so people don’t see speakers everywhere,” he said. “So that’s actually our biggest challenge — staying out of the way.”

If you’ve been staying out of the way of the Cathedral Basilica (or have never visited), “Luminiscence” is a great excuse to step inside. I’ve felt wonder in grand places of worship over the years — the Sagrada Familia in Spain, the Cao Dai Temple in Vietnam, and the Basilica of San Clemente in Italy — but it’s been a long time since I’ve felt wonder in a church on my own soil. “Luminiscence” gave me that.

“It’s a very positive, beautiful, uplifting experience and it’s able to be both about faith and about wonder,” Gill said.