African liturgists advocate for a continental institute of liturgy to advance inculturation

They discussed "liturgical inculturation in Africa: practice and perspectives," concluding that inculturation remains a significant challenge for the Church in Africa, as reported by Vatican News. Participants defined liturgical inculturation as the harmonious integration of African cultural expressions into Christian mystery celebrations, while respecting the Gospel and Church norms. They emphasized three areas: singing, dancing, and architecture.

For liturgical music, attendees called for compositions to focus on the evangelical message while incorporating traditional African instruments. They believe dance, an inseparable cultural expression from song in Africa, can be included in liturgy if the sacred nature of celebrations is preserved. To ensure quality in these practices, they recommended doctrinal, liturgical, technical, and musical training for pastoral actors, and the revitalization of sacred music centers.

In architecture, liturgists want churches to better reflect the convergence of Christian faith and African cultures, advocating for more research in liturgical architecture and sacred art. A key recommendation from the congress is the establishment of an African institute of liturgy, driven by the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar. This institute would serve as a research and training center to deepe