Festival Musica Sacra

Stepping outside oneself
Ecstasy is often described as a state in which a person, as it were, steps outside themselves. This can be exuberant, but also quiet and subdued. Throughout the centuries, ecstasy has been found in various cultures and contexts, for example in love, religion and meditation, but also in frenzy and the use of drugs.

Constructive and destructive aspectsof
Ecstasy plays an important role in religious and spiritual traditions. Stories about saints, for example, describe visions, speaking in tongues and supernatural acts. Ecstasy also features in ancient mythology, Bible stories, Sufism, Tantrism and nature-based religions. It can be constructive, when passion or love leads to a broader consciousness, but also destructive, when fear, aggression or addiction take the upper hand.

Music and collective ecstasy
Ecstasy is not just an individual experience. Groups of people can also be collectively swept away, with music often playing a key role. Musica Sacra Maastricht therefore explores the different facets of ecstasy and invites visitors to discover both its lighter and its darker, lesser-known aspects.