Guests Can Experience the Iconic Landmark Through Light, Music, and Story, Narrated by Jonathan Roumie
“St. Patrick’s is a dream we didn’t dare articulate when we started LUMINISCENCE three years ago. Our only ambition is to be worthy of what these walls already hold. You’ve walked past St. Patrick’s a thousand times. On October 2nd, you’ll see it in a brand new light.”
– Romain Sarfati, co-founder of LOTCHI, creator of LUMINISCENCE
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Tonight, Banijay Americas opens LUMINISCENCE, the award-winning immersive experience, at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Created by LOTCHI and produced by Banijay Live, part of Banijay Entertainment, LUMINISCENCE combines 360-degree video mapping, storytelling, live choir and the LUMINISCENCE Orchestra led by Maestro Malcolm J. Merriweather, to tell the story of one of the world’s most recognized landmarks. New York native Jonathan Roumie narrates.
A portion of every ticket sold supports “Renew the Living Voices: The Kilgen Organ Campaign,” helping preserve the Cathedral’s musical legacy for generations to come.
“St. Patrick’s Cathedral has held a special place in New York City for more than 160 years, and we’re honored to bring its story to life through music and light, and storytelling,” said Ben Samek, CEO of Banijay Americas. “Each glowing arch celebrates the hands that shaped it and the city that grew around it. Our hope is that everyone who experiences Luminiscence feels part of a story that has been unfolding for generations.”
Since launching in 2023, LUMINISCENCE has welcomed more than two million visitors to more than 20 productions in eight countries: France, Spain, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Brazil and the United States. The New York engagement is part of Banijay Americas’ growing international footprint. The company is bringing music, storytelling and digital artistry to some of the world’s most remarkable sacred and historic spaces.
“We are eager to welcome guests to LUMINISCENCE to experience the ways technology and art can come together to illuminate the beauty, history, and faith that has filled St. Patrick’s for generations. We hope that all who attend, regardless of their faith, allow them to encounter the Cathedral in a new and meaningful way”, says Fr. Enrique Salvo, Rector of St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
“St. Patrick’s isn’t just a spectacular venue. It’s a place where generations of New Yorkers have gathered to celebrate and to hope,” said Romain Sarfati, co-founder of LOTCHI and creator of LUMINISCENCE. “Every element of our show, from the choir and orchestra to projections mapped to the millimeter, is designed with that weight in mind. We’re not adding light to St. Patrick’s. We’re helping it reveal what’s already there.”
St. Patrick’s is the largest Gothic Revival Catholic cathedral in North America. It was the vision of Archbishop John Hughes, who wanted a cathedral worthy of New York’s growing Catholic community. Critics dismissed the then-remote uptown site as “Hughes’ Folly.” The Civil War delayed construction, and the white-marble cathedral designed by James Renwick Jr. took two decades to complete, opening in 1878. Its twin spires, which rise more than 330 feet above Fifth Avenue, were added in 1888. Consecrated in 1910, St. Patrick’s is the seat of the Archdiocese of New York, a designated New York City landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has welcomed popes, presidents and millions of visitors each year.
LUMINISCENCE opens to the public today, October 2, 2026, with performances on select dates through mid November with the possibility of extending into 2027. Guests can choose LUMINISCENCE Live+, which features a live choir and orchestra, or LUMINISCENCE, which uses recorded music and narration. Ticket prices vary by experience. Tickets and information are at luminiscence.com/new-york.
About LOTCHI – Lotchi, part of Banijay Live, creates immersive experiences designed to spark inspiration and wonder. By combining creativity, technology and innovative storytelling, the company produces shared, memorable moments that reconnect audiences with beauty, imagination and each other. Lotchi develops and delivers its own large-scale productions in exceptional venues worldwide. www.lotchi.live
Banijay Entertainment – Let’s Show the World – Award-winning media and entertainment powerhouse, Banijay Entertainment spans 25 territories and delivers an average 19,000 hours of content and 3,000 live events globally each year. An innovative leader, in 2025 alone, it collectively launched 315+ new non-scripted titles, 140+ scripted titles, 110+ shows on streaming platforms, and had 45 formats active in more than 3+ territories.
A home for today’s storymakers, and the creative pioneers of tomorrow, the business puts creators first, uniting the best creative minds to shape the next generation of diversified entertainment. The masters of superbrands like MasterChef, Big Brother, Gogglebox, Survivor, Gold Rush, Race Across the World and The Traitors, scripted icons like Peaky Blinders, Fleabag, Call the Midwife, Shameless, Skins, The Tourist and Black Mirror, and live spectacles including the Olympic opening and closing ceremonies, the business nurtures ideas at-scale, defining culture and inspiring audiences worldwide. Its latest standout titles include Football Island, Legends, The Crash, The Buccaneers, A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough, Fear Factor: House of Fear and The Circle.
Built on independence, creative freedom and pioneering entrepreneurialism, Banijay Entertainment merged with All3Media in July 2026 through a strategic partnership between RedBird IMI and Banijay Group. Jeff Zucker, CEO of RedBird IMI, is Chairman of the Board, Marco Bassetti serves as Chief Executive Officer, and Jane Turton as Deputy Chief Executive Officer.
Media Contact:
Lori Heiselman – lori@biscuitmediagroup.com
Nicole Marostica – nicole.marostica@banijayamericas.com
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