Has the Mess-AI-ah finally come? A church in Switzerland is testing that theory.
St. Peter’s Chapel, the oldest Catholic church in Lucerne, Switzerland, is making headlines with an experimental confessional installation that uses a holographic Jesus powered by artificial intelligence. Dubbed Deus in Machina, the project was launched in August and is set to conclude with a public discussion of its results next Wednesday.
The installation was developed by Philipp Haslbauer and Aljosa Smolic of the Immersive Realities Center at Hochschule Luzern, alongside theologian Marco Schmid from the parish. Visitors to the confessional are greeted by a holographic representation of Jesus, which opens conversations with a standard greeting — “Peace be with you, brother” — and invites users to share their burdens.
While the installation’s creators emphasize that it’s an art project intended to spark reflection on the role of technology in religious contexts, its location in a confessional has raised more than a few eyebrows.
The parish has clarified that the hologram isn’t designed to perform the sacrament of reconciliation, but rather is there to encourage private moments of introspection and foster discussion about AI’s potential role in faith.
The AI was trained using both scripture and other theological texts, which Schmid acknowledges could lead to occasional deviations from official Church teaching. So far, however, he claims the “fascinating” responses align with the theological views of St. Peter’s.
The installation has sparked mixed reactions, with some praising its innovative approach to exploring faith and others expressing discomfort with the idea of simulating Christ — even if it’s just an experiment.
“I’m glad the avatar still feels like a technical object,” Schmid said. “It’s not meant to replace real human dialogue.”
The Vatican has also been keeping an eye on AI’s growing influence. In October, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences hosted a conference on the implications of artificial intelligence for the Church and society. Previous Vatican efforts have explored AI ethics, culminating in publications like Encountering AI: Ethical and Anthropological Investigations.
While “Deus in Machina” is set to come to a close next week, it’s made one thing abundantly clear: the Church’s experiments with AI are just beginning.
