Hubertus Masses 2026: vigils and protests at a glance

04.11.2026
Wed 03:20

Beerfelden (D): Dead animals in front of the church, Wildtierschutz Deutschland asks about the red deer

On Saturday, 7 November 2026, the animals killed in recreational hunting are to be laid out in front of the Protestant Martinskirche in Beerfelden in the Odenwald, an hour before the Hubertus Mass begins; in the programme the custom is called «Laying out and sounding the bag». Wildtierschutz Deutschland points this out in its article on Hubertus Day and reminds readers that, according to the legend, the red deer survived the encounter: «Hubertus could have shot. He chose not to.» The association hopes that parishes will also give a voice on Hubertus Day to people who care for injured and orphaned wild animals, and recommends asking at the parish office whether someone may say an intercession for the hunted wild animals. The very choice of words of recreational hunters says a lot: «Anyone who speaks of 'pieces' killed hears neither the roe deer nor the fox in it.» A display of the dead in front of the church portal is the opposite of what the legend tells. Why the church contradicts itself with such rituals is explained in the article «Killing, tormenting and mutilating with the church's blessing».

03.11.2026
Tue 10:30

Zurich: AKUT president preached at St. Peter's, AKUT rejects Hubertus Masses

The pastor of St. Peter's, who asked Hunt Watch to refrain from holding a vigil, had the president of the Arbeitskreis Kirche und Tiere (Working Group on Church and Animals) preach about the vulnerability of animals in 2023. AKUT rejects Hubertus Masses in churches and calls for the Geneva model. Read the article

02.11.2026
Mon 16:20

Xanten (Germany): Netzwerk Fuchs announces vigil in front of the cathedral

On Sunday, 8 November 2026, at 6.30 pm, the Wesel district hunters' association will hold its Hubertus Mass in Xanten Cathedral, with music provided by the Üfter hunting horn players and falconers standing at the altar with their birds of prey. From 5.45 pm, according to the district hunters' association all the hunting-horn players of the KJS Wesel in the market square. Under the motto “You don't shoot at Creation!”, the Netzwerk Fuchs has announced a vigil in front of the cathedral. Already on the previous evening, Saturday 7 November, the network will be standing in front of the Imperial Cathedral in Speyer, where three demonstrations have already been registered. This means at least three vigils will take place on 8 November: in the morning in Flawil SG, in the evening in Gütersloh and in Xanten.

02.11.2026
Mon 04:50

Oldenburg (Germany): 25 people at the vigil in front of the Ohmstede church

While the Hubertus Mass was being celebrated in the Protestant Ohmstede church in Oldenburg on Sunday, 1 November, 25 people from Vegans for Future Oldenburg, by their own account, stood opposite the church. The group speaks of its “traditional vigil”, with some participants having travelled from far away. The police were on site and, from time to time, satisfied themselves “that everything is in order”; the vigil passed peacefully. The group recalls the legend: Hubertus sank to his knees before the red deer bearing the crucifix and renounced hunting, and his appropriation by people who kill animals for pleasure is a “mockery of the sacred”. For the same Mass, PETA issued a press release. Vegans for Future announces that it will be standing there again in a year's time at the latest.

01.11.2026
Sun 16:00

Gütersloh (D): Achtung für Tiere calls for a vigil outside the Apostelkirche

On Sunday, 8 November 2026, the Apostelkirche in Gütersloh will hold a Hubertus service. The association Achtung für Tiere e.V. has announced on Facebook a vigil from 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm outside the church in order to “send a signal against the glorification of hunting”. “At Hubertus masses, the church celebrates hunting and hunters. We believe there is nothing to celebrate here!” the association writes. This means two vigils are planned for 8 November: one in the morning in Flawil SG, one in the evening in Gütersloh. Why the Hubertus legend is unsuited as a blessing for recreational hunting is explained in the article “When the church blesses killing during the Hubertus mass”.

31.10.2026
Sat 10:55

Bleicherode (D): Südharz Church District rejects PETA criticism, “cannot vouch for everyone”

The Hubertus Mass held by the Bleicheröder Berge hunting cooperative on Monday 2 November at St. Marien town church in Bleicherode (Nordhausen district) is the first example this season in which PETA's criticism has become a controversy in a regional newspaper. Pastor Dirk Lehner will deliver the sermon and the hunting-horn players from Annrode will perform, followed by a campfire in front of the church. PETA specialist Peter Höffken calls the blessing for “the senseless killing of defenceless fellow creatures” a “completely wrong signal”. Pastor and Superintendent Andreas Schwarze of the Südharz Church District counters that the Mass is held “under responsibility for creation” and that the recreational hunters he knows act conscientiously. Schwarze concedes, however: “At the same time one knows that one cannot vouch for everyone.” And both sides invoke the same legend: PETA the Hubertus who gave up hunting, the Church the Hubertus who took on responsibility.Thüringer Allgemeine of 30.10.

31.10.2026
Sat 10:30

Flawil SG: vigil announced against the Hubertus Mass of 8 November

The third vigil in Switzerland within three weeks: on Sunday, 8 November 2026, the Catholic church of St. Laurentius in Flawil will hold its Hubertus Mass from 10.15 am with the hunting horn group Schlaufuchs. Hunt Watch has announced a peaceful vigil on Enzenbühlstrasse, opposite the church, from 9.30 am to 12.15 pm; so far 15 people have responded on Facebook. For those who do not know Hunt Watch: The group focuses on the people who kill animals, and has been documenting driven hunts in Switzerland for years.

30.10.2026
Fri 12:30

Zurich: pastor asks for restraint, Hunt Watch stays

On Sunday, 15 November 2026, the Reformed Stadtkirche St. Peter will hold its Hubertus Mass at 10 am, organised by JagdZürich, with around 400 guests expected, including the canton's newly licensed recreational hunters. The pastor has asked Hunt Watch in writing to forgo the vigil approved by the city, and has declined to cover the permit fee. Hunt Watch replied that a peaceful vigil is not a refusal of dialogue, and will be standing in front of the church from 9.15 am. The full correspondence in the article.

30.10.2026
Fri 10:54

Speyer (Germany): three demonstrations registered in front of the cathedral

In the Imperial Cathedral of Speyer, the Kaiserslautern district group and the Karlsruhe hunters' association invite people to a Hubertus mass on Saturday, 7 November 2026: from 3.30 pm a “Great Horn Sound” with ten hunting-horn groups from four federal states in the nave, a Hubertus address at 5.10 pm, and mass at 6 pm with Cathedral Dean Georg Müller. According to the city, three assemblies with 15, 30 and up to 50 expected participants have been registered on the cathedral forecourt, plus an information stand near the cathedral. The mass will be according to Rheinpfalz been regularly accompanied by protests for years.

29.10.2026
Thu 11:00

Germany: PETA criticises a dozen Hubertus Masses

Over the past two weeks, PETA Germany has published a series of press releases on individual Hubertus Masses, including those at the parish church of St. Peter in Munich (3 November), Höhenkirchen-Siegertsbrunn (31 October), Breklum, Oldenburg and Witzenhausen (1 November), Kranichstein hunting lodge (2 November), Greifswald, Bleicherode and Burg Wallenstein. In each case the organisation calls on the parishes to distance themselves from the "violence-glorifying Masses" and reminds them that Hubertus turned from hunter to opponent of hunting. The releases can be found on the PETA press portal.

28.10.2026
Wed 12:00

Salzburg (A): VGT protests against the Landeshubertusmesse with a dead red deer on a carriage

On Sunday, 25 October 2026, Salzburg's hunting community processed from the Grosses Festspielhaus through the old town to the cathedral for the Landeshubertusmesse, celebrated by Prelate Johann Reissmeier, with Governor Karoline Edtstadler and Landtag President Brigitta Pallauf as guests of honour; State Master of the Hunt Max Mayr-Melnhof described hunting as a contribution to preserving the cultural landscape, reports MeinBezirk. In front of the cathedral stood the Verein gegen Tierfabriken (VGT) with a demonstration. In these masses, hunting is glorified as a "divine mission" and as "protection and care of God's creatures", writes the VGT; a slain red deer was paraded on a horse-drawn carriage at the mass, a staging that shows that protecting animals is not a priority for hunters. The VGT also criticises that in Austria dogs and cats may still be shot, that foxes, badgers, martens, otters and beavers are hunted intensively, and that trap hunting and driven hunts cause great suffering. The animal welfare site WolfFacts followed up, asking since when a foodstuff needs a cathedral organ, a sermon and a church blessing, when nobody holds a cathedral mass in honour of butchers.

26.10.2026
Mon 09:39

Arlesheim BL: Priest thanks hunting opponents, collection goes to Hunt Watch

On Sunday, 25 October 2026, Hunt Watch held a vigil, approved by the municipal council, in front of the Arlesheim Cathedral, while inside the Hubertus mass was celebrated with hunting horn players and the Jagdgesellschaft Arlesheim afterwards invited guests to an aperitif. The senior priest personally welcomed the group with vegan refreshments, mentioned the vigil several times during the service, thanked each activist with a handshake after the mass and allocated the entire collection to Hunt Watch's animal rights work. The report with photos and video.

13.09.2026
Sun 09:00

Stella (I): Animal welfare activists criticise Sant’Uberto gathering with authority representatives

The early start of the season in Liguria: at the Sant’Uberto celebration at the chapel of Giovo Ligure in Stella (province of Savona), the Partito Animalista Italiano and the Osservatorio Savonese Animalista criticised the fact that officials attend a celebration glorifying an activity in which thousands of wild animals die every year and in which people are repeatedly injured or killed, and that a place of worship opens its doors for it. Liguria24 reported.

Calendar: the announced Hubertus Masses

Where blessings are being given: this season, IG Wild beim Wild and PETA Germany have sent a press release to the parish and the local media for every publicly announced Hubertus Mass. The list shows how dense the network is, and where no vigil has yet been held. In chronological order by date of the Mass.

Switzerland: press releases from IG Wild beim Wild

• Wed 2 Sept., Lucerne LU, Franciscan Church: Hubertus Mass
• Sun 20 Sept., Wildegg AG, Catholic church: Service with hunting horn accompaniment
• Sun 27 Sept., Jonschwil SG, St. Martin: Service with hunting horn players
• Sun 4.10., Boswil AG, St. Pankraz: Hunters' Mass
• Sun 18 Oct., Flühli LU, parish church: Hubertus Mass
• Sun 18 Oct., Nebikon LU, parish church: Hubertus Mass
• Sun 18 Oct., Sempach LU, parish church: Hubertus Mass
• Sat 24 Oct., Wassen UR: Hubertus shooting
• Sun 25 Oct., Arlesheim BL, Cathedral: Hubertus Mass (vigil, see ticker)
• 25 to 30 Oct., Beatenberg BE, Reformed church and Drachenarena: Natural horn days with open-air concert for St. Hubertus
• Tue 3 Nov., Pfynwald VS, in the open air: Valais Hubertus celebration
• Sun 8 Nov., Flawil SG, St. Laurentius: Hubertus Mass (vigil, see ticker)
• Sun 8 Nov., Hergiswald LU, pilgrimage church: Hubertus Mass
• Sun 8 Nov., Schwarzsee FR, St. Niklaus: Hubertus Mass
• Sun 8 Nov., Sennwald SG, Catholic church: Hubertus Mass
• Sun 8 Nov., Lucerne LU, Jesuit Church: Service with natural horn players
• Sun 15 Nov., Zurich ZH, St. Peter: Hubertus Mass with licensing ceremony (vigil, see ticker)
• Sun 15 Nov., Fislisbach AG, Catholic church: Hubertus Mass
• Sun 15 Nov., Lichtensteig SG, church: Hubertus Mass
• Sun 15 Nov., Hergiswil NW, parish church: Hubertus Mass of the Nidwalden licence hunters' association
• Fri 20 Nov., Hinterkappelen BE, Bergfeld hunting shooting range: Hubertus celebration with sermon
• Sun 22 Nov., Wil SG, St. Niklaus: Hubertus Mass
• Mon 28 Dec., Schlierbach LU, Rochus Chapel: Hubertus Mass of the Säckwald hunting society
• Sun 10 Jan. 2027, Eich LU, parish church: Hubertus Mass

Germany: press releases from PETA

Since mid-October, PETA Germany has been writing to parishes on a daily basis, always under the title “Killing with the Church's blessing”. All the releases can be found in the PETA press portal, wildlife section.

• Sat 17 Oct., Neustadt (Dosse), main and state stud farm: Hubertus Mass with drag hunt
• Sun 18.10., Wertheim, Bronnbach Abbey Church: Hubertus Mass
• Sat/Sun 24/25.10., Springe, Wisent (bison) enclosure: Hubertus festival with ecumenical Mass and «game meat raffle»
• Sat 24.10., Steinheim an der Murr, Holy Spirit Church: Hubertus Mass of the Ludwigsburg hunters' association
• Sat 24.10., Mühlhausen, St. Josef: Hubertus Mass
• Sun 25.10., Breuberg-Neustadt, Protestant Church: Hubertus Mass
• Sun 25.10., Niddatal, Pilgrimage Church of St. Gangolf (Maria Sternbach): Hubertus Mass
• Sun 25.10., Kirn-Sulzbach, St. Josef Calasanza: Hubertus Mass
• Fri 30.10., Fulda, Parish Church of St. Blasius: Hubertus Mass
• Sat 31.10., Höhenkirchen-Siegertsbrunn, St. Leonhard: Hubertus Mass
• Sun 1.11., Oldenburg, Ohmstede Church: Hubertus Mass (vigil, see ticker)
• Sun 1.11., Breklum, St. Olaf: Hubertus Mass
• Sun 1.11., Witzenhausen, Church of Our Lady: Hubertus Mass
• Mon 2.11., Darmstadt, Kranichstein Hunting Lodge, Parforcehof: Hubertus Mass
• Mon 2.11., Bleicherode, Town Church of St. Marien: Hubertus Mass
• Mon 2.11., Greifswald, St. Marien Church: Hubertus Mass
• Tue 3.11., Knüllwald, Wallenstein Castle: Hubertus Mass
• Tue 3.11., Munich, Parish Church of St. Peter: Hubertus Mass
• Sat 7.11., Speyer, Imperial Cathedral: Hubertus Mass with “Grosser Hörnerklang” (three demonstrations registered, vigil by Netzwerk Fuchs, see ticker)
• Sun 8 Nov, Neubrandenburg, St. Johanniskirche: Landes-Hubertusmesse Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
• Sun 8.11., Xanten, St. Viktor Cathedral: Hubertus Mass of the Wesel district hunters' association (vigil, see ticker)