The Per Artem ad Deum medal (Eng. Through Arts to God) annual award presented by the Pontifical Council for Culture in recognition of the achievements which contribute to the promotion of dialogue between the diversity of cultures in the contemporary world and thus promote man as an individual.
The Medal Chapter
The Medal Chapter comprises: Reverend Bishop Marian Florczyk - the Chapter Chairman, Andrzej Mochoń PhD, Professor Konrad Kucza-Kuczyński and the previous years' laureates: Tomasz Furdyna, Dobrosław Bagiński PhD. Hab, professor , professor Leszek Mądzik, Wojciech Kilar, Krzysztof Zanussi, Stanisław Niemczyk.
Laureates
The Per Artem ad Deum Medal has been presented to:
2005 - Stained glass workshop "Furdyna" - Krakow
2006 - Dobroslaw Bagiński
2007 - Stanisław Słonina
2008 - Leszek Mądzik
2009 - Wojciech Kilar
2010 – Krzysztof Zanussi
2011 – Stanisław Niemczyk
2012 - Ennio Morricone and Stefan Stuligrosz
2013 – Stanisław Rodziński
2014 – Mario Botta, 2015 - Krzysztof Penderecki, Wincenty Kućma, Herder Publishing House 2016 - Antonina Krzysztoń, Arvo Pärt, Arnaldo Pomodoro 2017 - Claudia Henzler, Father Professor Michał Heller and Father Tomas Halik
The Medal awarding ceremony
The Per Artem ad Deum Medal has been presented at the International Exhibition of Church Construction, Church Fittings and Furnishings and Religious Art SACROEXPO held in Targi Kielce exhibition centre located in Kielce, Poland. The Medal is awarded at a special gala ceremony. The medal laureates are presented the distinction by the Chapter members and the church high-ranking dignitaries; twice - in 2009 and 2012 - the Medal was handed by the President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi. In the case of Stefan Stuligrosz and Ennio Morricone, the Medal Medal awarding ceremony gained extra splendour owing to live concert of the Świętokrzyskie Philharmonic Orchestra and Cracow Philharmonic Choir performing the new version of the Tra Cielo e Terra dedicated to John Paul II.