Religion - Churches look to crisis regions at Christmas
At Christmas, the churches turned their attention to the crisis regions of the world. Bishop Peter Kohlgraf of Mainz made the suffering of many people in the Middle East and Ukraine one of the topics of his sermon on Christmas Day. After October 7, Jews have "our unreserved solidarity", said Kohlgraf on Monday in Mainz Cathedral with regard to Hamas' attack on Israel. He called the situation in Palestinian Gaza unbearable. We can read that "an unmanageable hunger catastrophe is looming there".
Christmas in particular should also bring hope for peace, said the bishop. "I want to call out this hope to the people in Ukraine, but also to many suffering people in so many partly forgotten war and crisis regions of the world." Overall, 2023 was a year of wars, increasing religious disinterest, many crises and issues in the church and society.
Many children around the world are suffering
The Church President of the Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau (EKHN), Volker Jung, remembered children in crisis regions on Christmas Eve. "It is appalling how people - and especially children - suffer in the wars of this world - in Ukraine, Israel, Palestine and elsewhere," said Jung on Sunday, according to the EKHN in Darmstadt.
Like Jesus at his birth in the manger, many children around the world are also in need of protection, said Jung. On this Christmas, this draws his attention to children whose lives are threatened by war and violence, misery and need: "And so, looking at the manger, I pray that God will give people the strength to be there for each other and to seek peace - for the child in the manger and all the children of this world."
Jesus becomes the light of the world
The Bishop of the Evangelical Church of Kurhessen-Waldeck (EKKW), Beate Hofmann, said in the Christmas Eve service in St. Martin's Church in Kassel that the shepherds had discovered a small child in the stable in Bethlehem, "peacefully, in the light of a star that signals: This child in the light will be light for the world".
According to a statement from the diocese, Bishop Michael Gerber of Fulda said in his sermon on Christmas Eve in the cathedral there: "Jesus, who was found by the shepherds in Bethlehem, is here with us today." These days are about feeling more intensely where life has marked us. In moments of challenge, age, illness or loss, everyone can find their place at the crib.
According to the diocese, Gerber called for dialog on Christmas Day: Particularly in the Middle East conflict, we are witnessing that behind this there are also experiences of hurt and disappointment that have been passed down through generations, Gerber said on Monday. The spiral of violence is gaining momentum and the injuries are increasing. "Can we have a dialog that goes beyond positions and interests?" asked the Bishop of Fulda. "A dialog that lets us talk about it: Man, how have you become?"
The Chairman of the German Bishops' Conference, Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg, said in a statement in Limburg Cathedral on Monday: "Distrust - once sown - drives wedges between people, groups and nations." Instead, God gives us his word of honor at Christmas: He gives courage for the future to those who have to live in fear and terror and see no way out.
Sermon Bishop Kohlgraf Message Diocese of Fulda on 24.12.2023 Message Diocese of Fulda on 25.12.2023 Message EKHN Message EKKW
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- Bishop Kohlgraf, from the Church in Mainz, spoke about the unbearable situation in Gaza during his sermon on Saint's Eve.
- Volker Jung, the Church President of the Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau, mentioned the Middle East, including Palestine, as a crisis region for children during his Christmas Eve message.
- In his sermon on Christmas Day, Bishop Gerber of Fulda emphasized the importance of dialogue in resolving conflicts, particularly in the Middle East.
- The German Bishops' Conference Chair, Bishop Bätzing, highlighted the power of God's word of honor to give courage and hope to those in fear and despair.
- On Christmas Eve, Bishop Hofmann of the Evangelical Church of Kurhessen-Waldeck depicted Jesus as the light of the world, bringing peace to all.
- The suffering of many people in Middle Eastern and Ukrainian crisis regions was a primary concern for Bishop Kohlgraf, who expressed solidarity with Jews following the October 7 attack on Israel.
- As Saint's Eve approached, Volker Jung prayed for children in crisis regions, including those in danger due to war and violence, hoping that God would grant strength and peace.
- In his Christmas Eve sermon, Bishop Gerber of Fulda encouraged everyone to find comfort and solace in the manger during moments of challenge, no matter their age, illness, or loss.
- The crisis areas of the world demand attention from the churches during the Christmas season, with the hope of peace and the light of Jesus guiding them through darkness.
- The dioceses of Mainz, Fulda, and Kurhessen-Waldeck issued messages during the holiday season, expressing the importance of faith, dialogue, and hope in turbulent times.
- In light of ongoing wars, religious disinterest, and numerous crises and issues, the churches in Germany and beyond strive to provide aid and support to those in need, particularly during the Christmas period.
Source: www.stern.de
