Pastor blesses bicycles and their owners for the first time

You should be saddle-proof and safe on the bike - and with God's blessing on top of that.

For the Eichenau businesswoman Monika Hereth motivation enough to organize the first bicycle blessing in the community.

Eichenau - A thought that fell on fertile ground.

Around 80 cyclists gathered on the main square opposite the Guardian Angel Church.

The message of the bicycle blessing even reached Norbert Lachner in neighboring Puchheim.

He felt the need to cycle the few meters to the neighboring community on that sunny Sunday morning.

“This blessing does mean something.

You feel protected in a special way. ”Lachner will underline this with the guardian angel badge that he will put on his bike.

The plaques could be bought, the proceeds will go to the Youth Red Cross in Eichenau, which will probably use the money for its own equipment.

For Hereth, the blessing also took place against the background that she runs a bicycle shop in Eichenau.

"I have to do with customers who have had an accident," said the deputy chairwoman of the local trade association.

That made her increasingly thoughtful. And since Eichenau's pastor Martin Bickl was one of her customers, the connection between secular two-wheelers and ecclesiastical blessings was quickly established. "He accepted immediately," said Hereth about Bickl. After all, motorcycles and cars are also being blessed elsewhere, explained Hereth, who was delighted with the great interest. You can therefore well imagine having this blessing take place every year, but then before the start of the cycling season in spring.

In his short sermon, however, Pastor Bickl spoke out against blessing things that were too worldly.

“In this way we don't bless the devices, but ultimately always the people who are on the road with them.” In this context, one can also convey that one can very consciously perceive nature on the bike.

A reference also to the environmental friendliness of two-wheelers: "Responsibility towards creation also means not only having to travel by car," said Bickl.

This statement and the blessing were also supported by the committed Eichenauer Thomas Richthammer.

With his wife Alexandra Zinner he had provided the believers with warm drinks.

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