Christmas in the monastery: monks drink beer - nuns imp

Created: 12/25/2021, 12:00 PM

From: Thomas Eldersch

How do nuns and monks celebrate Christmas in Bavaria?

© Peter Gercke / dpa / symbol image

Nuns and monks are human too.

You can even notice that at Christmas.

Your party is not that different from that in a typical Bavarian household.

Planegg / Selbitz - Christmas carols under the Christmas tree, gifts, delicious food and spending time with family or friends.

This is probably how Christmas Eve works for the majority of people in Bavaria.

Maybe one or the other will go to the next church to take part in the Christmas mass.

But what do those who almost already live in church do at Christmas?

This is what Christmas Eve looks like in Bavarian religious communities.

(By the way: Our Bavaria newsletter informs you about all the important stories from the Free State. Register here.)

Christmas in the Augustinian monastery: beer and snacks to celebrate

Not far from Munich * is the Maria Eich monastery in Planegg. Father Felix Meckl lives and works there. The Augustinian monk, who does not, as many may believe, sneak through the corridors in a brown monk's robe, celebrates what is probably the most important festival in the Christian calendar like many others in Bavaria. “Our Christmas Eve begins with lunch, where we traditionally eat sausages and sauerkraut and bread,” the priest tells the

. They cook themselves, because the cook is supposed to be with her family at Christmas. As befits Augustinian monks, there is an Augustiner Hell as part of the classic German Christmas menu. "That is just part of it."

The brothers in faith from Maria Eich * pass the time at will until the evening mass. Some people go for a walk, others work on the sermon for the evening. After the service it will be cozy again with the monks. "Then there's a fine snack," says Father Felix to the

. There are no gifts with the Augustinians. You don't have an ideal of poverty, but you still live in a community of property, said the Father. "So it would only be a matter of shifting money back and forth, because everything belongs to us together."

At the end there is a cognac for the monks.

You can end the evening relaxed - even without family.

One or the other may certainly yearn for home.

But Father Felix is ​​very pragmatic about it.

“It's a completely normal process of cutting the cord that all adults go through when they leave their parents' home.

I celebrate Christmas with my community. "

Christmas among nuns: elves and singing Christmas carols

Sister Susanne Aeckerle lives in Upper Franconia, near Hof *, more precisely in the Christ Brotherhood in Selbitz. You and the others also know how to make Christmas Eve beautiful so that the homesickness doesn't get too big. First, they visit the local retirement and nursing home. There they sing Christmas carols together and celebrate Christmas Vespers, Sister Aeckerle explains to the

. At home there is prayer and afterwards there is a festive meal.

There are actually no presents, so the nun, "if you wanted, you could imp, write your name on a piece of paper and draw a name," says the sister of the past Christmas.

Last year there was a large pile of parcels from 60 sisters.

“That was nice, a huge basket with lots of presents, and then the name was always on it, and then it was exciting, who's going to get it now?

And what's in there now? ”With a happy giggle, the presents from the other sisters are examined before the evening ends with games and conversations.