For the first time since the outbreak of the corona pandemic in early 2020, they are swarming out again: the carol singers of the Catholic city church in Wolfratshausen.
Waldram – For the first time since the corona pandemic, the carol singers can take place in the Catholic city church this year without restrictions.
Carers and children are really looking forward to going from house to house on Epiphany, January 6th, dressed up as Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar.
"I went for the first time last year.
People were all very nice to us.
Especially the seniors.
It's nice that we don't need a face mask this year," says nine-year-old Luca.
He is one of 20 girls and boys sent by the parish of St. Joseph der Arbeiter in Waldram on January 6th.
Shortly before Christmas, the primary school age carol singers rehearsed their performance.
Last rehearsal for the kings Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar in Wolfratshausen
The song "With God we want to praise and honor" sounds pretty good.
Only occasionally do the children sitting in a circle of chairs have to look at the text.
Her supervisor Johanna Weichlein is satisfied.
The 21-year-old used to be a carol singer herself.
Now she accompanies the younger ones.
After singing and practicing the blessing, she and Lena Fernolend (18) dress the children as a test.
They slip Luca and Anna (both nine) over the altar boy's robes in their new, shiny cloaks.
Women of the parish sewed them recently.
The children made the crowns themselves three years ago.
Then the two test the donation box and the censer.
All that is missing is the star that the three kings are carrying in front of them.
The number of kings shrank from around 30 to 20
In the past few years, before the pandemic, there were always around 30 little queens and kings who swarmed out in Waldram, says Johanna Weichlein.
Unfortunately only 20 applied this year.
Nevertheless, we will try to visit every house.
That's why they set off on January 7th.
If it gets cold, according to ten-year-old Lena, several layers of clothing and thick winter boots will help.
"Sometimes we play tag to warm up," she reveals another trick.
Lena is there for the fourth time this year – and thinks “it's great that we always collect so much money for poor children”.
The reactions of the people of Waldram to the visit of the three saints from the Orient were mostly positive.
Few didn't want to hear the song.
“The older ones are definitely happy.
A grandmother even cried once,” says Lena.
Sometimes we get tangerines or apples as gifts.
I like that too.
Luca
Margarethe (9) is looking forward to her premiere.
She is an acolyte and was persuaded by her friend Anna to go with them.
"Anyone who has been there usually remains loyal to the carol singers for several years and often brings friends with them," says supervisor Maria Weichlein (18).
The motto of this year's nationwide campaign by the Kindermissionswerk is "Strengthen children, protect children".
The kick-off event will take place this Friday on the Römerberg in Frankfurt.
Thanks to the donations, around 200 projects in the areas of education, nutrition, health and child protection are being supported worldwide.
In Wolfratshausen, Dorfen and Gelting, 50 percent of the donations will go to the “Sunrise Village” project supported by Father Benjamin and 50 percent to a project run by the Kindermissionswerk.
In addition to monetary donations, the children of the Stadtkirche are also allowed to accept sweets, but for hygienic reasons only in the original packaging and nothing homemade.
“Sometimes we get tangerines or apples as gifts.
I like them a lot, too,” says Luca.
(valley)
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