As of: March 18, 2024, 9:55 a.m
By: Hans Kürzl
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Welcome to the laid table: Christians, Muslims and Baha'is came together.
Praying under the cross of the Protestant church.
© HANS KÜRZL
Baha'i, Christians and Muslims celebrate together in the Protestant Bonhoeffer Church in Germering.
Germering – Michael Lorenz is happy: “It is anything but self-evident that we have such a joint event,” says the pastor of the Protestant Bonhoeffer Church.
Around 150 visitors from the city's two Christian churches, the Muslim community and the Baha'i group came together to break their fast.
This was organized by the “Values in Dialogue” working group, which promotes regular contact between religions.
Lorenz also finds it valuable that this gathering takes place in the church interior - where the cross is at the front.
It is a sign of respect for the host that you are meeting here.
The Muslim participants can hold their prayers in their own room.
The cross has been removed there, again a gesture of respect from the hosts.
Special character
But this evening has something dignified not only because of the gathering of the three religions.
This joint breaking of the fast also has a special character in terms of time.
While for Christians and Baha'is fasting has roughly the same place over the course of the year with relatively small deviations, Ramadan shifts every year.
“About ten to twelve days,” explains Nevzat Simsek from the Turkish-Islamic community.
So the possibility of breaking the fast together again is likely to be measured in decades.
Harald Hackländer from the Germeringer Bahai group also recites his prayer all the more sincerely.
“Blessed is the one who observes the fast in complete detachment,” he says.
The visitors listen carefully.
Bahai, Christian or Muslim, it makes no difference in this room.
Sitting at the table and eating together feels like a mutual welcome, which in turn promotes conversation.
Connection
Sophie Schumacher's thoughts on fasting in general and community in the hall of the Bonhoeffer Church also create a connection.
Germering's third mayor openly admits that she was not raised as religious.
“For me, Lent has always been an opportunity to practice renunciation or to question consumption.” Breaking the fast together can not only stimulate reflection, but also overcome fear.
“Fear of what we don’t know.” In too many cases, this leads to rejection, says Schuhmacher.
So this evening should be understood as a sign.
“For dignity and solidarity,” concludes Pastor Lorenz.
That's why people live and work in Germering.
You can find even more current news from the Fürstenfeldbruck district at Merkur.de/Fürstenfeldbruck.