The "peace network" youth band from doringstadt sang the song "the cause of jesus needs enthusiasts". And hundreds of boys and girls dressed in oriental costumes in the st.-otto church sang along and clapped the rhythm to it. The children will be on their way as carol singers in the first days of january in a fresh and dynamic way: with the best blessings of archbishop ludwig schick, who opened with them the campaign "dreikonigssingen 2019" for the archdiocese of bamberg yesterday.
One of those "enthusiastic for the cause of jesus was josef, an eighteen-year-old with down syndrome. He, too, in the royal robe with a crown on his brunette mop of hair. "I’ve been involved for nine years, i’m a sterntrager because i like stars", the young people. A carol singer, therefore, who sets a special sign in this great solidarity campaign by children for children around the day of the epiphany.
Children with disabilities in the spotlight
For the now 61. Carol singers campaign focuses on children with disabilities: in the poor, unprecedented country of peru, but also worldwide. "We belong together" is the motto and the message of the little kings and queens. "We will work together to make sure that everyone can participate in the community and feel a part of it!" Like joseph, who also serves as an altar server in his home parish. Like the physically handicapped young man in a wheelchair, who is in the st.-otto church also outed as sternsinger like the disobedient girls who formed the bard choir with verve. Chaplain for the homeless albin zeck interpreted the liturgical part of the opening ceremony into the language of the bard: "heaven rises over all…!" Another programmatic song was then also sung.
Archbishop schick specially blessed the utensils that the carol singers need on their house-to-house marches: chalk and incense. With chalk they write the blessing "20*C+M+B*19" to the households, not for the names of the kings "caspar, melchior and balthasar" but the latin abbreviation for "christus mansionem benedicat" is – in german "christ bless this house". The incense that is lit in memory of the gifts of the wise men from the east, said the archbishop, should become a sign of god’s blessing "when it permeates our homes.
Of course, schick also blessed the assembled carol singers, who are not only collecting donations for children in need, but who want to "bring the joy of christ to the homes of our parish. Carol singers bring blessings and are blessings". Several passers-by who saw their police-escorted procession from st. Otto’s church as a saint were convinced of this. Otto people who went to the cathedral. Altar boys led the procession, followed by the bearers of a banner with the campaign slogan "we belong together, archbishop schick and diozesan youth pastor norbert forster and other priests.
Over a billion euros
At the stopover at the town hall, mayor wolfgang metzner was already waiting for the pilgrims: "with your great action you support children with disabilities who live in poor regions of peru and experience exclusion and discrimination every day and have no chance to claim", metzner shouted to the schar. The carol singers have shown that they share the concerns of these children and are committed to improving their living conditions.
The mayor recalled that since its launch in 1959, the three kings’ singing campaign has raised more than one billion euros for 73,100 projects and aid programs for children in africa, latin america, asia, oceania and eastern europe.
Archbishop schick underlined the significance and importance of the carol singers with the following remark: "since 2015, the carol singing has officially become something very special and has been included in the intangible unesco world cultural heritage."
A sternsinger wrote the blessing on the town hall tower, accompanied by don bosco musicians, everyone could hear "oh du frohliche" (oh you are happy) blare out over the maxplatz. Then the procession started to move again to conclude the celebration in the cathedral.
The diozesan revelation was once again organized by the federation of german catholic youth (BDKJ) together with the world church department of the archdiocesan ordinariate. Supporters of the "dreikonigssingen" campaign is the children’s missionary organization "the sternsinger".