Colorful procession in Walle: Catholic Church celebrates diversity in faith!
Colorful procession in Walle: Catholic Church celebrates diversity in faith!
On Sunday morning, between 300 and 400 believers gathered for the traditional Fatima procession at the Catholic Church of St. Marien in Walle, Bremen. This procession, which has been carried out in Bremen since 1987, is a tribute to the Madonna of Fátima and attracts participants from different cultures and countries of origin. Many of those present, including valets and flower children, have a migration background, which makes this event particularly colorful and varied. These observations were made by a policewoman and an older gentleman during the procession, who were amazed at the high number of participants.
The flag with the inscription "Polonia Semper Fidelis", which was worn by Polish participants, is particularly striking. The musical accompaniment by the Syrian-German Spielmannszug also ensured a festive atmosphere. The procession took about 45 minutes, while the participants prayed the rosary and sang songs in several languages. After the procession, Bernhard Stecker led a service that reflected the high ethnic diversity and youthfulness of the Catholic Church in Bremen.roots and traditions
The procession has its roots in the veneration of Mary of May and celebrates the appearances of the Jungfrau Mary in Fátima, Portugal. In 1917 she appeared three children, an event that still moves the Catholic world. The Madonna, decorated with flowers, was made by the streets of Walle, was made by a son of the artist who created the original statue in Fátima. 28 years ago Maria Pais laid the foundation for the Bremen Fatima procession after her family from Santa Maria da Feira moved to Bremen and she was looking for a parish there.
The procession leads through important streets such as Steffensweg, Bremerhavener Straße and Wartburgstrasse and returns to the St. Marien Church. The Catholic community in Walle has changed enormously over the years through immigration, especially workers from the JutEnspinnerei and shipyards from the 19th and 20th centuries. After the Second World War, another increase to Catholics in Bremen came through refugees and displaced persons, whereby the community was diversified accordingly.
Current developments
The Catholic Church in Bremen is currently also being asked for re -challenged by demographic changes and immigration. Of the approximately 67,000 registered Catholics in front of Corona pandemic, the number fell to 57,500 in 2024. A weekly English -language service was introduced to meet the increasing demand. The Catholic schools continue to enjoy high demand, but are faced with financial challenges.
In the meantime, the Bremer Caritas expands its offer in social services and has increased the number of employees to 900. Migration plays a key role that affects both Roman Catholic and Catholic Eastern Churches. These topics were recently discussed at a study day in the diocese house of St. Otto in Bamberg, where the exchange about the history and presence of the Catholic Eastern Churches is becoming increasingly important. It is important to further promote intercultural dialogue and integration into the communities in order to strengthen the diversity of the Catholic Church in Germany.
The Fatima procession in Bremen impressively shows how lively and diverse the Catholic community is here and how migration enriches church life. It remains to be seen how these developments will have an impact in the future, but it is certain that the church in Bremen still has a lot to offer!
For more information about the Fatima procession and the Catholic Church in Bremen, read more on faz.net , weser-kurier.de and weltkirche.katholisch.de .
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| Ort | Walle, Bremen, Deutschland |
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