Anniversary service emphasises diversity

The main festive ecumenical service to mark the 25th anniversary of German reunification on 3 October was used by Chancellor Angela Merkel to highlight the importance of integrating the hundreds of thousands of Middle Eastern immigrants who have flooded into Germany, writes Christa Pongratz-Lippitt.

They must become an integral part of unified Germany, the Chancellor said. The service was held in Frankfurt Cathedral, a symbol of national unity as it is the church where the election and coronation of the Holy Roman Emperor took place. The celebrant was Bishop Manfred Grothe, present Apostolic Administrator of Limburg, and Dr Volker Jung, Protestant Church President of Hessen and Nassau, delivered a sermon. The Orthodox Church was represented by Metropolitan Augoustinos of Germany. A woman rabbi, an imam and a Sikh brought messages of peace. The service motto was “Love overcomes borders”. “Diversity defines our country and we are thankful for it”, Bishop Grothe said.

However in an interview with the Kathpress news agency the Abbot of Montecassino, Donato Ogliari, said the ongoing immigration of so many Muslims was an “enormous challenge” for Europe’s Christian identity.

European values such as freedom of the individual and those associated with the Enlighten­ment were “children of Christ­ianity”, he pointed out.

Dialogue with Muslims could only succeed if European societies confidently defended their values – “and they are founded on Christianity whether one likes it or not”, he underlined. “The Christian religion is attacked in Europe in the name of individual freedom but, paradoxically, individual freedom has its roots in this very religion”, the abbot said.