Churches in Germany

If you like to visit century old churches and pipe organs, then this is the country for you. Thanks to a federal church tax which is deducted directly from your paycheck, the churches are all well taken care of. They are all quite beautiful, well-kept, with stained glass windows and pipe organs. The only thing these old churches are missing are congregations (…and heat, as well!!). Except on Christmas Eve and perhaps on Easter, relatively few people attend church. I find that amazing, because seemingly every religious holiday on the Catholic calendar is a public holiday here (read: a day off from work).

There are, also,  only 2 segments of the Christian religion here: Catholic and Evangelic (similar to Catholic but without the pope).  They do not have Protestantism here.  Apparently that is the result of the protesters (Martin Luther and his crowd) against the dominant religion who were forced to flee to America. Hence, the name Protest–ants.   Funny, where I grew up no one ever put the accent on the protest part!!

If you like to visit century old churches and pipe organs, then this is the country for you. Thanks to a federal church tax which is deducted directly from your paycheck, the churches are all well taken care of. They are all quite beautiful, well-kept, with stained glass windows and pipe organs. The only thing these old churches are missing are congregations (…and heat, as well!!). Except on Christmas Eve and perhaps on Easter, relatively few people attend church. I find that amazing, because seemingly every religious holiday on the Catholic calendar is a public holiday here (read: a day off from work).

There are, also,  only 2 segments of the Christian religion here: Catholic and Evangelic (similar to Catholic but without the pope).  They do not have Protestantism here.  Apparently that is the result of the protesters (Martin Luther and his crowd) against the dominant religion who were forced to flee to America. Hence, the name Protest–ants.   Funny, where I grew up no one ever put the accent on the protest part!!

If you like to visit century old churches and pipe organs, then this is the country for you. Thanks to a federal church tax which is deducted directly from your paycheck, the churches are all well taken care of. They are all quite beautiful, well-kept, with stained glass windows and pipe organs. The only thing these old churches are missing are congregations (…and heat, as well!!). Except on Christmas Eve and perhaps on Easter, relatively few people attend church. I find that amazing, because seemingly every religious holiday on the Catholic calendar is a public holiday here (read: a day off from work).

There are, also,  only 2 segments of the Christian religion here: Catholic and Evangelic (similar to Catholic but without the pope).  They do not have Protestantism here.  Apparently that is the result of the protesters (Martin Luther and his crowd) against the dominant religion who were forced to flee to America. Hence, the name Protest–ants.   Funny, where I grew up no one ever put the accent on the protest part!!

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Friday was a complete bust… part 2 … churches

The same person who told me about the restaurant also told me that I should visit some of the churches in this area.  I tried to, but the first one I went to was only open between 2 and 4. I arrived at 1.30. The next one was on a very steep hill. First as I turned into the very narrow street, I encountered a truck coming in the other direction. Not believing that I had enough space to pass, I panicked. (I should have backed up, but I am not too good at that on a hill!!) The truck driver and his riders smiled ‘greatly’ as they tried to convince me that I should drive past them.  When  I tried to do so, I put the car in the wrong gear and ended up going in reverse!!

Then I got to the church and thought I could drive onto the grounds. (Heaven only knows what I was thinking about!!) I ended up in a very narrow passage way in which I could not go forward and had to back out!!! ) I want a retractable car!! Then I had the bright idea to drive around to the other side of the church, but they were having some sort of service and there was not a single parking spot left. Ok, ok, it is not as if they had a real parking lot.. just some places on the side of the road. I could have parked, but the hill was so steep I was afraid to park there. Always afraid that the car will roll away or - more truthfully – that when I  start the car it will roll into the car in front of mine!!

I love to visit old churches, but I keep forgetting that these are village churches.. which means that people in the village WALK to church. They do not drive their cars, hence no need for parking space!! Ok, ok.. yes, it is true… that when these churches were built (several centuries ago) the people did not have cars!! Petty little detail!!

A couple of years ago, I did volunteer fundraising with for a centuries old one-of-a kind church organ which survived the war because it was located in a tiny little church in a tiny little town.  I will write an essay about it and post it on the website. Germany is the home of church organs

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