Hannover – At 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve, thousands of Christians want to sing the song “Silent Night” together from the balcony, on the windows or doors.
The Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) supports the initiative, said a spokesman in Hanover.
The message of Christmas Eve, “Christ, the Savior is here”, gives hope especially in difficult times. First the northern church had called for the unusual community singing.
Regional Bishop Kristina Kühnbaum-Schmidt spoke of a “comforting sign on an evening that will be quieter than the Christmas evenings we know”. In the meantime, other regional churches have also joined, such as the Berlin-Brandenburg-Oberlausitz Church.
The radio station NDR 1 Niedersachsen also supports singing from a distance by broadcasting an instrumental version of “Silent Night” at 8 p.m. to sing along. People are also asked to make music – all in compliance with the contact restrictions and distance rules.
Due to the increasing number of infections, numerous face-to-face church services have been canceled, and singing together is currently forbidden in the churches anyway.
Hanover’s regional bishop Ralf Meister said: “It is a good idea for all believers and unbelievers to sing a song of hope on Christmas Eve at 8 p.m. from all the towers and balconies in the country.”
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