Anniversary campaign “Give your face to peace”
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In Krefeld, the start of the jubilee celebration of the Peace Cross
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On Good Friday 1947, the pilgrimage of the “Peace Cross” through the diocese of Aachen began in war-ravaged Krefeld. To show their solidarity with this procession, which did not touch their place, the Willicher set up their own peace cross.
Photo: Photo: August Brecher, In the cross is salvation
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Krefeld The Peace Cross made its way through the diocese for the first time 75 years ago. The message of the action is current due to the Ukraine war.
(vo) The anniversary campaign “Give peace your face” starts on April 9th in Krefeld – church services, prayers, pilgrimages and action weeks in many places in the diocese of Aachen. In its first 75 years, the Aachen Cross of Peace accompanied thousands of people in their search for and advocacy for peace and reconciliation. In view of the Ukraine war, a major anniversary campaign will start in Krefeld on April 9, 2022. Until the World Day of Peace on September 21 in Aachen, the Cross of Peace and its message will be in focus in many places in the diocese of Aachen. In addition to Krefeld and Aachen, the cross also makes stops in Mönchengladbach, Jülich and Eschweiler.
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Everywhere it is about setting a sign for peace and reconciliation, for justice and for climate and environmental protection. A growing number of parishes, associations, church institutions, schools and social clubs and initiatives are helping to organize church services, prayers, pilgrimages and action weeks under this sign. Special moments of the common desire for peace are to be expected. In Jülich, students run and play music for the Ukraine aid. In Mönchengladbach, the cross meets people who are unemployed or poor. And in Aachen, after an ecumenical service, the cross is carried to the forecourt of a mosque, where Christians are welcomed by Muslim fellow citizens with roses. These are just a few examples of a broad action program that many people are currently working on.
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The three sponsoring organizations are also satisfied with the #peacefaces hands-on campaign that has already started. Diocese of Aachen, pax christi Aachen and the Diocesan Council of Catholics were able to persuade more than 50 people to put their face to peace. The campaign on the web, Facebook and Instagram will continue until September. The prelude is now on April 9th, 7 p.m., in the St. Dionysius Church in Krefeld.
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The idea for the Peace Cross came about in Krefeld after the war. In the circle of returning soldiers, priests and Christian lay people from Krefeld, the plan was made to donate a peace cross for pilgrimages through the diocese. The cross was made in Krefeld by master carpenter Franz Eiker and was 3.50 meters high and 2.25 meters wide. In the center of the oak cross, which weighed three hundredweight, a wooden board with the carved face of the Crucified was attached – the portrait was created by the Aachen artist Prof. Anton Wendling. The cross was financed by donations from the Catholic men’s movement, which was founded in 1946 as the only men’s movement in the diocese of Aachen.
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On Good Friday 1947, after a solemn mass in the Dionysius Church, the Peace Cross made its first journey through Krefeld. Around 1000 men followed the cross, which was carried by a total of six men. The sending of the Peace Cross attracted international attention.
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