This video lets you hear the sounds of the city on a Sunday morning. Even though I was standing right next to the Frauenkirche (the big cathedral) when I took the video, the sounds are coming from the Frauenkirche and several other churches in the area.
Mass itself was formal, as I expected, but also incredibly ornate. Four priests (one of the them from France) presided over the service accompanied by what appeared to be several deacons and a cadre of alter boys. A boys choir sang in concert with a few male and female vocalists. The priests used the incense liberally, filling the cavernous cathedral with its strong scent.
The congregation was polite and kind. On the way in, I dropped my hat and someone rushed to pick it up for me. On the way out, the older gentleman I sat next to wished me a happy Sunday.
I was also probably one of the youngest there. Although I expected the dearth of young adults that I've heard about and see in the states, too, I didn't expect the complete lack of young children. No families attended this mass-- though that could have something to do with the fact that it was the cathedral in the middle of downtown.
The sermon also touched upon a big issue for the Church in Germany today. Europeans view themselves as increasingly secular and want to live in a more secular soceity. The Church used to have quite a large influence in politics and every day life, until the hippie revolution of the 1960s began to change the Germans' mindsets. Without a significant rebirth or renewal, the church continued to lose congregants until today. It doesn't help that if you register with a church/religion, the government automatically takes a "donation" out of your paycheck with your taxes!
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