The Bishop of Kensington recently visited Berlin to participate in Kirchentag – the German Protestant Church Festival.
Held every two years, Kirchentag serves a forum for discussion and debate on numerous topics affecting the Christian faith including ethics, history and international relations, and runs for five days in early summer, attracting 100,000 visitors at 2,500 different events. This year, the 500th anniversary of the Reformation saw the Kirchentag running across both Berlin and nearby Wittenberg.
Known throughout the world for its size and festival like atmosphere, Kirchentag frequently attracts high profile faith leaders, including the Archbishops of Canterbury, Cape Town, and Uppsala in Sweden, as well as well-known international figures such as Melinda Gates, and former U.S. President, Barack Obama.
Whilst in Berlin, Dr Graham Tomlin, Bishop of Kensington, attended a number of events and seminars, and also preached at the iconic Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, whose bomb-damaged spire stands as a stark reminder of the Second World War.
Bishop Graham said of his visit:
“It was a huge privilege to represent the Diocese of London at Kirchentag. Berlin is a city of great culture and a fascinating history, and I was struck not only by the diversity of the events on offer – ranging from seminars to concerts – but also by the sheer number of people from all over the world who had travelled to Berlin to take part and soak up the amazing, festival atmosphere.”
