Feastday Mass together in the village church in Thuine
April 23, 2024
We celebrate St. George together.
St. George is one of the most popular saints in Europe. Traces of this can be found in various places. It is known that during Diocletian’s persecution of the Christians in the fourth century, St. George died a martyr’s death in Cappadocia, in modern-day Turkey. With that, the veneration of this Christian youth began early on. Each year, together the Eastern Church, we commemorate this brave knight who gave his life for Christ.
There are many legends about St. George. The best-known legend tells of George killing a dragon that had caused great fear, terror and hardship for many people. This brave act made St. George one of the so-called “14 Holy Helpers.” The image of St. George fighting the dragon can also be found on the convent’s crest and in the Christ the King mosaic in the Motherhouse church.
In the Motherhouse we began the feastday at 6:30 a.m. with a Holy Mass with our chaplain, Fr. Klemens, and many sisters from our various convents in Thuine. On this day the Mass was especially festive, not the least through singing and musical accompaniment, many candles, incense and beautiful flower arrangements.
In the evening, many of us sisters were able to participate in another Holy Mass, at the St. George Church in the village of Thuine. Here too, a choir and musicians made everything very festive. Carrying banners, parishioners from various associations processed in with the priests, entering the venerable St. George Church. Pastor Schöneich celebrated the Mass, together with Father Joshy from India and our Father Klemens, who gave the homily.
The joy was palpable: that the parish and the sisters belong together, that again and again there are occasions to celebrate together, such as the upcoming Corpus Christi procession in May and the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the death of the Thuine Pastor, Father Gerhard Dall, which we will celebrate together in July of this year.
After the festive Mass, all of the parishioners were invited to a cook-out and get-together in the Pastor Gerhard Dall House. As is tradition, the catering was done by the rural youth. We sat for awhile to talk, enjoying the good company, lovely encounters, and the grilled sausage and drinks, and then let the festive day draw to a close. Thank you to everyone who helped make it a wonderful day.
May St. George, in Thuine and everywhere, continue to strengthen our faith and help us to lead many people, especially the young, to follow Jesus Christ.
