Category Archives: Churches and religion

Museumsdorf Bayerischer Wald, pt. III: Faith of Our Fathers

Bavaria has been overwhelmingly Roman Catholic for centuries. Even today, Bavaria contains the highest percentage of Catholics of any state in Germany, as the following map from the German Bishops’ Conference (Deutsche Bischofskonferenz) shows. This faith helped define the identities … Continue reading →

Posted in Churches and religion, Europe, Folk traditions, German art, German history, German house decoration, Public art, Tourist destinations, Village life | 1 Comment

Black Forest Pantheon

In February, Joe and I visited the small, elegant town of St. Blasien, in Germany’s Schwarzwald, or Black Forest—an appropriate visit to make since February 3rd is St. Blaise’s feast day. There we encountered an unusually magnificent gem of a … Continue reading →

Posted in Churches and religion, Folk traditions, German art, German history | 2 Comments

Not your Grandma’s Religion

One of my blog readers recently had a “culture shock” moment. He’s a nurse, and he was filling out a patient questionnaire with a German woman. When he asked her religion, she became upset. What went wrong? Religion and society … Continue reading →

Posted in Churches and religion, Daily life, Folk traditions, Public art | 4 Comments

Reminiscent Only of Itself

If this blog seems cathedral-heavy, that’s because I love cathedrals. Stunningly beautiful even in our day, cathedrals represented heroic effort and almost miraculous achievement in their day. Each one is unique. They’re not just buildings; they’re audacity and imagination in … Continue reading →

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The Pillar of Angels

The most beautiful sight in the Strasbourg Cathedral is a tall, slender pillar surrounded by graceful statues. It seems impossible that such a delicate structure could hold up a cathedral roof, but this pillar, called the Pillar of Angels or … Continue reading →

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Inside Strasbourg Cathedral

Cathedrals look like rooms. But they act like cities. Take the Strasbourg Cathedral, for instance. I walk inside the door, and I say to myself, “This is nothing but a very large room. It has the same thing cathedrals always … Continue reading →

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A Prodigy of Grandeur and Delicacy

Did I say we would be going inside the Strasbourg Cathedral on Friday? I lied. It’s Monday, and we’re still lingering on the steps. But I can’t help it. The facade of this cathedral is one of the most beautiful … Continue reading →

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The Capitol of Christmas

The doom and gloom of November is behind us now, and Advent season has arrived. All over the continent, thousands of Christmas markets are setting up: tiny ones in small villages and enormous ones in the great cities of Europe. … Continue reading →

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11-11-11 (at 11:11 o’clock)

St. Martin’s Day (Martintag), November 11, kicks off the beginning of German carnival season, called Fasching, Fastnacht, Fastelabend, or Karneval, depending on where you live. But as soon as it’s begun, Fasching vanishes, only to reappear after Christmas. Why the … Continue reading →

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The Month of the Dead

In Germany, November is the month of the dead, a special time to remember lost loved ones. German Catholics set aside the first two days for this purpose: Allerheiligen, the Feast of All Saints, and Allerseelen, the Feast of All … Continue reading →

Posted in Churches and religion, Daily life, Festivals, Folk traditions, Gardening, Holidays | 4 Comments