Pentecost message: Bishop Bätzing calls for more community!

Pentecost message: Bishop Bätzing calls for more community!

On June 8, 2025, Christians in Germany and around the world celebrated Pentecost, a festival that is considered the “birthday of the church.” This year, Georg Bätzing, the chairman of the German Bishops' Conference, made an urgent appeal for social interaction. In his Pentecost sermon in Limburg Cathedral, he emphasized that life is worth living when people develop, grow, communicate and experience community. Bätzing also emphasized the importance of the relationship with God and spoke of the preciousness of breathing.

Christiane Tietz, the church president of the Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau (EKHN), underlined the communicating power of the Holy Spirit in her statements. In her opinion, mutual understanding is a challenge that must be taken up again and again. Her words complement Bätzing's words and illustrate how important the community of believers is, especially in difficult times.

Ecumenical celebrations and appeals from the churches

As part of the ecumenical Pentecost vespers in Speyer Cathedral, Dorothee Wüst, the Palatinate Church President, addressed the Christian churches and called on them to bear a common witness to their faith. She emphasized that churches should show their “Christian colors” in times of crisis and provide information about Christian values. Wüst encouraged people to follow the path to “unity in diversity,” which brought the need for cooperation between different denominations back into focus.

Pentecost, celebrated 50 days after Easter, commemorates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Jesus' disciples, filling them with faith and enabling them to spread Jesus' teachings. The apostles, particularly Peter and Paul, played a central role in spreading the Christian message. This is described as the “Pentecost miracle” in the book of Acts, which is also considered the basis for the founding of the church.

Traditions and customs

Pentecost is celebrated not only in Germany, but worldwide in countries with Christian traditions, including the USA, Canada and Australia. The name “Pentecost” comes from the ancient Greek “pentecoste,” meaning “fiftieth day.” This festival also has counterparts in the Jewish festival calendar, especially the “Shavuot” (Festival of Weeks).

Traditions and customs associated with Pentecost include symbols of fire, such as red liturgical colors and fire ceremonies. The dove, as a central symbol of the Holy Spirit, also plays an important role during the celebrations, which are often accompanied by baptisms, as Pentecost is considered a popular baptism date in many communities.