Remembrance Day in Mering: Day of Remembrance with moving devotions and wreath-laying

Remembrance Day in Mering: Day of Remembrance with moving devotions and wreath-laying

On Sunday, November 16, 2025, a Remembrance Day commemoration will take place in Mering. This year the event will open at 8:30 a.m. with a service in the parish church of St. Michael. Pastor Franz Schmid takes over the management. This will be followed by an ecumenical service at around 9:30 a.m. with a wreath-laying ceremony at the war memorial. In addition to Pastor Schmid, Mayor Florian A. Mayer and the Protestant pastor Carola Wagner will take part in this ceremony.

Remembrance Day, which falls on November 16th this year, commemorates the victims of war and violence of all nations. This tradition, which has been celebrated in Germany since 1952, has its roots in 1893, when various days of remembrance in the Kingdom of Prussia were combined. The day is always celebrated on the second Sunday before the first Advent, and in 2024 it is scheduled for November 17th, followed by November 15th, 2026 and November 14th, 2027.

Ecumenical events in the region

On Memorial Day, numerous memorial events are also held in other cities such as Cologne, Rösrath and Erftstadt-Kierdorf to commemorate the victims of war and violence. For example, a service with communion will take place in the Carthusian Church in Cologne on November 19, 2023, led by Pastor Mathias Bonhoeffer. Also in Cologne, but in the Antoniterkirche, a Protestant mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. with liturgy by preacher Sammy Wintersohl, which is also available online as a live stream.

In Rösrath there will be a short prayer service with a wreath-laying ceremony in the Christ Church at 10:30 a.m. This is led by Pastor Armin Kopper. At the same time, there will be another service in the Church of Reconciliation in memory of the victims, led by Pastor Thomas Rusch. An ecumenical service will also be held in Erftstadt-Kierdorf, organized by Pastor Gesa Francke and Pastor Johannes Günther.

The meaning of Remembrance Day

Celebrations of Remembrance Day are not only a way to honor the fallen, but also to remember all victims of military conflicts and violent repression. There will be ceremonies in many cities in Germany, often including a procession to a war memorial, prayers, speeches and the laying of wreaths. At the official ceremony in the German Bundestag, the Federal President will give a speech, while the national anthem and the song “I had a comrade” will often be played.

This day of remembrance not only creates space for mourning, but also promotes awareness of the effects of war and violence in society. It is an opportunity for community and exchange about peace and reconciliation. The various events in Germany show that Remembrance Day is a strong sign of remembrance and hope for a more peaceful future.

For more information about events in Mering, please visit mering.de. Details about the church services in Cologne can be found in the events section kirche-koeln.de. A comprehensive explanation of Remembrance Day is also available wikipedia.org to find.