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250 years of the Catholic community: Stralsund is celebrating a big anniversary!
The Catholic community in Stralsund celebrates 250 years of faith with a celebratory service, history and community.
250 years of the Catholic community: Stralsund is celebrating a big anniversary!
What a celebration for the Catholic parish in Stralsund! On November 12, 2025, the parish of St. Bernhard will celebrate its 250th birthday in the St. Jakobi Cultural Church. The “Holy Trinity”, which is located on the hidden Franconian Wall, would simply have been too small for such an event. This anniversary celebration marks a significant moment in the history of the community, which was once founded at the behest of the Swedish King Gustav III. was founded.
Exactly 250 years ago, Father Aegidius Dechene received permission to provide pastoral care for Catholics in Stralsund. At that time the city was part of southern Sweden; the first church was consecrated nine years later, on June 5, 1785. A lot has changed in this long time, but the Catholic religious community remains an important part of the city's society.
Festival week full of highlights
The festival week to celebrate the anniversary runs until November 7, 2025 and offers a colorful program that includes church services as well as exhibitions and lectures. At the climax of the celebration, the big celebratory service, Archbishop Dr. Heiner Koch is expected, who will also confirm the young people of the parish the morning after the celebratory service. “Holy” does not mean being great, but “being supported by God,” the archbishop explained during his address.
The attentive ears of the festival guests could also hear the words of Dr. Listen to Alexander Badrow, Mayor of Stralsund. He spoke of the responsibility of the Catholic parish in the city, especially with regard to the Lazarus services and the peace prayers. “It is important to review and update the signs at the entrances to town,” Badrow said, regarding church services in the city.
A story in pictures
The youth of the parish bring a creative contribution to the celebration: a play called “The Light of Stralsund”, which brings the founding history of the parish to life. This performance is not only an artistic highlight, but also testifies to the connection of the younger generation to their church.
The provost Dr. Tobias Sarx took the opportunity to emphasize that there was no Catholic service in Stralsund for 250 years and apologized for this. A remarkable progression that illustrates the development of faith in the region.
It seems that the Catholic parish of St. Bernhard is not only one of the oldest, but also one of the largest in terms of area in Germany. Its expansion includes not only Stralsund, but also areas such as Demmin and Rügen. This potpourri of communities makes the interaction between faith and society very noticeable. Pastor Johannes Schaan looks back on the past time with gratitude and is optimistic about the future of the community.
In Stralsund, the legacy of 250 years of Catholic community is celebrated - a sign of the ongoing faith and solidarity among people. A celebration that not only offers a look back, but also a glimpse of a hopeful future. For the Catholic Church here and far beyond, the message seems clear: faith is a strong anchor in stormy times.