August 15: Festive Holy Mass in front of the Shrine of Attachment, near Bamberg

Procession with the picture of the Mother Thrice Admirable, and Schoenstatt flags

The procession, with prayers and blessings at various places in the area around the Shrine, is the highlight of the day

It's a honor for the men to carry the big procession picture in the form of a Pilgrim Mother picture.

Herbs and flowers were blessed during the Holy Mass

Foto: Johannes Kaut © 2001

(Johannes Kaut) A big number of pilgrims headed for the Shrine of Attachment, the Schoenstatt Shrine dedicated on the former NATO base of Dörnwasserlos near Bamberg, Germany, to celebrate the assumption of Mary.

The local fire department people were busy working to get all the buses and cars filing in to parking places. A radiant summer day with spotless blue skies and a brilliant sunshine welcomed the pilgrims, when at 10:00AM the festive Holy Mass began in front of the Shrine of Attachment.

The celebration was centered on Mary who gives soul and spirit, energy and love to every day life.

Communicating with God

We should not be so much centered on ourselves, but look at Mary, the Mother of God, that God's spirit may be experienced in family and society - this was the main message of the sermon. The Shrine would be God's communication center; Mary, in constant dialogue with God, would help us to communicate with him.

After the Mass, a procession was made cross the wide area of the Schoenstatt Center "Marienberg" (Mount Mary), led by the procession picture in the form of a Pilgrim Mother picture.

The feast ended with the benediction in the afternoon and the blessing given by Father Detlef Pötzl who had been ordained a couple of days before.