Banderas a media asta y con crespón de luto Flags at half-mast and with mourning-band Fahnen auf halbmast und mit Trauerflor
En la Iglesia de peregrinos: un cuadro con la foto de la visita del Santo Padre al Santuario Cor Ecclesiae, firmado por él. In the Pilgrims’ Church: a picture with the photo of the Holy Father’s visit to the Cor Ecclesiae Shrine, signed by himself In der Pilgerkirche: ein Bild mit dem Foto vom Besuch des Heiligen Vaters im Cor Ecclesiae-Heiligtum, von ihm unterzeichnet
Mons. Robert Brahm, obispo auxiliar de Treveris Auxiliary Bishop Robert Brahm, Trier Weihbischof Robert Brahm, Trier
Jovenes siguen la estrella, como los Reyes Magos Youth follow the star, like the Kings Jugend folgt dem Stern wie die Drei Könige
Procesión al Santuario Original Procession to the Original Shrine Prozession zum Urheiligtum
En el Santuario Original In the Original Shrine Im Urheiligtum
Jóvenes schoenstattianos  de Europa, Africa y las Americas, trabajando para la JMJ, con Mons. Brahm Schoenstatt Youth from Europe, Africa, and the Americas, working for the Schoenstatt contribution to WYD, with Auxiliary Bishop Brahm Jugendliche Schönstätter aus Europa, Afrika und Amerika aus dem Projektbüro Weltjugendtag mit Weihbischof Brahm
Fotos: POS, Brehm © 2005

SCHOENSTATT, mkf. In the mark of the late Pope John Paul II and the World Youth Day exclaimed by him; the Auxiliary Bishop Robert Brahm from Trier stood in the evening of April 4th in the Pilgrim church in Schoenstatt. After praying the rosary together on the feast of the Annunciation, around one hundred believers assembled in an impressive light procession to the Original Shrine

Many had waited for this night. " I simply had been longing to pray with other people; to feel for our pope, and to hear the prayer of others near me" says a woman from the Schoenstatt Movement. In the front, with the MTA stands a picture of the Pope in the shrine of the Sisters in Rome.

Before beginning the rosary, Father Dr. Lothar Penners, greeted the Auxiliary Bishop, who was in Schoenstatt for the first time. Fr. Penners had just returned from Hungary, where on April 2^nd the first Hungarian Schoenstatt shrine was dedicated. Praying the rosary on the feast of the Annunciation is already a small tradition in Schoenstatt; however, now it became a part of a larger community. Young people from the World Youth Day project office came as "Könige" (kings) who follow the star to adore HIM. While singing the World Youth Day song "Venite Adorare Eum", which was chanted a bit uncertainly, they mediated on the intentions of the World Youth Day, and the intentions of the Pope, it goes on even if pain continues it’s holds around his death...

" If we make a spiritual pilgrimage with the Pope to Cologne, he is there, seeing through our eyes."

Auxiliary Bishop Brahm recalled in his sermon the World Youth Day-motto: " We have come to adore Him ". With the story of the magi in Saint Matthew's Gospel, Pope John Paul II has invited the young people to the World Youth Day to Cologne. " It is and remains his invitation, still more now that the World Youth Day is his legacy to the youth of the world ", he called to the faithful in the Pilgrim's Church. "If we make a spiritual pilgrimage with the Pope to Cologne, he is there, seeing through our eyes." he said in view on the work of this Pope. For more than 26 years he has carried " the Gospel of the life, the civilization of love, to every place in the world." It will be felt during the coming days how the whole world take an interest in this Pope and his pilgrim ways. Over and over again John Paul II made clear that where people give Christ honor, the dignity of the person is also respected there. Auxiliary Bishop Brahm sees it as divine providence that the Pope was called to God on the eve of White Sunday. That Sunday to which John Paul II had given the name "Divine Mercy Sunday": "This feast of Divine Mercy which he had introduced signified a lot for him. It was a very deep and intimate desire for him to look at the merciful Father and on Mary, the mother of mercy, to whom he had consecrated his whole life" said the Auxiliary Bishop.

To the Original Shine

The Eucharist and the rosary, both the subjects of the last two years. Such yearly focuses have stamped the Pontificate of this Pope. Both where present on this evening and mixed organically together as the rosary was recited before the Holy of Holy's exposed in the monstrance.

The World Youth Day prayer and the Eucharistic blessing closed the celebration; which had been musically formed by a "mixed choir" of Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary, Women of Schoenstatt, members of the Women's Federation and young women from the USA, Mexico and Ecuador.

In the light procession all went singing and praying to the Original Shrine, past the Pope's coat of arms. This was formed by lit candles on the pavement, shining in the deepening twilight, reminding everyone of John Paul II, and many began to weep.

The renewal of the Covenant of Love was the climax in the Original Shine where Auxiliary Bishop Brahm warmly thanked everyone for the invitation ... and also, before leaving to once more kneel down and quietly pray in the shrine.

Then on Tuesday the Original Shrine was closed till Friday, because of renovations. This had been planed for some time already, and now is at the same time as our parting from the Holy Father.

Translation: Kelsie Bias, USA