Children from Trier bring blessings to the Chancellery: A moving reception!

On January 6, 2025, four children from the Edith Stein parish in Trier-Tarforst traveled to Berlin to take part in the traditional star singer reception in the Federal Chancellery. Felix (12), Amelie (10), Elsa (9) and Johannes (11) were selected from the parish of Saint Augustine and with their delegation bring the blessing for the new year, especially to Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). The children were accompanied by carer Anne Gedert, who is also one of the co-organizers of the campaign and who registered the parish to take part.

The Trier parish of Edith Stein is taking part in the reception in the Chancellery for the first time. The opportunity to participate arose through an application in which 27 groups were drawn from a large number of interested parties. The children had prepared intensively for the trip by singing songs such as “We are the children of this world”, “It's star singer time” and “Do you want to change the world with us?” had practiced. Vestments and crowns have been prepared for the event, and the star of the Diocese of Trier has already been prepared. The distribution of roles among the children is flexible, and names other than Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar can also be chosen.

Activities and goals of the star singers

In addition to the reception in the Chancellery, the program in Berlin also includes a visit to the Bundestag and an exploration of the capital. The children will stay in Berlin for two nights as they have the longest journey. Felix expressed his joy about the trip and raising money for needy children. Amelie emphasized the desire for equal rights for all children worldwide. Elsa was initially surprised, but is now looking forward to the experiences ahead. Johannes is proud of the selection and wants support for Ukraine and children's rights.

The Sternsinger campaign has the motto "Raise your voice! Star singing for children's rights" and supports over 1,000 projects in 93 countries. Since 1959, the Epiphany Singing has raised a total of around 1.36 billion euros, which supports, among other things, education, nutrition and health projects for disadvantaged children. This campaign is considered the largest solidarity campaign by children for children worldwide and is supported by the children's missionary organization 'Die Sternsinger' and the Association of German Catholic Youth (BDKJ). The tradition of bringing the blessing “Christus mansionem benedicat” to the Federal Chancellery has existed since 1984.