Bishop Kohlgraf demands peace: fight causes of wars!

Bishop Kohlgraf demands peace: fight causes of wars!

On February 28, 2025, Bishop Peter Kohlgraf in Mainz reminded the devastating consequences of the city's bombing 80 years ago when British bombers cost 1,200 people. At a memorial service in the monastery of the Klarissen-Kapuziner, which was also destroyed by the air raid, he pointed out the continued conflicts in the world. "Distrust and fear are the atmosphere that triggers new wars and fueled conflicts," emphasized Kohlgraf. He appealed to combat the deep causes of wars instead of just relying on upgrade. "There will be no security in this world by deterrent and upgrade," he clarified, while he spoke to the brutal reality of the war in Ukraine and other crisis areas.

memory of the monastery

The commemoration took place in a special atmosphere, since the 41 Klarissen-Kapuchiners who died during the air raid came alive in the mind of the bishop. Kohlgraf, who celebrated in a robe that was reminiscent of the destruction of Mainz, praised the monastery as a "living place of faith in the middle of the city". During the procession in the basement of the monastery, a moving report about the last prayer of the sisters was read aloud, while in the darkness of the war around the most sacred. Despite the danger, they held on to their beliefs. "The brutality and the horrors of the wars are difficult to put into words," added Kohlgraf and recalled the legacy of the sisters, which are considered the "Guardian angel for the city and the diocese of Mainz".

Kohlgraf called to take the values ​​of peace and justice seriously and to keep inner peace. Based on Franz von Assisi, he concluded that the world needs craftsmen of peace. "We have to commit each other for a new style of dealing with each other," said the bishop, who saw it as a church mandate, to keep every person in the memory. Information about the memorial service and the moving history of the monastery can be found at bistumMainz.de