Worthy peace: new tomb for star children in St. Pölten opened

Worthy peace: new tomb for star children in St. Pölten opened

In St. Pölten, a new grave for so -called star children was recently opened, which is particularly intended for deceased children who died before, during or shortly after birth. This special facility gives the families concerned a room to process their grief and commemorate their little angels. Before that, there was already the tradition of buried star children at the main cemetery of St. Pölten, but there was no way for parents to share this tragic moment directly with their children.

The redesign of the gravestry was made possible by the support of the Clinical Institute for Pathology as well as the diocese and burial in St. Pölten. At the inauguration, Mayor Matthias Stadler emphasized the importance of this place: "The new star children's gravy should be a place of calm and comfort for affected families, a place in which pain and memory find space." He expressed the wish that this place may serve the families in difficult times as a harmony with the community.

The development of support offers

In recent years, a lot has happened in Lower Austria with regard to the support of families who have suffered a loss. Federal Councilor Sandra Böhmwalder reported that various forms of graves in cooperation with state clinics, parishes and urban burials are encouraged. Some of these measures are the newly founded interprofessional working group "Team Sternenkind", which was launched by Sabine Köllner and Kerstin Böhm.

This group meets regularly and works on information documents and networking meetings to promote interdisciplinary exchange. In addition, further training on special topics was also developed to convey the necessary knowledge and sensitivity to those who work with star children. "The star children stay in the tomb at the West Friedhof in St. Pölten, where you can say goodbye to them and commemorate them," explains Kerstin Böhm.

The first burial in this special area will take place in November, in the presence of the parents concerned. This ceremony is headed by Martin Hochedlinger, head of hospital pastoral care, and Kerstin Böhm. The burial not only offers the families the opportunity to say goodbye to their children in a protected setting, but also a space in which they can process their grief and loss together.

The creation of this place is characterized by increased sensitivity to the topic of loss of children and shows how important it is to support affected families, not only in the period of birth, but also in the precious moments of farewell. You can find out more in an article by www.st-poelten.at