“We are not defenseless”
Reul appeals to churchgoers not to be intimidated
December 24, 2023, 11:41 a.m
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At Christmas, not only devout Christians go to church, but also people who value tradition. This year, reports of an increased terrorist threat in Germany are causing headaches. NRW Interior Minister Reul advises: don’t despair.
In view of the precautionary measures taken by the police at Cologne Cathedral, North Rhine-Westphalia’s Interior Minister Herbert Reul appealed to people not to forego visiting church at Christmas for fear of an attack. “Caution is the order of the day. We know: the threat of terrorism is higher than it has been for a long time and our Christian holiday rituals are of course also a target for Islamist terrorists,” said the CDU politician in Düsseldorf.
“But we are not without protection. Our authorities are using all their knowledge to protect us as best as possible. The measures in Cologne now show this,” emphasized Reul and added: “My appeal: go to church, celebrate Christmas. Fear is the currency of terrorists. We must not add value to it.”
The police say they have increased security measures at Cologne Cathedral because of indications of a possible attack plan by an Islamist group. Police searched the cathedral on Saturday evening. According to information from dpa from security circles, the explosives detection dogs found nothing. The police also announced that they would check all visitors on Christmas Eve.
Marx: Celebrate Christmas with joy!
In view of the uncertainty and worries caused by war and crises, Munich Cardinal Reinhard Marx warned against following overly simple answers or spreading blame. “Not a day goes by when images of war and violence do not depress us and cause us to despair,” says the Archbishop of Munich and Freising’s manuscript for his Christmas sermon on Christmas Eve in Munich’s Liebfrauendom.
Uncertainty is also spreading in the face of other crises. Many doubted whether those responsible in politics were able to solve the major challenges in the world – war and peace, climate change, migration movements, polarization in societies. “In such a situation, the temptation is to look for easy answers, to follow conspiracy stories and to spread blame.”
Marx called for people to celebrate Christmas with joy, especially now – in times of war and crisis. The festival is a reminder of some principles “without which we cannot solve the world’s problems and build good coexistence in the long term,” said the cardinal. “Only if we look at humanity as a whole can we tackle challenges such as the climate crisis.”