Light of Peace arrived in Salzburg | DOMRADIO.DE
Scouts from Austria received the light of peace in Salzburg Cathedral on Saturday. In the next few days it will be distributed in the respective federal states and to the neighboring countries.
Representatives of numerous Christian churches took part in the broadcast ceremony led by the Salzburg Catholic Episcopal Vicar Harald Mattel, which was broadcast via livestream.
The peace light had been lit in advance by nine-year-old Rianna Danhoin from Bethlehem in the grotto of the birth. After the flight transport in a special lamp, this year’s “Peace Light Child” Tobias Nussbaumer from Austria took over the light.
A candle for every country
As part of the ecumenical celebration on Saturday, the eleven-year-old lit a candle for each country in which the boy scouts are distributing the light – specifically for Argentina, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Germany, France, Italy, Croatia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Poland , Portugal, Romania, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Hungary, USA and Great Britain. Video greetings were recorded from many of these countries.
The Friedenslicht has been coming to Germany regularly since 1994. Because of the corona pandemic, it will initially be brought to the Austrian-German border this year, the rings of German scout associations told the Catholic News Agency (KNA) on request. There it is received by the German scouts and distributed. This could also happen at train stations, crossroads and in the open.
Launched by ORF in 1986
In Austria, the light of peace that shines in many households, institutions and parishes on Christmas Eve will be distributed on December 24th. In addition to the scouts, the volunteer fire brigades, the Red Cross and the Samaritan Association as well as the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) also participate.
The “Friedenslicht aus Bethlehem” campaign was launched in 1986 by the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF). Every November a child lights a candle in the Nativity Grotto in Bethlehem. In the grotto of the Bethlehem Church of the Nativity, the tradition is based on the birthplace of Jesus Christ. This year’s motto is “Peace Network – a light that connects everyone”.