Epigraph:
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7)
Cardinal and archishop Rainer Maria Woelki conducts the Corpus Christi Mass from a seven-meter-long refugee boat on May 26, 2016 in front of the cathedral in Cologne. Archbishop of Cologne, Cardinal Woelki celebrated the Corpus Christi Mass at the boat in memory of thousands of migrants who lost their lives in the Mediterranean sea.
Source: Huffington Post
By Carol Kuruvilla; Associate Religion Editor
“Someone who lets people drown in the Mediterranean also drowns God.”
Standing next to a 23-foot-long boat reportedly used by refugees to reach safer shores, Germany’s Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki reproached Europeans who turn a blind eye to the plight of migrants.
“Someone who lets people drown in the Mediterranean also drowns God — every day, thousands of times,” Woelki, the Catholic archbishop of Cologne, said on Thursday during a Mass for the Feast of Corpus Christi.
Woelki used the boat as an altar during the Mass, which took place in front of Germany’s famous Cologne Cathedral. According to the Washington Post, the boat was “recovered by the Maltese military during a search-and-rescue operation.”
A close up view: Cardinal and archishop Rainer Maria Woelki conducts the Corpus Christi Mass from a seven-meter-long refugee boat on May 26, 2016 in front of the cathedral in Cologne. Archbishop of Cologne, Cardinal Woelki celebrated the Corpus Christi Mass at the boat in memory of thousands of migrants who lost their lives in the Mediterranean sea. / AFP / dpa / Rolf Vennenbernd / Germany OUT (Photo credit should read ROLF VENNENBERND/AFP/Getty Images)
Cardinal Woelki celebrated the Corpus Christi Mass at the boat in memory of thousands of migrants who lost their lives in the Mediterranean sea.
Thousands of migrants from countries like Syria and Eritrea have used boats similar to this one to make the treacherous journey across the Mediterranean sea. Smugglers cram hundreds of people into these tiny spaces, which can cause boats to capsize or sink. The International Organization for Migration estimates that more than 1,400 people have died attempting to enter Europe by sea in 2016 alone.
In fact, on the same day that Woelki organized his Corpus Christi mass, Reuters reported that a boat carrying migrants had capsized in the Mediterranean. While about 100 passengers were rescued, Italian officials said that an unknown number of people were feared dead.
Many of the refugees have been heading for Germany. In 2015, the country reportedly received a higher number of new asylum applications than any other country in Europe. In response, far-right groups with negative views of the influx of migrants have been gaining traction in Germany’s political arena.
Suggested Reading
Two Hundred Verses about Compassionate Living in the Quran
A Message of Compassion and Love from the Holy Bible
True Fasting: A Message of Compassion and Love from the Old Testament
Dark Germany, Bright Germany: Which Side Will Prevail Under Strain of Refugees?