Religious services mark start of new school year in Germany and Austria

Students in Gerolzhofen, Germany, and Hartberg, Austria, participated in religious services to mark the beginning of the academic year.

At Gymnasium Gerolzhofen, students in grades 6 through 10 attended a service centered on the theme of community. Using a metaphor of intertwined threads representing the individual, others, and God, the ceremony emphasized that students do not have to face life's challenges, such as stress or conflict, alone. Participants contributed values like courage, trust, and respect to a communal braided band displayed in the school.

In Austria, approximately 800 graduating students from across Styria, including 95 from Gymnasium Hartberg, took part in an ecumenical pilgrimage in Graz. Under the motto ‘You never walk alone’, the event included a service at Graz Cathedral led by Diocesan Bishop Wilhelm Krautwaschl and Evangelical Superintendent Wolfgang Rehner, focusing on the importance of support from family, friends, and faith during the final school year.