Do you go to church?

Ooopps, perhaps this is a invasive question but i think it´s very normal to ask someone about it. The answers could be varied though…

If you do…when was the last time you visited?

Anyway, few weeks ago, we saw this beautiful little chapel in Ramsau called “St.Sebastian” and I´ve heard that everyone was raving over it. I´ve got to see it before my own eyes. They said it is the most photographed landmark in Ramsau, and became quite famous for cover magazines and travel destinations in Germany.

I wonder why even former US pres. Einsenhower himself even painted this landscape…?Why is it so special.

Then we drived to Ramsau and visited this church, not only once, but twice. Ramsau is very near to the hotel where we´ve stayed when we visited Berchtesgaden so it´s along the way.Too bad we weren´t able to get inside because of Corona restrictions.

Seems that the idyllic setting of this church is quite a catch. Behind the chapel is the Watzmann mountain, and a river flowing and a great backdrop with a iconic wooden bridge.I heard that it has become a favourite subject for landscape painters and photographers.It´s called “Malerwinkel” because it´s so picturesque that many artists uses this backdrop as an inspiration.I found a beautiful Ramsau Gallery here.

My favourite version is how it looks in Winter.

Growing up, I am a church- goer. Probably not by choice but as a kid, you were taught to obey and you do what you are being told.In Philippines, almost 80% of the population is Catholic and going to church is actually a big part of our culture. It creates a certain stigma that “one must” repent and spend meditation or prayer times and observe Sunday as worship day.Over here in Germany, Sunday is a “Ruhetag” , a silent day, for relaxing, and not making “too much” noise, there goes the unwritten rule of not mowing your lawn.

As a small kid, my grandmother would tag us along every Sunday, and attend the Cathechism classes. Aside from the religion classes we have at school, we do so many routines in the church, like reciting the Rosary, observing the Lent ( Holy week) and so much more. I have memorized all the prayers and sitting in the church every Sunday, observing and watching the priest do the ceremony and take communion as well.

I remember that we look forward going to church and have this childish behaviour of sitting backwards facing the next row so I could see the other people. I am happy If I saw someone that I knew ,a classmate, a neighbour, or maybe my crush, perhaps! Our old church is quite beautiful. I love the choir and I often spend times meditating there.

I still remember it´s interiors, especially the paintings on the ceiling and the engravings on the wall. I spent so much memories in that church because first, me and my siblings were all baptized there, so as my cousins.I would glance up in the ceilings and trying to decode what the images means and yes, inside the church, I felt calm and safe.

• 

The first church I´ve visited here in Ingolstadt is the Liebfrauenkirche . It´s a 15 minute away from where I live and I went there for quite many times, but not for worship.There´s also a nearby church to where I live, a 5 minute walk and I went there during Christmas mass.Religion and worship is another culture-shock for me here.Nobody talks about religion, or asking if you went to church, or what are your beliefs.They talked about politics, football, and rock concerts, but not anything about religion. Churches became like museums, a tourist attractions.

But here´s the thing; I pay taxes for being a Catholic.

Truthfully, I am quite amazed just how big the cultural gap that I am living into. I have no personal problem with it. Here, churches are really really beautiful, the architecture and history is enough to make someone captivated, Gothic or Renaissance it maybe, churches here in Germany are something that I am always fascinated with.

Do you have any unforgettable church experience?