DAY 2 & DAY 3 ~ Sabah Heilbronn Ecumenical Partnership

By Raymond Wong

Heilbronn, Germany : The second day, 23rd September 2012 at Heilbronn  was a Sunday and the RC group attended Holy Mass while the PCS and BCCM group attended Sunday Service together with the host family and spend time with the host for the rest of the day.

Briefing before the tour begins

City tour

On the afternoon of the third day, 24th September 2012 was the tour to the city where we were shown around the Roman Catholic Deanery (Centre) and a Protestant Church called St. Kilian's Church. The range of sculptures  of the tower dates back to the Reformation period and is considered, both extraordinary and significant. We walked up to the bell tower and could see the city through a narrow spiral staircase consisting of about 200 steps. Though it is a Protestant Church, the altar and the sanctuary shows signs of Catholic statues of Virgin Mother Mary and others. 

The group on top of the Catholic Deanery

The huge bells on top of the Protestant Church

The astronomy clock and the Protestant Church

We were shown a decorative astronomical clock which indicates the seven days of the week represented by the celestial bodies Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. The months, the twelve signs of the zodiac, days  of the week and months are all indicated within.

The group in the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul

We then visited the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, a Catholic Church. It was destroyed in the 2nd World War and rebuilt after 1945 and further renovated in 1994/95 which now reflects the various structures of past centuries. Next was the visit to the Hall of Honour which was built in remembrance of the seven thousand civilians who died during the bombings in the 2nd. World War in December 1944 where the city was razed and flattened.

The leader of the group presenting a gift to the Mayor

The Mayor having a word with Peter Seitz, Chairman of the Partnership in Heilbronn

The group then made a courtesy call on the Mayor at his office, the City Hall. The Mayor in welcoming the group mentioned of the strengths of the partnership and on the economic values of Heilbronn. He also mentioned on three major economic products of Heilbronn that is the  river trade that has been carried until this time and the underground salt and the area planted with grapes with production of wine. The Mayor then presented to all members of the group a sovenior and in return the leader of the group presented to the Mayor a gift from Sabah.