Catholic Germans

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, image = Hohe_Domkirche_St._Petrus.jpg
, imagewidth = 200px
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, caption = Cologne Cathedral, Cologne
, abbreviation =
, type = National polity
, main_classification = Catholic
, orientation = Christianity
, scripture = Bible
, theology = Catholic theology
, polity = Episcopal
, governance = German Bishops' Conference
, structure =
, leader_title = Pope
, leader_name = Francis
, leader_title1 = Chairman
, leader_name1 = Georg Bätzing
, leader_title2 = Primas Germaniae
, leader_name2 = Franz Lackner
, leader_title3 = Apostolic Nuncio
, leader_name3 = Nikola Eterović
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, area = Germany
, language = German, Latin
, headquarters =
, origin_link =
, founder = Saint Boniface
, founded_date = Claims continuity in Germania c. 754; Germanic Christians since 300s, some Arians
, founded_place =
, separated_from =
, parent =
, merger =
, absorbed =
, separations = Lutheranism
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, members = 22.6 million (27.2 %) (2019)
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, website
German Bishops' Conference
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The Catholic Church in Germany (german: Katholische Kirche in Deutschland) or Roman Catholic Church in Germany (german: Römisch-katholische Kirche in Deutschland) is part of the worldwide Catholic Church in communion with the Pope, assisted by the Roman Curia, and with the German bishops. The current "speaker" (i.e., the chairperson) of the episcopal conference is Georg Bätzing, Bishop of the Diocese of Limburg. It is divided into 27 dioceses, 7 of them with the rank of metropolitan sees. All the archbishops and bishops are members of the Conference of German Bishops. Due to a church tax compulsory for those who register civilly as Catholics, its real estate and other sources of income, it has an approximate net worth of $26 billion, making it the wealthiest part of the Catholic Church and the second wealthiest religious organization in the world.

Growing rejection of the Church has had its impact in Germany; nevertheless, 26.7% of the total population remain Catholic (22.1 million people as of December 2020), down 6% compared to the year 2000. Before the 1990 reunification of the Germany by accession of the former German Democratic Republic (or East Germany), Catholics were 42% of the population of West Germany. What makes it easier to know religious statistics in Germany is that Christian taxpayers must declare their religious affiliation as church tax is deducted by the state to be passed on to the relevant church in the state where the taxpayer lives.

Apart from its demographic weight, the Catholic Church in Germany has an old religious and cultural heritage, which reaches back to both Saint Boniface, "apostle of Germany" and first Archbishop of Mainz, buried in Fulda, and to Charlemagne, buried at Aachen Cathedral.

Notable religious sites include structures from Carolingian times to modern buildings. An indeed quite rudimentary list may name Quedlinburg, Maria Laach, Erfurt Cathedral, Eberbach, Lorsch Abbey with its remnant 'Torhalle' (gate hall), one of the oldest structures in Germany, Reichenau, Maulbronn, Weingarten, Banz and Vierzehnheiligen on the opposite hill, the Wieskirche, Ettal, Fürstenfeld, Sacred Heart in Munich (finished in 2000), Altötting and many more. Oberammergau is famous for the Passion Play staged every ten years.

The Catholic Church in Germany also boasts one of the most recognizable landmarks in all of the country, the Cologne Cathedral.
Other notable Catholic cathedrals are in Aachen, with the throne and bury of Charlemagne, Augsburg, Bamberg, Berlin ( St. Hedwig's Cathedral), with crypt of Bernhard Lichtenberg, Dresden, Proto-romanesque Hildesheim, Frankfurt, coronation church of the old Reich's Emperors, superseding Aachen, Freiburg, Freising, Fulda, Limburg, having decorated the reverse of the old, third series 500 Deutschmark banknote, Mainz ( St. Martin's Cathedral), officially housing the only Holy see out of Rome and Jerusalem, Munich ( Frauenkirche), with its onion domes and giant single roof, Münster, Paderborn, Passau, Regensburg, Speyer, one of the Rhenish Imperial cathedrals and Trier, the oldest in the country.
With (ca.) 24,500 Church buildings all over the country and the above itemization only listing (some of the) current cathedrals, there would be many more sites to be mentioned if referring to landmarks:
Abbeys, Minsters, basilicas, pilgrimage churches, chapels, ex-cathedrals (from a functional point of view), etc., covering a remarkable number of distinctively different layouts and styles from Romanesque to Post-modern. Some of these, as well as those mentioned above, are listed as World heritage sites.

History of Catholicism in Germany

Christianization of the Germans

The earliest stage of Christianization of the various Celtic people and Germanic people occurred only in the western part of Germany, the part controlled by the Roman empire. Christianization was facilitated by the prestige of the Christian Roman Empire amongst its pagan subjects and was achieved gradually by various means. The rise of Germanic Christianity was at times voluntary, particularly among groups associated with the Roman Empire. Aspects of primeval pagan religion have persisted to this day, including the names of the days of the week.

As Roman rule crumbled in Germany in the 5th century, this phase of Catholicism in Germany came to an end with it. At first, the Gallo-Roman or Germano-Roman populations were able to retain control over big cities such as Cologne and Trier, but in 459 these too were overwhelmed by the attacks of Frankish tribes. Most of the Gallo-Romans or Germano-Romans were killed or exiled. The newcomers to the towns reestablished the observance of the pagan rites.Kurt Hoppstädter and HansWalter Herrmann (Publishers, Geschichtliche Landeskunde des Saarlandes, Book 2: Von der fränkischen Landnahme bis zum Ausbruch der französischen Revolution. Selbstverlag des Historischen Vereins für die Saargegend e. V., Saarbrücken 1977, Pg 25 The small remaining Catholic population was powerless to protect its faith against the new ruling Frankish lords.

But as soon as 496, Frankish King Clovis I was baptized together with many members of his household. In contrast to the eastern German tribes, who became Arian Christians, he became a Catholic. Following the example of their king, many Franks were baptized too, but their Catholicism was intermixed with pagan rites.

Over the next eight centuries, Irish, Scottish, and English missionaries reintroduced Christianity into the German territories. During the period of the Frankish Empire, the two most important of these missionaries were Columbanus, who was active in the Frankish Empire from 590, and St. Boniface, who was active from 716. The missionaries, particularly the Scottish Benedictines, founded monasteries (''Schottenklöster'', Scottish monasteries) in Germany, which were later combined into a single congregation governed by the Abbot of the Scots monastery at Regensburg. The conversion of the Germanic peoples began with the conversion of the Germanic nobility, who were expected to impose their new faith on the general population. This expectation was consistent with the sacral position of the king in Germanic paganism: the king is charged with interacting with the divine on behalf of his people. Hence the general population saw nothing wrong with their kings choosing their preferred mode of worship. The favoured method of showing the supremacy of the Christian belief was the destruction of the holy trees of the Germans. These were trees, usually old oaks or elm trees, dedicated to the gods. Because the missionary was able to destroy the trees without being slain by the gods, his Christian god had to be stronger.

The pagan sacrifices, known as ''blót'', had been seasonal celebrations where gifts were offered to appropriate gods and attempts were made to forecast what the coming season would be like. Similar events had sometimes been convened in times of crisis, for much the same reasons.See Viga-Glum’s Saga (Ch.26), Hakon the Good’s Saga (Ch.16), Egil’s Saga (Ch. 65), etc. The sacrifices, consisting of gold, weapons, animals, and even human beings, were hung on the branches of a holy tree.

The Hiberno-Scottish mission ended in the 13th century. Supported by native Christians, they succeeded in Christianizing all of Germany.

Catholicism as the official religion of the Holy Roman Empire

In medieval times, Catholicism was the only official religion within the Holy Roman Empire. (There were resident Jews, but they were not considered citizens of the empire.) Within the empire the Catholic Church was a major power. Large parts of the territory were ruled by ecclesiastical lords. Three of the seven seats in the council of electors of the Holy Roman Emperors were occupied by Catholic archbishops: the Arch-chancellor of Burgundy (archbishop of Trier

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