Protection of Holy Places

The news is disturbing. Again and again there is damage or even destruction of holy places. The arson in the cathedral of Nantes a few days ago, the damage to a Yezidi shrine in Iraq by bombs, attacks on synagogues, churches and mosques also in Germany

"Every attack on places of worship and on praying people is shameful and is deplored by all of us", said Rabbi Andreas Nachama in the conversation with Bishop Illia Osefashvili, Ambassador of the House of One in Georgia, Father Gregor Hohberg and Imam Osman Örs about the "Protection of Holy Places". Where is God?, some may ask in this case of aggression and vandalism. "I ask: where is man?", says Nachama.

Bishop Illia Osefashvili knows from personal experience His parish in Tblissi has twice been affected by destruction and arson. "I felt humiliated, as if someone had invaded my private sphere," says Osefashvili.

For the House of One the topic is, so to speak, written into the foundations. The Petrikirche, on whose foundations the House of One in the centre of Berlin is being built, was also destroyed. In this case the state was the perpetrator. In 1964, the GDR had the sacred building that was damaged in the war blown up in favour of the construction of a modern, socialist capital. "This is one of the reasons why we want to make a special effort to promote good coexistence and that people can pursue their faith in peace," says Pastor Gregor Hohberg.