Right when you walk outside of the Hauptbahnhof, you see a beautiful Cathedral.
The Cathedral is surrounded by tourists, street performers, and protests. The overwhelming commotion and chaos seem contradictory to what the Catholic church has meant to me: a quiet place to worship God.
Growing up Catholic, worshipping at the Köln Cathedral didn’t seem “new” (besides the fact that the service was in German). During mass, I still had an idea of what was going on. Understanding the service made worship more “real” rather than just being there and pretending to know. A part that I really liked about the mass was the Profession of Faith. Not only was I able to pray the Apostles Creed in English, but I could also recite it in German. I felt in sync with the mass. I also liked the Rite of Peace because it’s a way to come out of your own shell of worship and be united with others in Christ.
Right when the mass finished, I turned around and saw people lined up waiting to take pictures of the Cathedral. I was stepping out of a “worship bubble”, and my worship experience felt less authentic. However, it was still a great experience to worship in such a beautiful place to an Almighty God.
Overall, being in Köln and worshipping there was a unique experience. Köln is such a beautiful place, filled with unbeatable views, good food, and great people!
