Zion Church of the City of Baltimore ,
City Hall Plaza
400 East Lexington Street

- Free Parking on Church Lot ( 148/150 N Gay St ) -

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This festive ecumenical service is co-sponsored by:

The German Society of Maryland

the Society for the History of Germans in maryland

Zion , Christ Inner Harbor and St. Mark’s Churches,

Reception (co-sponsored by the Society) after the service
in Zion ’s magnificent historic Adlersaal

For more information call (410) 727 3939
or visit www.zionbaltimore.org

Michaelis, St. Michael’s day: A day of remembrance, a day of celebration, as we come together to worship and give thanks to God for his protection. Michael, archangel or prince of angels, is mentioned several times in the Bible: in Daniel 10:13, and 12:1; Jude vs. 9, and in the book of revelation 12:7-9. His name is taken to mean ‘who is like God’. This was the war cry of the good angels as Michael led them in the great battle fought in heaven against Satan.

September 29, the feast of St. Michael and All Angels, or Michaelmas, falls about the time of the autumnal equinox - when the nights would be getting longer and the earth would begin to die. St. Michael came to be seen as the protector against the forces of the dark and so became very popular in the Middle Ages. There are indicators that his cult ‘christened’ features of a Germanic deity. Many churches were dedicated to him, usually on high places near the sea.

Being depicted as a warrior saint in armor, he has been considered to be the helper of Christian soldiers. Although being popular throughout Britain and northern Europe , he came to be seen as the particular Patron Saint of the Germanic Nations (hence the nickname ‘der deutsche Michel’’). The feast was traditionally celebrated with a fattened goose, which had fed well on the stubble of the fields after the harvest. By Michaelmas the harvest had to be completed and the new cycle of farming would begin. It was a time for beginning new leases, starting the academic year, rendering accounts, paying the annual dues, and celebrating. Even after the Reformation, Michaelis was still considered one of the 4 major festivals in the church year. In Germany , Harvest Thanksgiving (‘ERNTEDANKFEST’) is celebrated on the following Sunday, and surely, the “Oktoberfest” is near…

A NEW MEANING

In 1989, a few weeks after the fall of the Berlin wall, the German Society of Maryland, along with the Society for the History of the Germans in Maryland, called for an ecumenical service of thanksgiving for that historic event. Each year since then the society has co-sponsored an ecumenical service. This service is intended to celebrate and give thanks that all of the German-speaking nations now enjoy what President F.D. Roosevelt described as one of our “Four Freedoms”, namely the freedom to worship. Recently, the service was moved to the feast of St. Michael, as being the patron saint of Germany . This day is also close to Reunification Day, the national holiday in Germany , which is celebrated on October 3.

We are grateful to unite with the German Society of Maryland
and the Society for the History of the Germans in Maryland for this festive celebration!
The Society will provide food and drink at the reception following the service.