The state church and dioceses in Saxony have been saving for a long time. Due to the energy crisis, the topic is even more explosive this winter – the communities are taking part.
Dresden/Görlitz (dpa/sn) – In view of the high energy prices, Saxony’s parishes are being asked to save even more this winter than they are anyway. “Many have already decided which places of worship and community rooms will be heated this winter and which will not,” said the Evangelical Church in Dresden on request. In addition, the “winter church” – the use of community halls that can be heated more cheaply – also has a long-standing tradition in the dioceses. The topic became even more important this winter, said a spokesman for the state church office.
Nevertheless, employees and parishioners should “continue to feel comfortable in churches, parish halls and offices,” it said in unison. In the Diocese of Dresden-Meissen, unused common rooms in its public buildings are not heated and the temperature in work rooms is regulated depending on the activity. The water for washing hands stays cold, buildings and monuments are no longer illuminated on the outside.
Places of worship and parish buildings should be “responsibly” tempered with a view to protecting the building fabric, furnishings and art. According to the ordinariate, it could be 12 to 14 degrees Celsius during the service, but from the point of view of monument preservation, a basic temperature of 6 to 10 degrees is even possible in winter. And as part of the “Winter Church”, services with fewer visitors could alternatively be celebrated in the community’s rooms that can be heated more cheaply.
The parishes are generally trying to take all necessary measures “to keep the energy costs manageable,” said a diocese spokesman. In the next few weeks, the candles on the wreath in Advent are a cheap source of light – and for further Advent and Christmas lighting, parishes rely on energy-saving light sources.
The Diocese of Görlitz relies on at least the maximum possible temperature reduction in the churches. Since many are only used a few times a week or even a month, “it should be urgently checked whether the required energy consumption is justified in relation to the frequency and duration of use”. Smaller church services could also be celebrated in a crypt or in the chapel of the hospital or retirement home.