«Bring blessing, be blessing. Peace! In Lebanon and around the world,» is the motto of the next 2020 Star Singers (Sternsinger) campaign that has chosen Lebanon as its symbol country this year. The campaign will be inaugurated at a national level on Saturday, December 28, in Osnabrück, reported Fides News Agency.
Dressed in their costumes of Magi, with their Star and their songs during Christmas time and in the early days of the new year the «Star Singers» go around visiting German homes. About 300 thousand children from Catholic parishes in Germany will carry the «C+M+ B» blessing («Christus mansionem benedicat – Christ bless this house») to the families, collecting donations for other children their age who suffer throughout the world.
Every year since 1984, the Star Singers also bring their «C + M + B» blessing to the Federal Chancellery, in Berlin: 108 Star Singers will go to the German capital with their golden stars and their shining crowns. On Tuesday 7 January Chancellor Angela Merkel will welcome the small and large members of the German Holy Childhood Association for the 15th time. The Star Singers come from the 27 dioceses in the country representing about 300,000 girls and boys from about 10,000 parishes participating in the 62nd Star Singers campaign (Aktion Dreikönigssingen). On the day of the Epiphany, Monday 6 January, they will also be welcomed by the Federal President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, at his residence.
Representatives of the Sternsingers of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary and Italy (Alto Adige) will attend Mass with Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica, next January 1.
«I am grateful for this new task and I look forward to meeting new challenges. Together with the staff of Missio Aachen and of Holy Childhood (Kindermissionswerk/’Die Sternsinger’) we will continue to put into practice the universal solidarity of the Church to give it a credible face and be close to the people,» said the new National Director of the German Holy Childhood Association and of Missio Aachen, Rev. Dirk Bingener, after his appointment.
