Patron Saint’s Day in Lingen

His Grace Bishop Constantine of Middle Europe served on Sunday the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in Lingen near Osnabrück. The occasion was the Patron Saint’s day of this chapel – Holy Archangel Michael. After the Holy Liturgy the slava cake was cut.

The chapel in Lingen is the property of the Church-school congregation of Osnabrück. Services are held two times a month. In Lingen there are about twenty Orthodox families 

In 1941 it was the beginning of the religious life of  the Orthodox Serbs in Osnabrück. Namely, during the World War Two in the concentration camp for officers – Eversburg there were about 6000 Serbian officers and soldiers. The prisoners had a mobile iconostasis before which they prayerfully gathered on Sundays and feast days. During the Allied bombing on 6 December 1944, 116 Serbian prisoners were killed and the mobile iconostasis was burnt. 

After the war, the concentration camp Eversburg became a collection center for soldiers from nearby military commands. The English military administration approved the usage of one premise for religious needs. The iconostasis was created and the choir was formed. In 1945 Holy Bishop Nikolaj (Velimirovic) and King Peter II visited the Serbs in Osnabrück. In one apartment building a chapel was established in 1960. The construction of a new church was finished in 1981 and Bishop Lavrentije, who is today Bishop of Sabac, consecrated the church. On this occasion the city authorities of Osnabrück provided the church with the big bells, electric installation and donated 30.000 German Marks. The church administrative center was consecrated in 2003 by Bishop Constantine of Middle Europe. On the territory of the Church-school congregation of Osnabrück there are c. 5000 adherents of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Source: Diocese of Middle Europe