Funeral and Commemoration Ceremonies after Major Catastrophes in Secular Society with Church Participation

After major catastrophes such as the ICE train accident in Eschede or the rampage in Erfurt and Winnenden, central mourning and commemoration ceremonies with church participation have become common in Germany. These celebrations have scarcely been the subject of theological research in Germany, and not at all in Catholic liturgical studies, although they are of great importance for society and the Church. The study aims to examine this type of disaster ritual using the example of the commemoration ceremony after the rampage in Erfurt and the annual commemoration ceremonies practiced since then.