Listening to the Christmas Gospel snuggled up in the blanket? Praying protected from the cold with a scarf, hat and gloves? The parishes in Bavaria will heat significantly less this winter.
Würzburg/Bamberg/Munich (dpa/lby) - The energy crisis does not stop at the churches in the Free State either. In the churches, it is likely to be cooler this winter than in previous years.
The parishes of the Archdiocese of Munich-Freising will receive a guide from the ordinariate in the coming days - topic: energy-efficient heating and ventilation. It is also about what needs to be considered in order not to damage the fabric of older buildings and their art equipment and organs, said a spokesman.
Bamberg's Vicar General Georg Kestel and Building Director Petra Postler recommend the congregations in their archdiocese to lower the temperature in the churches by two degrees to a maximum of 8 to 10 degrees during church services. Due to the lower temperature, damage to the equipment is not to be expected. The frost protection of the building must be guaranteed despite the drop in temperature in order to prevent damage to the building.
In addition, churchgoers should be grouped into specific bench areas so that the entire church does not have to be heated, provided the heating system allows this.
In parish homes it is recommended that the number of heated meeting rooms be reduced by half. The greatest energy savings can be achieved by concentrating the events in fewer houses.
"The proposed measures entail a loss of comfort and require everyone to show a high degree of consideration and coordination. Due to the critical overall situation, we still ask for your understanding and help," Kestel and Postler said.
There are also detailed recommendations from the Diocese of Würzburg for the communities: The relative humidity should remain below 70 percent so that the equipment and organ are not damaged. "Heating should be avoided for use. It is also recommended to avoid unnecessary moisture entering the church, for example by damp wiping or potted plants," says a letter. Blankets or pillows could be laid out for church services or events.
This is also recommended by the regional evangelical church. A recommendation sent to the congregations in mid-September also states that the temperature level in the churches should be reduced as much as possible. However, the buildings still have to be protected against frost or mold growth.
The diocese of Regensburg advises, among other things, to use the so-called winter churches for church services on weekdays, which could be better tempered. Parishes could work together to find a suitable location.
In addition to the short-term measures, the regional church and the dioceses are also planning long-term: The spokesman for the Munich spokesman said that the potential "to produce electricity on the properties of the archdiocese, parish church foundations and other church sponsors, in particular through photovoltaic systems" should be used more intensively in the coming years Ordinariate with. Since 2021, feasibility analyzes for photovoltaics have been carried out for all fundamentally suitable church properties in the area of the archdiocese. The aim is to replace as many fossil heating systems as possible.
The Bamberg building director Postler said: "Our basic goal is the sustainable construction and management of our buildings." This includes replacing fossil fuels. Many churches were equipped with oil or gas-fired heating systems in the 1970s to 1990s. "These are being converted consistently and often replaced by proven, more economical under-seat heaters. Heat pumps in combination with surface heating systems are also an alternative."
According to a spokesman, the majority of the vicarages and community centers of the regional church in Bavaria are currently heated with fossil fuels. "Here, too, plans are being made for an ongoing switch to renewable energies. It's not easy and it will take some time." Because: Planning offices and craft businesses are busy and there are delivery bottlenecks. "Above all, each individual case needs planning adapted to the local situation."
