Cologne Cathedral illuminated for peace

The Cologne Cathedral will be illuminated over the next few days as a stance against hatred. Messages will be projected onto the sides of the cathedral to recall the end of the First World War 100 years ago. By Gaby Reucher

The way to peace: memories of World War I combined with a call for peace and tolerance – that's what media artists Detlef Hartung and Georg Trenz are all about. Their letter Illuminations will make Cologne Cathedral appear in a completely different light during the cathedral's pilgrimage days from September 27-30
1914 – the beginning of World War I: the two artists were challenged by the size of the cathedral facade and its architectural ruptures and spatial depths. Nineteen high-performance projectors are being implemented, with their illumination fields being placed right next to each other. Here, the number 1914 marks the year World War I began. The first part of the 15-minute light show deals with the horrors of war
'Dona Nobis Pacem': the drafts by the two artists were convincing enough. "Dona Nobis Pacem", or Give Us Peace, is the motto of this year's cathedral pilgrimage. Visitors are invited to photograph the lights and events and share their pictures with friends around the world. Curator Helmut Bien hopes that the images in people's minds and in their cameras will bring hope and optimism for the future
Colourful play of light: not only the words on the cathedral facade speak for themselves, but also the colours. Here, the rainbow colours are a sign of the Christian faith. With God's help, people can become ambassadors of a peaceful and humane world. That is the wish of cathedral dean Robert Kleine
End of the war in 1918: in front of Cologne Cathedral on Roncalliplatz, there will be "peace sculptures" – large letters representing the word "peace" in 12 languages. Here, visitors can set lights and additionally illuminate the square. The First World War lasted four years until the Armistice of Compiegne was signed on 11 November at five o'clock in the morning. Nearly 17 million people were killed during the war
All religions and cultures welcome: particularly in times when the media are constantly reporting about hatred and agitation in Germany, the Church does not only want to remind people about the war, but also promote tolerance. With a comprehensive programme of events, prayers and church services in and around the cathedral during the pilgrimage days, it aims to the promote peaceful co-existence of religions and cultures