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Germany Marks Christi Himmelfahrt with Religious Processions and Vatertag Outings

Christi Himmelfahrt celebrations spanned outdoor worship processions rooted in early Christian tradition alongside Vatertag outings that now welcome entire families

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Overview

  • Christi Himmelfahrt commemorates Jesus Christ’s ascension 40 days after Easter, an event described in the Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles.
  • As a movable feast observed on a Thursday, the 2025 celebration took place on 29 May and is a statutory holiday in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and the Netherlands.
  • Clergy and congregations led outdoor services and Bittprozessionen, invoking blessings for good weather, a bountiful harvest and protection from natural calamities.
  • The secular Vatertag tradition originated in 19th-century Berlin as male-only Schinkentouren with beer and wagons and has since evolved into family-oriented outings across the country.
  • Official data indicate that traffic incidents on Vatertag surge as much as threefold, prompting authorities to urge responsible celebration.