The possible abolition of Pentecost as a public holiday (comprising a long weekend), to boost the ailing German economy, is being discussed in Germany. The proposal is arousing various critical reactions, including that of the Catholic social associations KKV and BKU, which in a communiqué issued on 17 May have stressed that “Sundays and religious holidays are more than ever necessary for mental and spiritual repose today”. “The efficiency of the German economy surely does not depend on the abolition of a religious holiday, as demonstrated by the example of Bavaria, in which the largest number of such holidays in the whole of Germany is celebrated and which nonetheless presents economic conditions better than the German average”. The bishop of Regensburg, Gerhard Ludwig Müller, has also rejected the proposed abolition of Pentecost: “Who will benefit from an abolition for which there is no economic need? Only those who think of nothing but profit and want to maximise their earnings. This type of proposal is rooted in a mistaken image of man. Capital exists for persons, and not the other way round”, he declared on 17 May. “In our diocese, on Pentecost Monday alone, several thousand faithful participated in pilgrimages and processions. For many families, Pentecost Monday is a day dedicated to family life and rest. To once again deprive people of the spare time they can spent together and time for prayer would send a mistaken signal”, he warned.
