According to Brother Philipp Wagner, of the Dominican Spirituality Centre of Cologne, they have had three types of guests over the last few days: "We have had young people from all over the world who would stop above all to visit the tomb of St. Albert the Great, to know more about him and to look about the church. A sort of religious tourism, but very orderly and proper. Then there were those who came to find a space for personal prayer and silence. The crypt attracted many people: I remember young people kneeling down for a quarter of an hour, motionless, holding their faces in their hands …. And many of them would then ask for the Sacrament of reconciliation". And finally, a third "type" of visitors: "Several youth taking part in the WYD came here instead, driven by the need to talk with the religious or lay people, to discuss aspects of life, or everyday problems …. As if they were in search of a friend, a support for their daily engagement when they go back home". "I would say says the Brother in conclusion that this was a positive experience. What I have noticed from the encounters I had is that these young people do not experience their faith as a moral imperative or a sacrifice, but rather as a search for God, an unfettered, serene quest, typical of youth".
