Painting the angel of peace above the altar, our ancestors surely did not anticipate that peace prayer services would be so important in the future. A decade ago we ourselves could not imagine that these simple beginnings would ever grow so important.

In the early eighties, the "peace decades" began, held each November. Young people would gather together for prayers over the course of ten days. While there were huge demonstrations in the Federal Republic of Germany to protest against the arm race, the armament race continued. The only chance we had to discuss and reflect on this burning issue was at meetings held within churches. It was a young congregation in the eastern part of Leipzig which decide to hold these peace prayer services week after week, resulting in the regularly scheduled Monday evening services. Later the responsibility for conducting the peace prayer services was transferred by peace groups comprised of former "Bausoldaten" (people, who rendered their compulsory military service by serving in special, unarmed units), environmental activists, and people interested in third world issues. Together they sought to stir the public's conscience and encourage action.

The East German government strongly opposed human rights violations as long as they occurred outside of the Warsaw Pact's sphere of influence. But now groups had appeared inside East Germany which were demanding justice and respect for human rights within their own country.

At times only a small number attended the peace prayer services. Again and again, however, a particular event prompted crowds of people to attend services in protest. The situation grew explosive when the number of people willing to emigrate began to grow. These applicants for emigration - mostly Non-Christians -had no other opportunity to gather and compare experiences but in our church.

Because of the different objectives of the "grass roots groups", consisting of Christians and Non-Christians alike, it was not always easy to maintain a clerical atmosphere at these meetings. Still, together we were able to discover the topicality of the Bible's message, especially the prophetic texts from the Old Testament or Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. These two things do belong together: people need to discuss urgent social problems and they need to meditate and pray to God for support and guidance.

In September 1989, when some people in the crowd declared: "We want to leave" while others shouted: "We are staying here", the number of arrests climbed. But, by that time, more and more people supported the movement.

Days saw the windows of the church decorated with flowers; every night brought numerous glowing candles: sings of fundamental change! But the greatest gift was the spirit of peace that reigned throughout, even on October 9, when everything was at stake. This peaceful attitude - for which we had prayed so many weeks on end with the words of the Beatitudes spread from the hundreds who gathered in the churches for the peace prayer services to the thousands who flocked together in the city squares and streets.

Our peace prayer services will continue! We will deal with today's problems - such as support for the unemployed and efforts to integrate foreigners into our city - as we dealt with problems in the past. Our intercessions and our commitment are just as necessary today as in the past, especially for the world's crisis areas where new wars and conflicts break out constantly.

Thus, we can say with Dietrich Bonhoeffer that our Christian identity today consists of only two things: In prayer and just behavior.

"Nikolaikirche - open to all" became reality in autumn 1989 and surprised us all. After all, it united people from the whole of the former GDR: those who wanted to leave the country and those who were curious, regime critics and Stasi (State Security Police) personnel, church staff and SED members, Christians and Non-Christians beneath the outspread arms of the crucified and resurrected Jesus Christ. In view of the political reality between 1949 and 1989, this defies all imagination. It became reality. Exactly 450 years after the introduction of the Reformation in Leipzig, 176 years after the Battle of Nations in Leipzig. Now it was Leipzig once more.

From 8 May 1989, the driveways to the church were blocked by the police. Later the driveways and motorway exits were subject to large-scale checks or even closed during the prayers-for-peace period. The state authorities exerted greater pressure on us to cancel the peace prayers or at least to transfer them to the city limits. Monday after Monday there were arrests or "temporary detentions" in connection with the peace prayers. Even so, the number of visitors flocking to the church continued to grow to a point where the 2,000 seats were no longer sufficient. Then came the all-deciding 9 October 1989. And what a day it was!

There was a hideous show of force by soldiers, industrial militia, police and plain-clothes officers. But the opening scene had taken place two days before on 7 October, the 40th anniversary of the GDR, which entered into GDR history as Remembrance Day. On this day, for 10 long hours, uniformed police battered defenceless people who made no attempt to fight back and took them away in trucks. Hundreds of them were locked up in stables in Markkleeberg. In due course, an article was published in the press saying that it was high time to put an end to what they called "counter-revolution, if necessary by armed forces". That was the situation like on 9 October 1989.

Moreover, some 1,000 SED party members had been ordered to go to the St. Nicholas Church. 600 of them had already filled up the church nave by 2 p. m. They had a job to perform like the numerous Stasi personnel who were on hand regularly at the peace prayers. What has not been considered was the fact, that these people were exposed to the word, the gospel and its impact! I always appreciated that the Stasi members heard the Beatitudes from the Sermon from the Mount every Monday. Where else would they hear these?

Thus, these people and Stasi members heard Jesus Christ's gospel which they didn't know, in a church they could not do anything with.

They heard from Jesus who said: "Blessed are the poor"! And not: Wealthy people are happy.

Jesus said: "Love your enemies"! And not: Down with your opponent.

Jesus said: "Many who now are first will be last"! And not: Everything stays the same.

Jesus said: "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it"! And not: Take great care.

Jesus said: "You are the salt"! And not: You are the cream.

Thus, the prayers for peace took place in unbelievable calm and concentration. Shortly before the end, before the bishop gave his blessing, appeals by Professor Masur, chief conductor of the Gewandhaus Orchestra, and others who supported our call for non-violence, were read out. The solidarity between church and art, music and the gospel was of importance in the threatening situation of those days.

The prayers for peace ended with the bishop's blessing and the urgent call for non-violence. More than 2,000 people leaving the church were welcomed by ten thousands waiting outside with candles in their hands - an unforgettable moment. Two hands are necessary to carry a candle and to protect it from extinguishing so that you can not carry stones or clubs at the same time. The miracle occurred.

Jesus's spirit of non-violence seized the masses and became a material, peaceful power.

Troops, (military)brigade groups and the police were drawn in, became engaged in conversations, then withdrew. It was an evening in the spirit of our Lord Jesus for there were no winners and no defeated, nobody triumphed over the other, nobody lost his face. There was just a tremendous feeling of relief.

This non-violent movement only lasted a few weeks. But it caused the party and ideological dictatorship to collapse.

"He dethrones the mighty ones and enthrones the weak ones." - "You will succeed, not by military power or by your own strength, but by my spirit, says the Lord", is what we experienced. There were thousands in the churches. Hundreds of thousands in the streets around the city centre. But: Not a single shattered shop window. This was the incredible experience of the power of non-violence.

Horst Sindermaun, who was a member of the Central Committee of the GDR, said before his death: "We had planned everything. We were prepared for everything. But not for candles and prayers."

The prayers for peace continue. An initiative for the unemployed developed at the St. Nicholas Church.

Thus, the St. Nicholas Church remains what it was: A house of Jesus, a house of hope, a place and a source for a new beginning.

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