Refugee boat docks at Cologne Cathedral
A boat carrying refugees to Malta arrived at Cologne Cathedral in Germany on Corpus Christi, after a journey of 2,000 kilometers, and settled in the grounds of the cathedral. The aim of this was to attract support from the faithful for the refugees. Cologne Cathedral is one of the largest churches in the world and is visited by thousands of people every day.
German Catholic authorities have said they want to make the German public and tourists aware of the suffering that refugees endure on their way to Europe by docking a boat carrying migrants at Cologne Cathedral. The boat is only 17 metres long and, according to the Express newspaper, smugglers have packed 85 people into it and thrown it into the ocean.
The migrants, who had to huddle together in the boats, had no shelter from the sun and were so cramped that they could not even bring enough food or water. Since 2000, 26,000 people have drowned in such boats, but they continue to be used by smugglers off the coast of Africa.
During this year's Corpus Christi, one of the most important and sacred feasts for Catholics worldwide, the refugee boat first sailed through the streets of Cologne's central square and then docked at the cathedral's south end. Catholic authorities hope that by placing the boat in the church, they will be able to raise significant cash for the MOAS project, which supports refugees in Malta.
According to a Catholic official, the refugee boat will remain at Cologne Cathedral until September this year, and then it will be moved to other Christian pilgrimage sites, staying for a while in each location.
Source: RFI
