Third CSD service in Leipzig: Courage, visibility and hope!

Third CSD service in Leipzig: Courage, visibility and hope!

Leipzig, Deutschland - On June 22, 2025, Leipzig experienced his third service on the occasion of the Christopher Street Day (CSD), which was held by the Catholic Youth Leipzig. This special occasion not only gathered the young believers, but also diocese chaplain pastor Michael Kreher and youth officer Stefan Plattner. Together they addressed courage, visibility and painful injuries that many people have experienced in their search for acceptance. The service took place in the Propsteikirche and offered a room in which the longing for an open church became audible.

guest speaker Stefan Plattner made it clear that the CSD is by no means a costume festival. He and other participants took the opportunity to talk about the challenges during the service that queer people have to deal with every day in order to be able to live their identity. "The real challenge is not only your own acceptance, but also the pastoral accompaniment by the church," said Plattner. This clarified the need that the church has to be opened and deal with the diversity of people.

a special place for everyone

An impressive statement came from a young person from the diocese helpers who expressed a thought that also surprised Plattner: "I think Jesus would run along with the CSD." This thought was well received and showed how important the visibility and acceptance of diversity is for the community. Plattner confirmed that the outer pushed Jesus would always find near them and that they would certainly dance and laugh happily at the CSD.

After the service, there was a lively exchange in the courtyard of the church, where visitors were provided with refreshing drinks and rainbow pizza. Such events are not only a sign of switching towards more acceptance, but also create opportunities for community and solidarity.

A look back at the history of the CSD

The Christopher Street Day has its roots in an important event in American history. On June 28, 1969, there was a violent uprising against the police in the “Stonewall Inn” in New York. This event is considered a milestone in the global gay movement and gave the impetus for the first CSD to take place in New York in 1970. In Germany, the first CSD was organized in Berlin in 1979, and since then this day has developed into a colorful festival of diversity that has been broadly supported by political parties and sponsors. In retrospect, the CSD is not only a celebration day, but also a powerful symbol for resistance to discrimination and violence in the LGBTQ+community.

Development leads to the consideration of the queer victims of National Socialism, which remained in the dark for a long time. The Bundestag intended for the first time on January 27, 2023, sacrificing the queer, which is an important step in the culture of remembrance. In this context, the history of paragraph that was contrary to criminal law, which was sad reality for many people until the abolition in 1994, was an important part.

The Catholic Youth Leipzig, with its CSD service, sets a sign of hope and change in the church. They stand for an inclusive community in which everyone can have their place and feel safe. Such initiatives are crucial in order to raise awareness of the challenges with which many people are confronted and to celebrate the liveliness and diversity of our society.