The Chairman of the The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the EU (COMECE), Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich received the Abraham Geiger Prize in a ceremony in Berlin.
The ceremony took place at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, as announced by the Abraham Geiger Kolleg in Potsdam. The laudatory speech was delivered by the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, in the form of a video message.
Cardinal Hollerich, who has served as Archbishop of Luxembourg since 2011 stated: “In our pluralistic society, future clergy need to encounter other religions.” And, “Our common task is to become friends, to learn with and from each other, and to remain true to ourselves.”
On the evening of the award ceremony, Academy President Christoph Markschies reportedly plans to discuss with Hollerich his book, which will be published the same day,
“Was auf dem Spiel steht. The Future of Christianity in a Secular World.” In it, the cardinal said, “This is about much more than dialogue. Israel is the chosen people. And God is faithful. And that means Israel remains the chosen people.”
The Abraham Geiger College at the University of Potsdam is the first rabbinical seminary in Germany after the Holocaust. Its prize recognizes individuals who have rendered outstanding services to pluralism and have championed openness, courage, tolerance and freedom of thought.
The Abraham Geiger Prize is endowed with 10,000 euros. It commemorates the thinker of liberal Judaism, Abraham Geiger (1810-1874).
Previous winners include director Christian Stückl, Israeli writer Amos Oz, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, theologian Hans Küng and Cardinal Karl Lehmann.
