All Are Welcome

The church bells chime filled the air as Baby Bro and I stepped out of the Vienna underground. We were congratulating ourselves getting up and out of the hostel so early on this Sunday morning when the bell's song drew us into the beautiful cathedral like sirens singing. We sat in the back and were awed by the heavenly choir, the beautiful catherdral and the echoing of the footsteps as people found their seats. As the priest read the first readings (in German) people continued to trickled in and out. Some just there to get a closer picture and others to worship. There was a sweet homeless man who stood not far from us the whole time. He would sing at the top of his lungs (missing every 3rd word or so) in a deep, but shakey, Austrian voice. When he wasn't singing he was consistently flipping through some sort of plastic cards (which I could only assume we're Austrian Pokemon). I was amused by him and spent a good bit of time wondering his story. (I guess I'll just have to make it up!) A young man pushed in an elderly woman bundled up in her wheelchair. He gently removed most of the layers (occasionally adding one or more back on at her request) while she glazed up at him with adoring eyes, reminding me how important family is. In front of us a wife leaned over and whispered to her sleeping husband and he jumped make to attention. This made me chunkle! Then the Priest was quiet and the hall was filled with the most beautiful song, a female solo from the choir, and it was clear; the spirit of the Lord had filled this place.

#Vienna #Austria #travel