BERLIN: Nearly half a millennium after going their separate theological ways, Germany’s Protestant and Catholic communities will gather in Berlin this week for a historic ecumenical festival.

More than 200,000 people are expected to descend on the German capital for five days of prayer, worship and discussions starting on Wednesday and climaxing in a huge open-air service on Sunday in front of the Reichstag.

German President Johannes Rau will open the festival, and Pope John Paul II is due to send a goodwill message. The Dalai Lama is also expected to attend.

More than half the members of the German cabinet, including Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, are due to visit at least one of the 3,000-odd scheduled events, from theatre and music to Bible study and anti-poverty discussions.

But the festival, which runs under the slogan “You shall be a blessing,” is not without its controversy.

Citing outstanding theological differences between the faiths, the pope has warned Catholics against sharing communion with their Protestant counterparts, dampening hopes of a ground-breaking reunion.—AFP