He looks like the nice grandfather next door. His gentle, calm voice gives a sense of security. German pastor W. Falter Meier knows how you approach people. He leads the small Russian Orthodox community in the drain-Mary Chapel in the heart of Cologne.
Since 1972, the German Orthodox priest. "A private decision," all he will say. The 80-year-old has two daughters and three grandchildren. There is no celibacy. The community is clear. About 350 pilgrims are coming regularly to pray.
For even more space in the small chapel would not be enough. About half of the believer comes from the Ukraine, many others are Russians. Especially at Easter, the highest holiday of the Orthodox Christians, the chapel is crowded.
But it's not just about prayer in the community. She also does something for the faithful. "We offer the example of women in the town of German language courses so that they can integrate more quickly in Germany."
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