World Church · October 23, 2026
Dresden-Meissen Diocese to hold thanksgiving service for Joachim Reinelt's 90th birthday
The Diocese of Dresden-Meissen has announced a thanksgiving service to mark the 90th birthday of former Bishop Joachim Reinelt. The ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, October 25, at 6:00 PM in the Dresden Cathedral. The diocese invites believers, companions, and interested members of the public to attend the event. Following the service, a reception is planned at the Cathedral House on Schlossstrasse 24, where attendees will have the opportunity to congratulate the former bishop in person. Reinelt will turn 90 on Wednesday, October 21.
Reinelt served as the head of the diocese for 24 years. His tenure began during the era of the German Democratic Republic and extended through the peaceful revolution and the reunification of Germany. During his leadership, the diocese established schools and Caritas institutions after 1990. His period in office also included the 1994 Catholic Congress held in Dresden and the beatification of the Sorbian chaplain Alojs Andritzki in 2011.
The Dresden Cathedral holds historical significance for Reinelt's career. He received his episcopal consecration there on February 20, 1988, administered by Bishop Gerhard Schaffran. Pope John Paul II had previously appointed him as the Bishop of Dresden-Meissen. Reinelt chose the motto "Jesus in medio," which translates to Jesus in the middle. This phrase references the biblical verse stating that Jesus is present when two or three are gathered in his name.
Born in 1936 in Neurode, Silesia, Reinelt grew up in Radeberg, Saxony, after his family was expelled from their home region. He was ordained a priest in 1961 and subsequently served as a pastor in Gera, Freiberg, Dresden, and Altenburg. In 1986, he assumed leadership of the Caritas organization within the diocese. He retired in February 2012 and has since lived in Dresden as an emeritus bishop.
The Catholic Diocese of Dresden-Meissen is located in Saxony and eastern Thuringia. It comprises 37 parishes and currently serves approximately 124,700 Catholics, representing about three percent of the local population. The proportion of Catholics is higher only in the settlement areas of the Sorbian-speaking minority in the Upper Lusatia region. The historical roots of the diocese date back to the 10th century, with the original Diocese of Meissen founded in 968 before it ceased to exist during the Reformation.