World Church · October 21, 2026
Young Catholics gather in Cologne for annual faith and friendship event
Approximately 150 to 200 young people are scheduled to meet in Cologne on October 24 to celebrate their faith together at an event called Meet & Christ. The gathering is organized by Tom Hatlapa, a catechesis and spirituality referent for the Archdiocese of Cologne, and is designed to bring together young Catholics from various parishes and spiritual communities.
The event lasts for about ten hours and begins with a communal Eucharistic celebration, which the organizers consider the foundation of the day. Following the Mass, a catechesis session is held where Sarah Briemle provides an insight on the annual theme, which this year is that the Lord makes all things new. The central part of the program involves small group discussions where participants exchange views on their faith and the day's theme. The day concludes with Eucharistic adoration, music, a dinner prepared by a cooking team, and open-ended social time that has previously lasted until one in the morning.
The initiative originated in 2019 from a series of smaller theology talks held in a Cologne pub called Theology vom Fass. Young attendees at those talks expressed a desire to know one another better, leading to the creation of this annual gathering. The event has taken place every year since its inception, with the stated intention of helping young Catholics step out of their usual social circles to strengthen one another and share their faith.
Organizers emphasize that the event is conducted in an atmosphere of freedom, where no one is forced to share personal details. Hatlapa notes that participants range from those just beginning to search for God to those with strong existing faith experiences. He reports that many lasting friendships have formed among the attendees and the organizing team, and he encourages hesitant young people to attend, stating that even simply experiencing the Mass and adoration together makes the visit worthwhile.