{"id":123659,"date":"2025-10-31T16:46:18","date_gmt":"2025-10-31T14:46:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/?p=123659"},"modified":"2025-11-01T09:27:33","modified_gmt":"2025-11-01T07:27:33","slug":"immersion-is-an-invitation-to-a-symphony","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/immersion-is-an-invitation-to-a-symphony\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2019IMMERSION IS AN INVITATION TO A SYMPHONY\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":331,"featured_media":123660,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4568,10172],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-123659","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","category-film"],"acf":{"legacy":false,"exclude_from_ads":[],"hero_title":"","subtitle":"A conversation with Archbishop Georg G\u00e4nswein about spiritual depth, the Vatican, and the future of the Church.","hero":{"video":false,"image":false,"header_color":"black","overlay_color":"","overlay_text_color":"black"},"teasers":{"video":false,"image":{"ID":123660,"id":123660,"title":"_DSF3633x-min","filename":"DSF3633x-min.jpg","filesize":256125,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3633x-min.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/immersion-is-an-invitation-to-a-symphony\/_dsf3633x-min\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"","name":"_dsf3633x-min","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":123659,"date":"2025-10-31 13:23:46","modified":"2025-10-31 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13:23:46","modified":"2025-10-31 13:38:10","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1644,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3633x-min.jpg","thumbnail-width":82,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3633x-min.jpg","medium-width":1644,"medium-height":1920,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3633x-min.jpg","medium_large-width":1644,"medium_large-height":1920,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3633x-min.jpg","large-width":1644,"large-height":1920,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3633x-min-1315x1536.jpg","1536x1536-width":1315,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3633x-min.jpg","2048x2048-width":1644,"2048x2048-height":1920,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3633x-min.jpg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":10,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3633x-min.jpg","wpvr_mobile-width":1644,"wpvr_mobile-height":1920}}],"settings":{"fit_width":"4","caption":"Archbishop Georg G\u00e4nswein in the meeting room of the Papal Nunciature in Vilnius. Photography by Tadas Kazakevicius."}},{"acf_fc_layout":"text_area","text_area":"

I<\/span>t is a sunny afternoon in Vilnius. At the Papal Nunciature, Georg G\u00e4nswein greets me with a firm handshake. His office is dominated by portraits of two popes: Benedict XVI, whom he served as a close confidant for nearly two decades, and John Paul II. Sunlight pours through the windows, illuminating a blossoming garden, as the archbishop reflects on spiritual immersion, the crisis facing the Catholic Church, and the power of the personal example.<\/p>\n

CHRISTIAN BRACHT<\/strong> Your Excellency, what does immersion mean to you personally \u2013 in a spiritual sense, but also in a secular one?<\/p>\n

GEORG G\u00c4NSWEIN<\/strong> It\u2019s always good to start with the word itself. Immersion comes from Latin and means \u201cto dive in\u201d \u2013 to engage with something, to wrestle with it. For me, immersion means giving myself over to a cause, a task, or a situation, and standing firm in it. Only then do I see what this encounter \u2013 which is meant to go deep \u2013 brings me. It can also be an encounter with a person. An encounter itself can be immersion. And when I think of myself: faith and the Church have much to do with this word. For me it is no foreign concept, but something that holds a firm place in my life \u2013 a lived reality.<\/p>\n

CB<\/strong> You spoke of diving in. Wouldn\u2019t \u201cdepth\u201d \u2013 Tiefgang \u2013 be a better word in German?<\/p>\n

GG<\/strong> Not quite. Both involve depth, but immersion is a process. Depth means you have already arrived and remain there, digging further. When I hear the word immersion, it resonates with me \u2013 like striking a bell. Does it sound clear? Does it have harmony? Is it symphonic or cacophonous? For me, immersion is an invitation to a symphony.<\/p>\n

CB<\/strong> In an increasingly secular world, how does the Catholic Church still manage to draw people to immerse themselves \u201cbody and soul\u201d in faith?<\/p>\n

GG<\/strong> I am Catholic through and through, and I am convinced that what is first required is courage, openness, and a healthy dose of curiosity. Why? Because the Catholic Church is not confined to Germany, nor does it only exist here \u2013 it is worldwide. At present, Germany is hardly a model nation when it comes to faith. Many people\u2019s attitudes toward the Church and faith are marked by bias and prejudice, which prevent them from truly engaging with the reality of Catholic belief.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"images","gallery":[{"ID":123662,"id":123662,"title":"_DSF3584x-min","filename":"DSF3584x-min.jpg","filesize":359572,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3584x-min.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/immersion-is-an-invitation-to-a-symphony\/_dsf3584x-min\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"Among objects of religious belief, G\u00e4nswein reflects on faith as a deeply rooted reality of life: \u201cWithout roots, there is no lifeblood.\u201d Photography by Tadas Kazakevicius.","name":"_dsf3584x-min","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":123659,"date":"2025-10-31 13:29:21","modified":"2025-10-31 13:30:02","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1644,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3584x-min.jpg","thumbnail-width":82,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3584x-min.jpg","medium-width":1644,"medium-height":1920,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3584x-min.jpg","medium_large-width":1644,"medium_large-height":1920,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3584x-min.jpg","large-width":1644,"large-height":1920,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3584x-min-1315x1536.jpg","1536x1536-width":1315,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3584x-min.jpg","2048x2048-width":1644,"2048x2048-height":1920,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3584x-min.jpg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":10,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3584x-min.jpg","wpvr_mobile-width":1644,"wpvr_mobile-height":1920}}],"settings":{"fit_width":"4","caption":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"text_area","text_area":"

CB<\/strong> What makes it so difficult?<\/p>\n

GG<\/strong> It\u2019s 2025. In Germany, when people hear the words \u201cCatholic Church,\u201d what comes to mind is abuse. The Church has lost its positive resonance. It wasn\u2019t always this way. The abuse crisis has profoundly damaged its image. Winning people over to faith in spite of that is a challenge we have not yet mastered. In my view, there is only one way: the personal example. It may sound old-fashioned, but example draws.<\/p>\n

CB<\/strong> So being a role model for others?<\/p>\n

GG<\/strong> In football, everyone knows what a fan is. A fan looks up to his idols, his football gods. We need to rediscover that in faith. An idol is a role model to emulate. Applied to faith, it means people need role models. We don\u2019t call them idols, but saints. Saints are there to help me live my life better. Faith is not meant to burden me; on the contrary, it gives me the springboard to bear life\u2019s burdens more easily.<\/p>\n

CB<\/strong> That\u2019s quite a communication task.<\/p>\n

GG<\/strong> Yes. Ultimately, the Gospel itself is communication. What is very important to me is testimony. When I am convinced of something, I am ready to bear witness to it \u2013 ready to roll up my sleeves and identify with it. And that has everything to do with immersion: allowing myself to be drawn into what we call the Gospel, or faith.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"images","gallery":[{"ID":123663,"id":123663,"title":"_DSF3399x-min","filename":"DSF3399x-min.jpg","filesize":362129,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3399x-min.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/immersion-is-an-invitation-to-a-symphony\/_dsf3399x-min\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"Christian Bracht (l) and Georg G\u00e4nswein (r) in conversation about role models, prejudices, and the struggle for credibility within the Church. Photography by Tadas Kazakevicius.","name":"_dsf3399x-min","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":123659,"date":"2025-10-31 13:30:32","modified":"2025-10-31 13:31:59","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1920,"height":1644,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3399x-min.jpg","thumbnail-width":112,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3399x-min.jpg","medium-width":1920,"medium-height":1644,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3399x-min.jpg","medium_large-width":1920,"medium_large-height":1644,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3399x-min.jpg","large-width":1920,"large-height":1644,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3399x-min-1536x1315.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1315,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3399x-min.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1644,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3399x-min.jpg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":14,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3399x-min.jpg","wpvr_mobile-width":1920,"wpvr_mobile-height":1644}}],"settings":{"fit_width":"6","caption":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"text_area","text_area":"

CB<\/strong> How important are rituals today, in a time when so much feels fleeting?<\/p>\n

GG<\/strong> Catholic liturgy lives from ritual, especially the sacraments, because they recognize the human being as both body and spirit. They carry the answers to life\u2019s<\/p>\n

deepest questions. The flip side is this: the less faith is practiced, the less the ritual is experienced. A ritual is meant to signify a reality that cannot be grasped by the senses. What is a sacrament? An outward sign of an inner, hidden reality. Through baptism, by water and prayer, a human child becomes a child of God \u2013 a fundamental change for the believer.<\/p>\n

CB<\/strong> You often speak Latin. Is this kind of immersion a refuge, or a statement against the spirit of the times?<\/p>\n

GG<\/strong> Without roots, there is no lifeblood. But roots are unseen \u2013 only what grows from them is visible. Latin is the root language of the Catholic Church, not only as its official tongue but especially as its liturgical one. Latin binds our present to all the centuries before us; it is an immersion into the deep memory of the Church, and at the same time a kind of safeguard, marking the boundary between the secular and the sacred.<\/p>\n

CB<\/strong> You come from the Black Forest. How did that immersion in nature shape your spirituality?<\/p>\n

GG<\/strong> The early years are the most formative \u2013 though one only realizes how formative later on. I grew up in a Catholic village, in a Catholic family. Prayer, Mass, the sacraments, serving at the altar \u2013 it was all simply normal. The longer I was away from home, the more I became aware of those roots.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"blockquote","text":"If faith is not accepted and lived from the heart, it becomes a burden. Then it is no longer what it should be: an opportunity to see the true goal of our life. Faith essentially\r\ninvolves a view of eschatology \u2013 the goal of life.","source":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"images","gallery":[{"ID":123664,"id":123664,"title":"_DSF3574x-min","filename":"DSF3574x-min.jpg","filesize":337832,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3574x-min.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/immersion-is-an-invitation-to-a-symphony\/_dsf3574x-min\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"The holy cross and the bishop\u2019s ring, ever-present companions, symbolise the enduring signs of ecclesiastical authority and the spiritual dignity of their bearer. ","name":"_dsf3574x-min","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":123659,"date":"2025-10-31 13:32:28","modified":"2025-10-31 13:39:07","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1644,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3574x-min.jpg","thumbnail-width":82,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3574x-min.jpg","medium-width":1644,"medium-height":1920,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3574x-min.jpg","medium_large-width":1644,"medium_large-height":1920,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3574x-min.jpg","large-width":1644,"large-height":1920,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3574x-min-1315x1536.jpg","1536x1536-width":1315,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3574x-min.jpg","2048x2048-width":1644,"2048x2048-height":1920,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3574x-min.jpg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":10,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3574x-min.jpg","wpvr_mobile-width":1644,"wpvr_mobile-height":1920}},{"ID":123665,"id":123665,"title":"_DSF3592x-min","filename":"DSF3592x-min.jpg","filesize":219577,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3592x-min.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/immersion-is-an-invitation-to-a-symphony\/_dsf3592x-min\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"A moment of contemplation \u2013\r\nG\u00e4nswein reflects on the power of personal example and football. Photography by Tadas Kazakevicius.","name":"_dsf3592x-min","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":123659,"date":"2025-10-31 13:32:35","modified":"2025-10-31 13:34:23","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1644,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3592x-min.jpg","thumbnail-width":82,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3592x-min.jpg","medium-width":1644,"medium-height":1920,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3592x-min.jpg","medium_large-width":1644,"medium_large-height":1920,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3592x-min.jpg","large-width":1644,"large-height":1920,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3592x-min-1315x1536.jpg","1536x1536-width":1315,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3592x-min.jpg","2048x2048-width":1644,"2048x2048-height":1920,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3592x-min.jpg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":10,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3592x-min.jpg","wpvr_mobile-width":1644,"wpvr_mobile-height":1920}}],"settings":{"fit_width":"4","caption":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"text_area","text_area":"

CB<\/strong> You were Pope Benedict\u2019s closest confidant for nearly two decades. What experiences left the deepest mark on you?<\/p>\n

GG<\/strong> There were both pos<\/span>itive and painful ones. The <\/span>positive was the papal election <\/span>of April 2005: the moment I no <\/span>longer stood before Cardinal <\/span>Ratzinger, but before the new<\/span>ly elected Pope Benedict XVI <\/span>in the Sistine Chapel \u2013 pledg<\/span>ing him reverence and obedi<\/span>ence. That experience was like <\/span>a tsunami, tossing me back and <\/span>forth inside.<\/span><\/p>\n

CB<\/strong> And the painful one?<\/p>\n

GG<\/strong> That was in February 2013, when Pope Benedict announced his resignation and left the Apostolic Palace. It marked the end of an era \u2013 very bitter and very painful. Ten years later, the sorrow repeated itself when Benedict died on 31 December 2022.<\/p>\n

CB<\/strong> You had to mediate between the conservative Pope Benedict and the more liberal Pope Francis. What did you learn about spiritual depth from that?<\/p>\n

GG<\/strong> Benedict was a man of thought \u2013 and a master of words. He would gladly have remained a professor. Becoming bishop, cardinal, and pope was something he accepted only reluctantly. Pope Francis, by contrast, has a very diff erent background. As a young Jesuit, he was provincial superior in Argentina, facing tough decisions in a difficult political climate. Benedict\u2019s spiritual depth was tangible. With Francis, it is not as perceptible. If I had to associate the word immersion with one of them, it would be Benedict.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"images","gallery":[{"ID":123666,"id":123666,"title":"_DSF3526x-min","filename":"DSF3526x-min.jpg","filesize":235592,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3526x-min.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/immersion-is-an-invitation-to-a-symphony\/_dsf3526x-min\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"Between past and present \u2013 on the transformation of spiritual spaces, from the Vatican to Vilnius. Photography by Tadas Kazakevicius.","name":"_dsf3526x-min","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":123659,"date":"2025-10-31 13:34:49","modified":"2025-10-31 13:35:28","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1644,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3526x-min.jpg","thumbnail-width":82,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3526x-min.jpg","medium-width":1644,"medium-height":1920,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3526x-min.jpg","medium_large-width":1644,"medium_large-height":1920,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3526x-min.jpg","large-width":1644,"large-height":1920,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3526x-min-1315x1536.jpg","1536x1536-width":1315,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3526x-min.jpg","2048x2048-width":1644,"2048x2048-height":1920,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3526x-min.jpg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":10,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3526x-min.jpg","wpvr_mobile-width":1644,"wpvr_mobile-height":1920}}],"settings":{"fit_width":"4","caption":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"text_area","text_area":"

CB <\/strong>Your office in the Vatican was once right next to Benedict XVI\u2019s. Today, your window looks out onto a fourlane road. How does spirituality shift when the external stage changes so radically?<\/p>\n

GG<\/strong> In the Vatican I had a magnificent view of St. Peter\u2019s dome, the Vatican gardens, and, on clear days, the Abruzzo mountains. It was an immersion in the beauty of art and nature. That nourished my spirituality. Here in Vilnius, it\u2019s different \u2013 immersion comes harder. Let me put it this way: my first skin is my own, my second is clothing, my third is my surroundings. That too shapes spirituality. To be quite honest: here I have to work harder to immerse myself.<\/p>\n

CB<\/strong> Can faith still be a place of radical devotion today, or has it become more of a cultural accessory in the wake of scandals?<\/p>\n

GG<\/strong> If faith is not embraced and lived from the heart, it becomes a burden. Then it is no longer what it should be: a chance to see the goal of life. Faith\u2019s essential task is to direct our gaze toward the goal and meaning of existence. If I no longer believe that resurrection and eternal life are the true core of our earthly journey, then \u2013 as Paul puts it starkly \u2013 it is better to eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. For Catholics, eternal life surpasses earthly life.<\/p>\n

CB<\/strong> You have met many powerful people. Did any encounters feel like entering another dimension?<\/p>\n

GG No, not in that sense. But there were personalities whose presence left a mark. Putin was one \u2013 though negatively. His presence gave me chills. In a positive sense, there was Queen Elizabeth. During Benedict\u2019s visit to Great Britain, I was deeply impressed. Her presence radiated warmth and gentleness, received as a blessing.<\/p>\n

CB<\/strong> If you could recommend a form of immersion to young people beyond dogma, what would it be?<\/p>\n

GG<\/strong> To let oneself fall into the Catholic faith \u2013 but only if one musters the courage, curiosity, and patience to truly commit to something important. Then you can see and feel whether it is genuine gold or just cheap trinkets. For me, the adventure has been more than worthwhile.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"images","gallery":[{"ID":123667,"id":123667,"title":"_DSF3621x-min","filename":"DSF3621x-min.jpg","filesize":271018,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3621x-min.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/immersion-is-an-invitation-to-a-symphony\/_dsf3621x-min\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"Photography by Tadas Kazakevicius.","name":"_dsf3621x-min","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":123659,"date":"2025-10-31 13:35:46","modified":"2025-10-31 13:35:51","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1644,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3621x-min.jpg","thumbnail-width":82,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3621x-min.jpg","medium-width":1644,"medium-height":1920,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3621x-min.jpg","medium_large-width":1644,"medium_large-height":1920,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3621x-min.jpg","large-width":1644,"large-height":1920,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3621x-min-1315x1536.jpg","1536x1536-width":1315,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3621x-min.jpg","2048x2048-width":1644,"2048x2048-height":1920,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3621x-min.jpg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":10,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DSF3621x-min.jpg","wpvr_mobile-width":1644,"wpvr_mobile-height":1920}}],"settings":{"fit_width":"4","caption":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"text_area","text_area":"

GEORG G\u00c4NSWEIN (67) has been Apostolic Nuncio to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia since 2023. From 2003 to 2023 he was private secretary to Pope Benedict XVI \u2013 first to Cardinal Ratzinger, then to the Pope, and finally to the pope emeritus. Born in the Black Forest, he was consecrated titular archbishop in 2012. After Benedict\u2019s death in 2022, he was transferred to Vilnius.<\/p>\n"}]},"yoast_head":"\n\u2019IMMERSION IS AN INVITATION TO A SYMPHONY\u2019 \u2019IMMERSION IS AN INVITATION TO A SYMPHONY\u2019<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/immersion-is-an-invitation-to-a-symphony\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"de_DE\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u2019IMMERSION IS AN INVITATION TO A SYMPHONY\u2019 \u2019IMMERSION IS AN INVITATION TO A SYMPHONY\u2019\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/immersion-is-an-invitation-to-a-symphony\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Sleek Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sleekmag\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-31T14:46:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-01T07:27:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@sleekmag\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@sleekmag\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Verfasst von\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Christian Bracht\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/\",\"name\":\"Sleek Magazine\",\"description\":\"Sleek is Germany\u2019s leading independent media house\/brand for creativity and innovation located in Berlin the creative capital of the world. 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