The best dog-friendly hikes and walks around Gerolstein

The chapel in Müllenborn is locked, a sign next to the door gives an address nearby where the key can be picked up. However, no one was home when we tried, so unfortunately an interior visit was not possible. Hopefully others will have more luck. „Almighty, eternal God, you have given your Church a powerful herald of the true faith and a helper in need in Saint Anthony of Padua. Grant that, following his example, we may lead a Christian life and experience your help in all our needs.“ (Daily prayer of the Catholic Church on the feast day of Saint ANTHONY of PADUA, June 13th)

To us, such a mill pond, as it presents itself to the viewer here on site – at the Müllenborn hiking parking lot – may seem very ordinary, but in the fantasy world of, for example, Otfried Preußler (1923 to 2013), who became famous for the children's books he wrote, it looks completely different: It is also the habitat of a water sprite family, and his book, still popular today, "The Little Water Sprite" tells of the adventures that the young family members experience in the mill pond. The "Stiftung Lesen" (Reading Foundation) reviews: "The water sprite has invited twenty-seven relatives – and twenty-six have come. Twelve water sprites with their wives, a well sprite and the bridge maiden from the Sankt Nepomuk Bridge! And they have all accepted the invitation because they want to see the little water sprite, of whom the water sprite dad is so proud. And he can be – because the cheeky little rascal can swim as soon as he is born. And he learns everything else faster than his worried parents would like. Sometimes his friend, the thoughtful carp Cyprinus, can only wiggle his fins ... The 1956 children's book classic has already enchanted generations of readers, who, alongside the fantastic adventures of the little water sprite, can also pass on their own childhood memories when reading aloud to children from approx. 5 years of age." (Source: Stiftung Lesen)

Each of the many small sacred monuments, which were often donated generations ago out of deep popular piety, proclaims to the believing observer the eternal message of the death of Jesus Christ, but this is only apparently the end: for at the same time it is also a sign of the overcoming of death through his glorious resurrection, which we Christians celebrate at Easter. At the beginning of this year's Easter Lenten season, Pope Leo XIV, in an address, described the Cross of Christ as the “deepest revelation of God's love”.

In view of the Passion story of Jesus Christ – which ends in the apparent powerlessness of the cross, but finds its Easter fulfillment in the glorious resurrection from the dead – Karl Cardinal Lehmann writes in a contribution titled "Power and Service" the following: + "But ultimately, he takes this service seriously by giving his life even unto death on the cross. Everything ultimately finds its ultimate and deepest justification in the recourse to Isaiah's prophetic proclamation, which Jesus makes his own here: 'For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many' (Mark 10:45; cf. Isaiah 53:10-12). To give his life as a ransom for many, this is Jesus' mission and cause. He can only mean this of himself. This word accentuates the uniqueness of the service of Jesus giving his life." This unique service of the Son of God also applies to us, the people of today, almost two millennia after his death on the cross – and its overcoming through the resurrection. And each of these sacred little monuments that we encounter along the way – as here on site – keeps the memory of this alive.

Richard Karl Freiherr von Weizsäcker (1920 to 2015, then in office as Federal President) gave a much-noticed speech on May 8, 1985, at a commemoration ceremony on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the end of World War II, and his words are – even another 40 years later – still relevant. In the last section of this speech, he expressed a request to young people on the one hand and formulated an appeal to politicians on the other: + “The request to young people is: Do not let yourselves be driven into enmity and hatred against other people, (...). Learn to live with each other, not against each other. Let us as democratically elected politicians also always bear this in mind and set an example. LET US HONOUR FREEDOM. LET US WORK FOR PEACE. Let us adhere to the law. Let us serve our inner standards of justice. Let us look ... as best we can, truth in the eye.” (R. v. Weizsäcker)

The pond is integrated into the nature trail!

Along the forest nature trail, which is part of the forest marble run, there are several "puzzles" where a wooden ball reveals the correct solution. The smiley face is either smiling or sad. A great concept, not just for children! 😀

Somewhat hidden, about 5 meters off the path, you actually only see it a few meters before you reach it.