STORY: Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz received more than 100 Catholic carol singers from all over Germany on Thursday afternoon in the Chancellery. After the reception was smaller than usual due to the corona pandemic in 2022, 108 children and young people dressed up as “Three Wise Men” traveled to the capital again this year. For Scholz, it was the carol singers’ second visit during his time as chancellor. He had previously attended the funeral service for the late former Pope Benedict in the Vatican: “And of course it’s something very special that we’re getting together here today, because I’ve just come back from Rome, where we’re saying goodbye to Pope Benedict XVI today have taken. He was a formative figure in the Catholic Church and an important theologian. And it was very touching today to see how much this Pope meant to believers worldwide. Especially when you could also perceive and see the large number of those who then made it to Rome to take part.” The carol singers brought Scholz the blessing “Christ bless this house”. Around Epiphany on January 6th, carol singers go from house to house all over Germany, writing their blessings on doors and collecting donations for children all over the world.