A large Christian cross image, formed by sunlight, for many years has appeared, then disappeared and vice versa on a 368 meter tall communications tower in the middle of Berlin, Germany. The tower is the Fernsehturm TV Tower built between 1965 and 1969 by the German Democratic government-Communist in East Germany.
When the sun shines on the Fernsehturm’s titled stainless steel dome, an image of a Christian cross usually appears. The architects of the tower and dome never purposely deigned the structure to project the cross image and were just as surprised as everyone else when they first saw it, or so the story is told. As a critique against the atheist core of the Communist government, which led to the destruction of many churches, the persecution of Christian leaders and Chrisitanityin, many Berliners call the luminous cross “Rache des Papstes” or “Pope’s Revenge”. Some residents even envisioned a message from “Saint Walter” aka Walter Ulbricht.
It is important to understand the Christian cross image originally appeared at a time when the crosses were being taken down from existing churches and frightened many workmen who erected the Fernseht. People began to think the cross image was a sign from God to show the hard-line atheistic, Communist government of then East Germany that there is a living God, a Jesus Christ, who is giving a divine sign that Christianity will not perish from the German people. It is interesting to note, the Communist, atheistic preaching government of East Germany is gone, for many years, while the Christian cross on the Berlin television Tower continues to shine.
Rick Steves, on his television series on travels to Europe, shown on public television, did an episode on the former East Germany with emphasis on Berlin, the capital of a united Germany today. The segment featured the Christian cross image on the Berlin television tower. Steves reports that the city is proud of its Christian relic building and many Berliners make sure they visit that communication tower and get a glimpse of the Christian cross image. People from all over the world, as tourists in Germany, have viewed the tower and saw its sunlight created Christian cross. At least some believe they receive a special blessing for this act of Christian pilgrimage.
Internet travel information, from Berlin, itself, mention the story of the communications tower and the Christian cross phenomenon. And some firmly believe photos of the tower and the cross sighting – portray a scene whereby individuals can actually see the ” Hand of God” at work, preserved on the photograph.
