Good Friday: thoughts about death and the last way in life

Good Friday: thoughts about death and the last way in life

on April 17, 2025, in the middle of the Cor week in the Christian annual circle, the topic of “death” is omnipresent. Good Friday, the commemoration day of the suffering and death of Jesus, encourages to think about the universal and individual experiences of suffering and death. People in different parts of the world are still affected by conflicts and disasters, be it the civil victims in the Ukraine War, bloodshed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or the tragic consequences of earthquakes in Thailand and Myanmar. These circumstances illustrate how complex death is and how important it is to deal with it. This is also the concern of Dorothee Gottschalk, municipal officer in the Catholic parish of Heilige Elisabeth in Grünstadt, which emphasizes that dealing with the end of life and the possibilities for the consolation is of great importance. Thoughts about your own last path should not only be recorded in the mind, but also in conversations.

A central aspect is the "last aid course", which serves as support for relatives who want to prepare for the end of the life of a loved one. These courses aim to reduce fears and uncertainties because the way to death is unknown to death. The accompaniment by familiar people in the past few days and hours of life can be crucial.

Last aid courses: a offer of help for relatives

"Last aid courses" not only offer practical tips for supporting dying people, but also sensitize to the important role that relatives play in the final phase of life. Offered nationwide, for example from the Diakonissen Speyer, the courses convey knowledge and empathy. Dörte Kaufmann and Caroline Byrt, the course leaders, emphasize the relevance of human proximity and trust in one's own gut feeling. Participants like Manfred, who has to fight with allegations after his mother -in -law has died, are looking for clarity and a better understanding of the death process and the necessary decisions in these courses.

The course extends over four hours and includes several modules in which participants learn how to provide dying relief and maintain the quality of life until the last breath. Important aspects of death care are simple actions such as holding hands, the rich of drinks and the conversation or prayer with the dying. Course leaders also advise you to take the wishes of those affected seriously and to consider their non -verbal signals.

The death process as an intimate moment

The dying process describes the course leaders as an intimate moment that leaves space for grief and reflection. Prospective "last help" participants should also deal with existential questions and learn to seek support at stressful moments. The Diakonissen Speyer regularly offer these courses, which are affordable with a fee of 20 euros and are an important assistance for relatives.

In addition, there is also a research project called "Last aid: Inside in the workplace for a sensitive handling of dying, death and grief". In this way, institutions such as the Center for Palliative Medicine of the Cologne University Hospital and Caring Community are working together. The aim is to develop a concept that enables employees in companies to recognize and react the needs of other in difficult life situations. With free last help courses in professional contexts, topics such as illness and grief should also be treated sensitively.

the training in end of death and the conscious examination of this life topic is essential. The program offers show that in our society it is more than ever needed to support this crucial phase of life.