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# What Is the Day of Repentance and Prayer? [With Practical Tips]
- URL: https://thepulse.org/en/what-is-the-day-of-repentance-and-prayer/
- Published: 2023-11-20T16:07:35.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-06T18:36:02.000Z
- Description: Background and ideas for how you can observe the Day of Repentance and Prayer, a Protestant holiday in Germany, with your youth group or church, and personally, too.
- Author: Daniel Oesterle
- Tags: Articles, #target-leaders, #age-teens, #occasion-repentance-day, #target-educators, #topic-discipleship, #context-youth-night, #translation-pending

On the Wednesday before the last Sunday of the church year, the Protestant churches in Germany observe the Day of Repentance and Prayer (Buß- und Bettag). But what is the Day of Repentance and Prayer actually about? And why is this day interesting not only for members of Germany’s regional Protestant churches? We explain the background and give you a few ideas for how you can observe this underrated holiday with your youth group or church, and personally, too.

## Where does the Day of Repentance and Prayer come from? A short history

As the name suggests, this day is meant to be a time of reflection, turning back and prayer. Not least because of its historical connection with the state, social aspects are often emphasized today, and people are called to civic engagement and to stand together.

Nationwide days of repentance and fasting, especially in times of crisis, already existed in Old Testament times ([2 Chronicles 20:3](https://www.bible.com/bible/111/2CH.20.3.NIV?ref=thepulse.org), [Nehemiah 9](https://www.bible.com/bible/111/NEH.9.NIV?ref=thepulse.org), [Jonah 3:4-10](https://www.bible.com/bible/111/JON.3.4-10.NIV?ref=thepulse.org)). The Christian church established [regular days of repentance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ember%5Fdays?ref=thepulse.org) early on, and today there are comparable holidays in other countries, too (such as the [“Federal Day of Thanksgiving, Repentance and Prayer”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal%5FDay%5Fof%5FThanksgiving,%5FRepentance%5Fand%5FPrayer?ref=thepulse.org) in Switzerland), but in the strict sense, the Day of Repentance and Prayer is a German peculiarity.

In the second half of the 19th century, the various German regional churches agreed for the first time on a common day of repentance: the Wednesday before Totensonntag (the Sunday of the Dead). In 1893, this day became a state holiday in Prussia, and from 1934 in the entire “German Reich.” During the war years, the day of repentance was moved to a Sunday. After World War II, the Day of Repentance and Prayer was reinstated in West Germany, and after reunification in the whole Federal Republic. So until 1994, the Day of Repentance and Prayer was a public holiday in Germany, but then (no joke) it was [abolished to save money](https://www.focus.de/wissen/buss-und-bettag-wo-in-deutschland-der-20-november-2023-ein-feiertag-ist%5Fid%5F9911480.html?ref=thepulse.org) (in German).

![A man in a gray T-shirt stands between empty church pews with his head bowed and his hands folded in prayer](https://thepulse.org/en/content/images/2026/11/Man-praying-near-altar.jpg)

In the Bible, God calls people, churches and entire nations to turn back again and again, and through it promises them blessing. Photo: [Ben White](https://unsplash.com/@benwhitephotography?ref=thepulse.org), Unsplash

Today, Saxony is the only German state where it’s still a “real” holiday for employees. In Bavaria, schools are at least closed, and [in Berlin, Protestant students are allowed to “take the day off”](https://www.saechsische.de/sachsen/was-sie-ueber-den-buss-und-bettag-wissen-sollten-5926256.html?ref=thepulse.org) (in German). In addition, according to the newspaper *Sächsische Zeitung*, employees in most German states are entitled to a day off work for religious reasons (that means they don’t have to use a vacation day, but they don’t get paid for it either).

## The power of turning around: a plea for an underrated holiday

The word “repentance” sounds old-fashioned to most people. Or, because the German word for it, *Buße*, also means a fine, it makes people think of tickets for “traffic sins.” And you could argue that the idea behind it, of [improvement and turning around](https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Busze?ref=thepulse.org) (in German), in the sense of deliberately turning toward God and, with it, turning away from behavior that doesn’t fit God’s nature, is becoming less and less popular in many areas of society and even in the church.

And yet that’s exactly the core of what we as Christians believe: the core of our message, [the mission of the church](https://www.bible.com/bible/111/2CO.5.18-21.NIV?ref=thepulse.org). In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus begins his public ministry with the words: “Repent and believe the good news \[that is, that God’s kingly rule over the whole earth has begun\]!” ([Mark 1:15 NIV](https://www.bible.com/bible/111/MRK.1.15.NIV?ref=thepulse.org)). And at Pentecost, the “birthday of the church,” the apostle Peter tells the people what he learned from Jesus: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” ([Acts 2:38 NIV](https://www.bible.com/bible/111/ACT.2.38.NIV?ref=thepulse.org)). These passages emphasize that repentance is something active that may, and should, take some effort. On the other hand, the Bible also speaks again and again of repentance as something God works in us and wants to give us (for example, in [2 Timothy 2:25](https://www.bible.com/bible/111/2TI.2.25.NIV?ref=thepulse.org)).

In the Bible, God calls people, churches and entire nations to turn back again and again, and through it promises them blessing (for example, [Malachi 3:6-12](https://www.bible.com/bible/111/MAL.3.6-12.NIV?ref=thepulse.org), [Acts 3:19-21](https://www.bible.com/bible/111/ACT.3.19-21.NIV?ref=thepulse.org), [Revelation 2:19-29](https://www.bible.com/bible/111/REV.2.19-29.NIV?ref=thepulse.org)).

****📖 More Bible passages for the Day of Repentance and Prayer**  
• [Psalm 51](https://www.bible.com/bible/111/PSA.51.NIV?ref=thepulse.org): King David’s great psalm of repentance  
• [Luke 15](https://www.bible.com/bible/111/LUK.15.11-32.NIV?ref=thepulse.org): The story of the lost son  
• [Ezekiel 22:23-31](https://www.bible.com/bible/111/EZK.22.23-31.NIV?ref=thepulse.org): Sermon text for the Day of Repentance and Prayer 2023

How good it is, really, that there’s a day that shows up on almost every calendar in Germany, whose name makes people stop and wonder, and that prompts them to face some uncomfortable questions. The Day of Repentance and Prayer reminds us that it’s important to pause and think about the consequences of our own actions, or at least it could. What would happen if we Christians, the church and, beyond that, society became newly aware of our responsibility before God?

> This day offers an opportunity to focus on what really matters, to examine our spiritual direction and to reflect on whether our values and our behavior line up with each other. We just have to use it.

Seen this way, most people would probably agree that this day does have a right to exist. In a hectic world where time is often short, it would surely be healing to observe a day like this as a special day out of the ordinary, perhaps even as an official public holiday again.

## How can you observe the Day of Repentance and Prayer? Practical ideas

Whether or not you or your teenagers have the day off, whether you’re Protestant, from a free church, Catholic or even without any church affiliation and skeptical: It’s worth observing this day intentionally.

Maybe your church is holding a special service anyway, maybe you have youth group on Wednesdays anyway, maybe you want to start a special last-minute activity, or simply take the Day of Repentance and Prayer, on your own or with a few friends, as an occasion to celebrate the heart of the Christian faith anew. Here are a few practical ideas.

### “Post-it guerrilla”

Resist sin, death and the devil (as Luther would have put it) by scattering subversive messages in public spaces. Following the example of the [“Erinnerungsguerilla”](https://die-erinnerungsguerilla.org/?ref=thepulse.org) (“reminder guerrilla,” in German), you can put yellow sticky notes with food for thought about repentance in public places, without any religious language at all.  
(Please respect public and especially private property!)

![Two photos of yellow sticky notes in public places: one covers a woman’s face in a narrow shopping street and asks “What are you living for?”, the other is stuck on a wall above street art and asks “Is what you’re doing good for you?”](https://thepulse.org/en/content/images/2026/11/erinnerungsguerilla.png)

The sticky notes ask: “What are you living for?” and “Is what you’re doing good for you?” Photos: [Erinnerungsguerilla](https://die-erinnerungsguerilla.org/?ref=thepulse.org) (in German)

Our suggestions:

- Where will you end up if you keep going in this direction?
- Do you listen to your conscience?
- Who do you still need to apologize to?
- What habit isn’t good for you? Have you talked to God about it yet?
- Where might God want our society to change? What can you contribute?

### Traditional confession

Few days are better suited than the Day of Repentance and Prayer for admitting your wrongs not only to God and yourself, but also in front of another person. The German Protestant hymnal says this about it: “In confession, recognized guilt may be spoken aloud, the longing for reconciliation with God and with people expressed, and forgiveness pronounced. \[…\] For individual confession, you turn to a pastor, who is bound by ordination to keep the seal of confession, or to another Christian you trust. The seal of confession is protected by law” (*Evangelisches Gesangbuch*, edition for the Protestant Church in Württemberg, 1996, p. 1459).

There you’ll also find, for example, a liturgy for confession and absolution. As the person in charge, you can offer personal confession if the setting allows it. For youth groups, an activity like writing down the sins that weigh on them and burning them, combined with the assurance of God’s forgiveness in Jesus, may be a better fit. Of course, you can still offer a personal conversation afterward.

### Digital fast

Encourage your teenagers to do a digital fast on the Day of Repentance and Prayer. It can take different forms:

- A day without phones or computers
- Allowing only calls and switching everything else off
- Deactivating certain apps
- And so on

Alongside this, you can plan activities together (from the ideas in this article) or other activities that invite people to slow down and reflect. Ideally, these activities should work without digital devices, for example, walks together in nature.

Encourage your teenagers to write down their experiences and thoughts in a physical journal to reflect on the day. You might also want to make room for this at your next group meeting and get people sharing what they experienced.

### Pray creatively for society and the church

Creative prayer uses various forms of artistic expression to voice prayers and thoughts for society and the church.

- **Prayer stations**
- **Community artwork**: You could create a large “artwork” in your building or on your grounds, made up of the individual prayers of everyone taking part.
- **Prayer garden**: Create a public prayer garden where people can write their prayers on stones or attach them to trees as a sign of their intercession for society and the church.

### Get your hands dirty

This idea involves practical engagement that serves people’s physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.

You could organize groups that help with social projects, for example, handing out food to people in need, renovating community centers or caring for public green spaces.

### Devotional ideas for the Day of Repentance and Prayer

Object lesson: My way, God’s way. Bible passage: [Jeremiah 29:11-13](https://www.bible.com/bible/111/JER.29.11-13.NIV?ref=thepulse.org). Main idea: We can trust that God holds all the pieces in his hands and has a plan for our lives.

Devotional thought on a well-known saying: “Stay just the way you are”!?

📚

****This might help you too:** [Mental Health: Is Our Society Making Us Sick?](https://thepulse.org/en/mental-health-is-our-society-making-us-sick/)  
The problem: An identity we have to assign to ourselves is always highly unstable.

*Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.*