300 kid figures talk out: Church abuse beneath highlight at International Early life Day

All over the International Early life Day in Lisbon from August 1st to sixth, 2023, an impactful artwork set up decorated the entrance of Cologne Cathedral. The set up featured 333 kid figures, draped in white-purple barrier tape, representing the colours of innocence and the curia.

With outstretched palms, those small figures pointed in opposition to the towering cathedral, drawing consideration to the church’s troubling historical past of mishandling sufferers and perpetrators of sexual abuse.

Aptly named “Shattered Souls in a Sea of Silence,” this thought-provoking art work via artist Dennis Josef Meseg aimed to enlarge the voices of the sufferers, giving them the visibility they deserve.