German TV airs Eid prayers in historic broadcast

In a first, a German TV channel aired live Eidul Fitr prayers from Penzberg mosque situated in a Bavarian town near Munich.

The sermon that marked the beginning of Eidul Fitr holidays and the end of the holy month of Ramazan was aired at 4:45am local time on Friday, July 17.

Read: Holy calling: Eidul Fitr prayer timings

Ahead of the sermon, Benjamin Idriz, the preacher who led the prayers, told Al Jazeera the move was historic for Muslims in Germany. The broadcast was part of a wider two-hour coverage on the Muslim holiday that included the sermon, narration of the Quran, Islamic chanting, and speeches by Christian Catholic and Protestant priests.

Read: Celebrating Eidul Fitr, the end of Ramazan, with sweet, traditional treats

The broadcast has indirectly helped clear the air after it was polluted with the emergence of extremist groups like the Islamic State (IS). The IS has added immense psychological pressure on German Muslims and the transmission of Eid prayers will help the German Muslim community feel more welcome and an integral part of Germany.

Read: Eidul Fitr : Capital police devise security plan

The move came just two weeks after German Chancellor Angela Merkel attended an iftar, the meal to break the Ramazan fast, for the first time. This was followed by a speech that included a reassuring comment of Islam being “a part of Germany”.

This article originally appeared on Al Jazeera.