High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Jugendweihe (youth consecration) is a secular coming of age ceremony practiced by German 14 year olds. It originated among the secular societies in the 19th century as an alternative to Confirmation by the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches. It was especially widespread in East Germany, where atheism was encouraged under the GDR, but has become less popular since German reunification. Today it is occasionally known as Jugendfeier (youth ceremony).