How did ancient German religious ceremonies contribute to the development of bowling at pins?

The origins of bowling at pins are often traced to religious ceremonies in ancient Germany dating back to the 3rd or 4th century CE.1

In these rites, held within church cloisters, parishioners would place their Kegel—a club carried for sport and self-protection—at the end of a runway. This Kegel was said to represent a Heide, or "heathen". Participants would roll a stone at the club, and those who successfully toppled it were believed to have proven their purity and cleansed themselves of sin.12

Over time, these clubs evolved into the pins used in the modern game, though the historical connection persists in the term kegler, which is still used to describe a bowler. While the practice began as a test of religious faith, it eventually transitioned into a popular secular pastime, spreading throughout Europe and evolving into the various forms of bowling recognized today.21