St. Verena (red on the red)

Former imperial abbey and St. Verena 2008

Floor plan of the monastery church

The early classical monastery church of St. Verena in Rot an der Rot was built and furnished from 1777 to 1786 during the tenure of Abbots Mauritius Moritz and Willebold Held. St. Verena is the last large new monastery church built by the Premonstratensians in Upper Swabia . The church as a whole is characterized by the transitional style from baroque to classicism , as is the architectural detail . The spacious monastery church of the former Premonstratensian Abbey of Rot an der Rot is 67 meters long, 20 meters wide and 22 meters high, with the nave at 34 meters barely larger than the choir room, which is 33 meters long. The towers can be seen from afar and are 60 meters high. The church is a Roman Catholic parish church in the parish of St. Verena of the pastoral care unit 2 Rot - Iller , in the Biberach deanery of the Rottenburg-Stuttgart diocese . The patronage is celebrated on September 2nd.

High altar

Interior in the direction of the choir from the organ gallery.

The high altar

The early classical structure of the high altar forms the architectural target point of the nave axis and stands out from the white of the wall as a canopy structure made of red stucco marble . The high altar, like all the rest of the altar furnishings and the pulpit, was made by Franz Xaver Feuchtmayer the Younger , who created it from 1785–1786.

Gilded ornaments adorn the altar structure . On the pedestals are oval medallions adorned with loops with reliefs of the symbols of the four evangelists and the four Latin church fathers , who symbolize the foundation of the church. The two groups are complemented by two important scholastic theologians and church teachers. The symbols embody (from left) Saints Thomas Aquinas , Luke , Hieronymus , Matthew , Ambrosius , Gregory the Great , Mark , Bonaventure , John and Augustine .

The painting Adoration of the Shepherds was created in 1694 by the Memmingen painter Johann Heiss (1640–1704).

At the side, between the columns, there are figures of St. Augustine with the flaming heart and Norbert with the monstrance . Both are shown in bishop's garb, the miter angels wear at their feet. On the entablature is a round cartouche with the coat of arms of the abbot Mauritius Moritz.

In the center of the sculptural crowning of the altar is the Lamb of God in a halo on the book with seven seals .

Choir stalls

Detail of the choir stalls

The choir stalls under the crossing dome in the choir are a masterpiece of baroque carving. It belongs to the figuratively decorated group of Swabian acanthus choir stalls, was created between 1691 and 1693 for the previous church and is the immediate successor to the Buxheim choir stalls . In addition to Andreas Etschmann from Tyrol, who married a Red woman, Ignaz Waibl , who was in the same training workshop with Etschmann, took over the sponsorship of Etschmann's first daughter in Red in 1693 and probably followed up with part of his workshop in Buxheim , could be the creator of the stalls Red was drawn. The carpenter Hans Heinrich Schlegel from Lucerne , who was Etschmann's best man in red in 1692, or Christoph Heinrich Dittmar, who worked as a sculptor at the pulpit of St. Martin in Memmingen , could also have worked as masters .

The stalls consist of two double rows of seats with a total of 42 stalls and a lavishly decorated dorsal . The eight acanthus essays with the figures of the apostles on the classicist confessionals in the nave formed the top of the choir stalls, but were not made until 1720 and are attributed to Johann Ruez from Wurzach. The two-row stalls consist of smooth folding seats between richly carved cheeks. These adorn caryatids (entablature supports) with bulging caryatids on the front with different types of heads, which are dissolved in variously designed acanthus volutes towards the rear wall .

Numerous symbolic representations are integrated into the foliage, such as the Lamb of God , the pelican, the dragon or the winged sphinx . The cheeks are also provided with volutes and figural reliefs in the foot area . The ends of the altar, where the church patroness Verena and Saint Norbert are depicted, were particularly splendid . The second row of seats is constructed in the same way. In the niches there are statuettes of Jesus and Mary and of saints and religious donors. So far it has not been possible to unequivocally identify all statues. There are uncertainties about Siard von Mariengaarde , Kajetan von Thiene and Romuald von Camaldoli . It is not clear whether it is John of God or Philipp Benitius , Prior General of the Servites . Saint Norbert von Xanten stands as the founder of the Premonstratensian at the beginning of the series of figures on the right (south side) .

Detailed description of the saints in the choir stalls

image	personality	High altar choir	personality	image
	Dominic of Caleruega 12./13. Century founder of the Dominicans		Romuald of Camaldoli (?) 10./11. Century founder of the Camaldolese
	Francis of Assisi 12./13. Century founder of the Order of Friars Minor		Bernhard von Clairvaux 11./12. Century important abbot of the Cistercians
	Petrus Nolascus 12./13. Century co-founder of the Mercedarians		Wilhelm von Malavalle 12th century hermit, model for the Wilhelmites
	John of God (?) 15./16. Century model for the Brothers of Mercy		Bruno of Cologne 11./12. Century founder of the Carthusians
	Petrus de Murrone 13th century founder of the Celestine hermits		Benedict of Nursia 5./6. Century founder of the Benedictines
	Elias 9th century BC BC Prophet, venerated by the Carmelites as "founder"		Ignatius of Loyola 15./16. Century founder of the Jesuits
	Maria		Christ
	Franz von Paola 15./16. Century founder of the Paulaner (Minimen)		Basil the Great 4th century father of Eastern monasticism
	Kajetan von Thiene (?) 15./16. Century co-founder of the Theatiner		Anthony the Great 3rd / 4th Century father of western monasticism
	Siard von Mariengaarde (?) 12./13. Century Premonstratensian Abbot		John the Baptist 1st century prophet and Baptist
	Augustine 4th / 5th Century author of the Rule of Augustine		Norbert von Xanten 11./12. Century founder of the Premonstratensian

The choir stalls were taken over in the new building in 1784 and adapted to the location. Instead of the crowning of apostles, the work now complements the classical prospectus of the choir organ, together with portals and the console of the instrument. Against the playful exuberance of the lush, swelling baroque forms, the strict, straight-line organ structure acts as a sober counterpoint. A straight parapet with a rectangular braided ribbon motif connects the two housings, which on the north side consist of a blender gel for reasons of symmetry.

Side altars

Baptism of Jesus by John

Reliquary shrine Aurelius Renatus

Creation of Adam and baptism of Jesus by John
Reliquary altars of Aurelius Renatus and his wife Domitia
Exaltation of the brazen serpent and crucifixion of Christ

On the left side altar, which is about the exaltation of the brazen serpent , the punishment of the people of Israel for their rebellion against God and Moses is depicted. God sends poisonous snakes, many Israelites are bitten and die. After the punishment has brought about repentance, God wants to save his people: The Lord answered Moses, `` Make a snake and hang it on a flagpole! Anyone bitten will stay alive looking at her. ( Num 21,8) The exaltation of the brazen serpent is a scene from the Old Testament that is seen as an anticipation of Christ's death on the cross.

Reliquary altars of Almachus and Benedictus

Almachus and Benediktus are catacomb saints whose relics the monastery acquired in 1788 and 1789, respectively. Both are said to have lived as Christian hermits and died as martyrs.

Ceiling painting

Handover of the white religious dress

The large oval picture in the choir depicts the handover of the white religious dress by Maria Immaculata, floating on clouds, to Norbert. Angels surround the central composition in a circle; some hold his insignia. According to a legend, a spider above a goblet refers to the fact that Norbert drank the poisonous animal that fell into the goblet with the blood of Christ and excreted it unscathed from his body through his nose after Mass. The chalice with the spider is one of its attributes besides the monstrance.

Norbert and the three evangelical councilors

The ceiling painting in the tower yoke shows the glorification of Saint Norbert in a cloud glory, surrounded by the allegorical representations of the three evangelical councils . The saint sits in a golden chariot, the yoke of which is drawn by obedience personified . The yoke, which is usually attached to obedience as an attribute, is here linked with an action. In the foreground, chastity is represented by an angel with a lily, who sets his foot as a sign of victory on the lust below him, symbolized by a woman with a goat. Next to her is poverty , a woman with a treasure trove of coins next to her. An angel to Norbert's left presents the signs of episcopal dignity, miter and crook , while to his right is an angel of trumpets, who proclaims the triumph of the virtues.

Twelve year old Jesus in the temple

Two children show the viewer the way to the center of the picture. The twelve-year-old Jesus stands there, wrapped in a red robe, raised on a pedestal , his right arm raised. There are scribes in discussion on both sides (Lk 2,46). From the faces and gestures of the scholars you can see that his speech triggered approval, rejection and thoughtfulness.

pulpit

The pulpit hangs on the pillar above the fourth side altar. The representations on the sound cover show a key theme of baroque sermons: death and the final judgment. There is a globe in the raised center of the lid. A putto with two attributes is sitting on it. With his right hand he holds a scepter in the air, at the tip of which the eye of God can be seen in a triangle, surrounded by a halo. It stands for the wisdom of God. The putto's left hand rests on a scale. In one of the scales there is a chalice with a host, the symbol of faith. The scales stand for the final judgment and the combination of cup and host alludes to John 3:18: Whoever believes in him will not be judged; whoever does not believe has already been judged because he did not believe in the name of the only Son of God. Next to the ball lies the apocalyptic lamb on the book with seven seals . The Holy Spirit is symbolized by the dove on the front of the sound cover.

Organs

→ Main article: Organs of the St. Verena monastery church (red on the red)

Michael Haydn composed the chorale manual Antiphonarium ad usum chori Rothensis especially for the Red Canons .

Baroque nativity scene

The figures of the baroque monastery crib have been preserved, but have been in the parish church in Legau since around 1810

Pastor in red

Ekkehard Schmid with the holy blood relic at the blood step in Weingarten (2011)

The following people have been pastors in red since the monastery was closed:

Vinzenz Lutz von Olzreute near Bad Schussenried, Exkonventuale, 1803–1828
Joseph Anton Straub von Erolzheim 1828–1832
Joseph Manz von Oberbronnen, Oberamt Ellwangen, 1833–1860
Adam Ferdinand Remlinger von Markelsheim 1862–1872
Anton Schenz von Ummendorf 1873-1892
Johann Evangelist Dieterich von Nusplingen, Spaichingen District Office, 1892–1916
Alfons Walser of Ravensburg 1916–1958
Fathers of the Premonstratensian 1958–1960
Walter Stemmer from Rottweil 1960 to 1983
Alfred Jäger from Reutlingen 1984 to 2000
Ekkehard Schmid von Reinstetten from 2000 to 2007
Ambros Tungl 2007 to 2017
Johannes-Baptist Schmid since 2019

literature

Aßfalg, Winfried: Andreas Etschmann, sculptor from Tyrol . In: Heimatkundliche Blätter for the district of Biberach, 16th year, 1993, issue 2, pp. 9-22.
Aßfalg, Winfried: The sculptor Andreas Etschmann . In: Heilige Kunst 1994, 26th year, Ostfildern 1994, pp. 57–76. (Updated version on the occasion of the final work on the choir stalls of the Buxheim Charterhouse)
Betz, Jutta: Rot an der Rot - former Premonstratensian Imperial Abbey . Peda Gregor, Passau 2001.
Braunfels, Wolfgang (ed.): Lexicon of Christian Iconography. 8 vols. Herder Verlag, Freiburg im Breisgau a. a. 1968-1976. ISBN 3-451-22568-9
Küchle, Hermann: 850 years of red on the red. History and shape. In: New contributions to the church and art history of the Premonstratensian Imperial Abbey. Sigmaringen 1976.
Catholic Parish Office Rot an der Rot (Ed.): Rot an der Rot. Its history and its two churches. Ottobeuren 1979
Schmid, Ekkehard: Parish Church St. Verena - Former Abbey Church Rot an der Rot. Verlag Wilhelm Kienberger Lechbruck, 2007
Stadelhofer, Benedikt: Historia imperialis et exemti Collegii Rothensis in Suevia. Augsburg I-II., 1787.
Stemmer, Walter: Red on the red. (Small art guide). Ottobeuren 1972, 1982
Wartena, Sybe: The South German Choir Stalls from the Renaissance to Classicism. Munich 2008 (Dissertation at the Ludwig Maximilians University)
Waldvogel, Rolf (text) / Volker Strohmaier (photos): The sky before your eyes - What Upper Swabia's baroque ceiling frescoes tell. Biberach 2009

supporting documents

↑ Ekkehard Schmid: Parish Church St. Verena - Former Abbey Church Rot an der Rot. Verlag Wilhelm Kienberger Lechbruck, 2007; P. 10
↑ Sybe Wartena: The Sueddeutsche choir stalls from the Renaissance to Classicism. Munich 2008, p. 411
↑ Sybe Wartena: The Sueddeutsche choir stalls from the Renaissance to Classicism. Munich 2008, p. 416
^ Hermann Küchle: 850 years of red on the red. History and shape. In: New contributions to the church and art history of the Premonstratensian Imperial Abbey. Sigmaringen 1976, p. 59
↑ Sybe Wartena: The Sueddeutsche choir stalls from the Renaissance to Classicism. Munich 2008, p. 431

Web links

Commons : St. Verena (Rot an der Rot) - Collection of images, videos and audio files

48.014631 10.029627Coordinates: 48 ° 0 '52.7 " N , 10 ° 1' 46.7" E

[1] Ekkehard Schmid: Parish Church St. Verena - Former Abbey Church Rot an der Rot. Verlag Wilhelm Kienberger Lechbruck, 2007; P. 10

[2] Sybe Wartena: The Sueddeutsche choir stalls from the Renaissance to Classicism. Munich 2008, p. 411

[3] Sybe Wartena: The Sueddeutsche choir stalls from the Renaissance to Classicism. Munich 2008, p. 416

[4] Hermann Küchle: 850 years of red on the red. History and shape. In: New contributions to the church and art history of the Premonstratensian Imperial Abbey. Sigmaringen 1976, p. 59

[5] Sybe Wartena: The Sueddeutsche choir stalls from the Renaissance to Classicism. Munich 2008, p. 431