Christ Church (Cottbus)
The Catholic Christ Church in Cottbus, actually Church of the Good Shepherd, is a Roman Catholic church of the Provost Parish of the Good Shepherd Cottbus in the diocese of Görlitz . It has been a branch church since the two Catholic parishes in Cottbus were merged . It is the first Catholic church in Lower Lusatia after the Reformation.
history
From the middle of the 17th century until 1838, the Cottbus Catholic community had used the Ad sanctam portam church in the cemetery in front of the Spremberger Tor twice a year for services. After a Prussian army battalion was stationed in Cottbus around 1820, the number of Catholics rose rapidly. For this reason, on the initiative of pastor Florian Birnbach von Neuzelle, who was responsible for the Catholic mission in Cottbus, the construction of a church in today's Straße der Jugend began in 1848. The design came from the district builder Fritsch and master mason EG Stoske. The building was completed after Stoske's death in 1850 under the direction of FW Kahle and the church was given the patronage of the Good Shepherd on October 27, 1850 by Rev. Florian Birnbach.
After the church was no longer sufficient for the growing congregation, after several attempts a new parish church of St. Maria Friedenskönigin was consecrated in 1934 by the Breslau Archbishop Adolf Cardinal Bertram. Much of the church equipment from the old church was transferred there. Towards the end of the Second World War, the choir and sacristy suffered severe damage.
The number of Catholics had increased further as a result of the influx of Catholic expellees and so another Roman Catholic parish was to be founded as a parish curate . Since the purchase of a piece of land and a new church were not possible under the given political conditions, it was decided to use the old church. In 1965–67, the parishioners repaired the church building, mostly on a voluntary basis. The building was completely built with a basement to create community rooms. Gottfried Zawadzki from Kamenz was responsible for the redesign of the interior ; the metal work (altar, tabernacle and baptismal font) was carried out in Seidewinkel near Hoyerswerda by the NEUE FORM workshops for applied arts . The church was consecrated again on November 11, 1967 by Bishop Gerhard Schaffran . Since then it has only been referred to as the Christ Church.
description
The church is a simple hall building in exposed brick architecture with a gable roof , the rectangular nave has no tower, the longitudinal walls have large arched windows and the apse has semicircular blind windows and decorative frieze under the eaves. The corners of the building are reinforced by pilaster strips with attachments. In the place of the destroyed sacristy, a carved image of Jesus washing the feet can be seen on the wall. The side facing the street is provided with three portals, above them a rose window from the construction period. At the top is a roof turret, restored in 1996, with the original bell from the 19th century. In the interior there is a carved figure of the Madonna and Child from the 15th century, which was installed here in 1975 and restored in 1986. Only the altarpiece of Jesus as the Good Shepherd has been preserved from the original furnishings . This church is not only interesting as a testimony to the history of the Catholic community, but above all because it is the first Catholic church to be built in Lower Lusatia after the Reformation.
Rectory
The foundation stone for the former rectory was laid in 1850. As with the church, the construction was carried out under the direction of master mason Kahle. The building is a two-storey plastered building on a field stone foundation with arched windows and a roof and cellar that were originally built. Parts of the wall have also been partially preserved. The former entrance, which was closed during repairs in 1984, is portrayed in the manner of a portal with an arch over pilasters . In addition to the pastor's apartment, the Catholic school had been located here since 1851, which was re-established as a municipal Catholic school in 1896 and moved to Taubenstrasse 37. Today a regional Caritas office is located in the building .
Picture gallery
Street front of the Christ Church
rosette
Apse of the church
Jesus washing the feet
Entrance portals of the church
Street front of the rectory
Courtyard view of the rectory
literature
- Irmgard Ackermann, Marcus Cante, Antje Mues: Monuments in Brandenburg , Volume 2: City of Cottbus , Part 1: Old Town, Mühleninsel, Neustadt and Ostrow, inner Spremberger suburb, city promenade , western urban expansion, historic Brunschwig . Wernersche Verlagsgesellschaft, Worms am Rhein 2001, ISBN 3-88462-176-9 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Catholic parishes of Cottbus (Ed.): Florian Birnbach's dream. Festschrift 150 years of Catholic churches in Cottbus . Cottbus October 2000.
Coordinates: 51 ° 45 ′ 7.7 ″ N , 14 ° 20 ′ 1.1 ″ E