Sacred Heart of Jesus fire

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sacred Heart Fire on the Ifinger
Sacred Heart Fire on the Ifinger ridge

The Sacred Heart Fire is a fire that originated in Tyrol in the 18th century and is still used today in all parts of the country ( North , East , South and Western Tyrol and Trentino and also in the three Ladin communities of Col, Fodom / Buchenstein and Cortina d'Ampëz / Ampezzo) and is related to the veneration of the Sacred Heart . The custom of lighting a fire in June goes back to earlier solstice or Midsummer bonfires, which were reinterpreted in memory of the “Sacred Heart Vow” of 1796.

Historical background

In the spring of 1796, the war hit the state of Tyrol completely by surprise and accordingly unprepared. The country remained completely untouched during the years when the emperor fought against the French in Belgium and northern Italy. The Tyroleans had the privilege, which Emperor Maximilian I stipulated in the " Landlibell " in the 16th century , that they neither had to take part in wars outside the country, nor to support these wars financially. In return, the Tyroleans had to take on the defense of their country themselves. This fact was always a thorn in the side of the government in Vienna, which is why Emperor Joseph II neglected both the annual exercises of the population and the arming of the people.

The state of Tyrol was made ready for war in April 1796. This meant that all men fit for arms received military training. After just three weeks, an army of 7,000 men was sent to the southern borders. From May 30th to July 1st of the same year, the smaller, 24-member committee of the Tyrolean provinces met in Bolzano to discuss the situation. It was the idea of ​​the pastor of Wildermieming , Anton Paufler, that the Stams abbot Sebastian Stöckl took up and suggested to the Tyrolean state parliament that the land should be entrusted to the "Sacred Heart of Jesus" and thus receive divine assistance. This proposal was accepted unanimously by the committee members. Particular attention was paid to the fact that this solemn oath covered the whole country in order to create a unifying bond. As a result, the Landsturm experienced an unprecedented influx of volunteers. When Tyrolean troops surprisingly defeated the French, Sacred Heart Sunday became a major holiday.

Relation to the Fires of the Sacred Heart

Sacred Heart Fire with the coat of arms of Achenkirch am Achensee on the Seekar (Karwendel Mountains)

Back then there weren't many ways to communicate with distant compatriots. For this reason, beacons were lit at certain peaks in order to call the Landsturm. These mountain fires also had something supernatural about them, so that they were lit on the occasion of the solemn celebration of the Sacred Heart Festival. Thus, the Sacred Heart Fires came more and more to the fore compared to the solstice fires that had been common up to this point in time.

today

This tradition is still upheld today and the state association with the Heart of Jesus is renewed every year. The fires are often arranged in the form of hearts, crosses or the signs of Christ (“ INRI ” or “ IHS ”). They are lit either on the Saturday or Sunday after the Sacred Heart Festival, as this festival in Tyrol is celebrated on the Sunday after the actual festival day on Friday. The religious idea of ​​1848 (renewal of the vow) has now become a custom that is also marketed for tourists.

The Sacred Heart Fires are lit every year in the evening on the 3rd Saturday or Sunday after Pentecost.

On the Sacred Heart Festival in 1961, BAS activists blew up 37 electricity pylons in South Tyrol as part of the so-called fire night . The aim of the attackers was to make the world aware of the South Tyrol issue.

Curiosity

A remarkable incident took place on Sacred Heart Sunday in 1920: It was the year in which the mountain fires were lit for the first time in the Kingdom of Italy since the end of the First World War . Since the army command did not know this custom and believed in a beginning popular uprising, all Italian troops stationed in Bolzano were put on alert.

Forest fire

On Saturday evening of June 9, 2018, groups put torches on wooden sticks in a steep mountain slope above Sautens , Ötztal, Tyrol. On Sacred Heart Sunday, June 10th, fire brigades with the help of a helicopter put out the resulting fire, which affected 500 m² of forest floor.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Martin Senoner: The importance of adoration of the Sacred Heart in the pastoral work of the Church of South Tyrol ( diploma thesis ), Brixen 1996, p. 45
  2. ↑ Heinz Wieser: Herz-Jesu-Gelöbnis , published in: Osttiroler Bote , edition of June 14, 2007
  3. ↑ Mountain fire torches triggered forest fire from orf.at, June 11, 2018, accessed June 11, 2018.

Web links

Commons : Sacred Heart of Jesus Fire  - Collection of images, videos and audio files