Chalice of St. Liudger
The chalice of St. Liudger is a medieval communion chalice owned by Werden Abbey . Today it is kept with the inventory number L 4 in the treasury of the Propsteigemeinde St. Ludgerus in Essen-Werden . Probably originated around 1060, it was never owned by Liudger , who died in 799 , but was venerated as his relic when it was first mentioned in 1547 . The chalice is closely related to the Helmstedt Cross , a 110 cm crucifix, which is also kept in the Werden Treasury .
description
The handleless goblet is a rather smaller specimen with a height of 11.5 cm. It consists of three parts, the Kelchfuß, a knop and the Kuppa , which are held together by a screw connection. The balanced proportions are due to the almost identical dimensions of the foot and cup. The curved foot measures 4.5 cm in height, the flat, spherical nodus 2 cm, the half-oval dome 5.5 cm, the diameter of both the foot and the kuppa 6.8 cm, while the diameter of the nodus is 4 cm. With a wall thickness of 1.2 mm, the fire-gilded chalice, cast from an alloyed copper compound, weighs 400 grams. The design is simple, without figures or ornaments, only on the lower edge of the foot and the upper edge of the cup there are two encircling inscriptions that indicate the liturgical function of the chalice. The lower inscription, the beginning of which is marked by a cross, reads: HIC CALIX SANGVINIS DNI NRI IHV XPI (This is the cup of the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ)
The upper inscription continues, also beginning with a cross: AGITVR HEC SVMMVS P POCLA TRIVMPHVS (The highest triumph is accomplished through this sacrificial drink)
Remains of a dark insert have been preserved in the recesses of the inscriptions. It is possible that the kuppa originally had an insert made of precious metal .
According to the scientific analysis of the material used, the chalice consists of 95% copper , 2.8% lead , 1.3% tin and 0.63% zinc as well as arsenic , antimony , silver , nickel and iron . The screw that holds the chalice together differs in composition, but corresponds to medieval brass .
History
The origin of the chalice is in the dark. It was most likely cast in Werden, probably by a very experienced caster; perhaps the so-called Helmstedter Kreuz was intended for the sister abbey in Helmstedt. Around 1060 , extensive construction work was carried out in the St. Ludgeri monastery , which formed a double monastery with Werden , on which craftsmen sent from Werden were active, such as the almost identical acanthus capital in the Johannes chapel in Helmstedt, the Ludgerid crypt in the Werden abbey and in Werden Lucius Church very strongly suggest. It is therefore assumed that the chalice was created together with the Helmstedt cross in this context for the refurbishment of the monastery church, but this has not been proven. During scientific investigations prior to the restoration of the cross, it was found that the composition of the material of the crucifix and chalice are identical, which suggests casting in a workshop, possibly from the same casting batch. Both objects were first mentioned in 1547. In that year the monastery of St. Ludgeri was threatened by Protestant iconoclasts . Werdener Abbot Hermann von Holten , who in personal union was abbot of Helmstedt, brought chalice and cross of Helmstedt to becoming safe. Hermann von Holten was accompanied on this trip by Werdener Cellerar , the later abbot and historian Heinrich Duden , who reported about it in his annals of Werden Abbey. Since the chalice was regarded as that of the holy founder of Werden Liudger Monastery, it was subsequently regarded as a relic and venerated as such. On special occasions it was still used as a communion chalice. When the Werden Abbey was abolished in 1802, it came into the possession of the parish of St. Ludgerus, whereby the costs of maintaining and restoring the pertinence pieces lie with the state of Prussia , or as a legal succession today with the state of North Rhine-Westphalia . The chalice was re-gilded several times, this is documented for 1837 and most recently in 1956.
Research history
The relatively simple chalice was traditionally regarded as Liudger's chalice in Werden Abbey, so that the first art-historical classifications accordingly dated it to the 8th century, so one wanted to read a chronogram 788 from the inscription , although chronograms were still unknown in the Carolingian period. Due to comparisons with other objects, it was classified as younger, Victor H. Elbern particularly used the grave chalice of Hildesheim Bishop Osdag († 989) as a reference object. Since it has meanwhile been proven that the material is identical to that of the Werden crucifix, which in terms of form can be dated very precisely to around 1060, it must now be regarded as cast around 1060.
literature
- Andrea Wegener, Daniela Krupp, Katharina Hülscher (eds.): Golden times? - The restoration of the Werden crucifix . Publisher adson fecit Dr. Gregor Meder Essen, Essen 2019, ISBN 978-3-9816594-8-1 .
Web links
Website of the treasury St. Ludgerus zum Kelch
Remarks
- ^ Roland Schwab, Frank Willer: Archaeometric investigations on the metal alloys of the crucifix and chalice . In: Andrea Wegener, Daniela Krupp, Katharina Hülscher (eds.): Golden times? - The restoration of the Werden crucifix . P. 83
- ↑ Frank Willer: Investigations into the manufacturing technique of crucifix and chalice . In: Andrea Wegener, Daniela Krupp, Katharina Hülscher (eds.): Golden times? - The restoration of the Werden crucifix . P. 61
- ↑ Victor H. Elbern: suction. Chalice of Saint Liudger . In: Jan Gerchow (ed.): The millennium of the monks: Kloster WeltWerden 799–1803 . Essen 1999, p. 511
- ↑ Andrea Wegener: From Helmstedt to the Ruhr II - The so-called chalice of Saint Liudger . In: Andrea Wegener, Daniela Krupp, Katharina Hülscher (eds.): Golden times? - The restoration of the Werden crucifix . P. 50