Coal mountain chapel

The coal mountain chapel in Fuchsstadt.

The Kohlenbergkapelle is located on the Kohlenberg above the new building area "Hinterm Turm" in the Lower Franconian community of Fuchsstadt in the Bavarian district of Bad Kissingen .

The chapel including the stations of the cross is one of the architectural monuments of Fuchsstadt and is registered under the number D-6-72-124-20 in the Bavarian list of monuments .

history

chapel

The construction of the chapel, which was dedicated to the redemption of mankind through Jesus Christ, dates back to the 1930s. An anonymous donor donated the necessary construction costs in 1933. The corresponding initiative by the local pastor Josef Wiesen was approved by the local council on June 25, 1935, which at the same time made the building site available. The Munich architect Georg W. Buchner was commissioned to plan the chapel in 1935 . According to Lothar Pfülb, a local historian from Fuchsstadt, the construction plans for the chapel can be traced back to the Salzburg architect Ferdinand Heimisel . Pfülb refers to a letter written by Heimisel, in which he announces the sending of his plans to Buchner and expresses his hope for Buchner's approval.

The chapel was built from shell limestone by local bricklayers with significant participation from master bricklayer Johann Volpert. On May 26, 1935, Diocesan Bishop Matthias Ehrenfried consecrated the chapel and on the same day the charity house in Fuchsstadt.

The hard cast iron bell had initially replaced the two confiscated bronze bells of the Assumption Parish Church in Fuchsstadt from 1917 during the First World War and later came into the chapel, where it has since been known as the "Kobarchsglöckle".

On the carved altar cross by Prof. Henselmann, a friend of local pastor Wiesen, the testimony of the captain, who looks at the crucified from his horse, is engraved: "Truly, this was God's son". In the chancel there is a relief of a crescent moon Madonna by the Munich sculptor Hübler. The inside sandstone figure of the Evangelist John from 1758 originally stood in Hauptstrasse 8.

Every year the St. Mark's procession and the prayer walk are held at the chapel on the second prayer day and on Palm Sunday - at the stations of the cross belonging to the chapel - the way of the cross. Today the Catholic labor movement sponsors both the chapel and the Way of the Cross.

The new coal mountain bell at the consecration of the bell

In 2012 plans arose to set up a cemetery at the Kohlenberg chapel . These plans were rejected by the Fuchsstadt municipal council in November 2016. After the Lauerbach Chapel had been considered as a location, the Fuchsstadt municipal council decided in January 2018 to set up the natural cemetery at the Kohlenberg chapel. In June 2018, a referendum was made against a natural cemetery at the Kohlenberg chapel.

New coal mountain bell

In 2016, the old chilled cast iron bell from 1917 lost its sound more and more, which indicated that it had reached the limit of its life. Chilled cast iron bells generally have a life expectancy of around 100 years. A new bell for the Kohlenberg chapel was to be procured through an initiative from the local population. Appeals for donations were published in the community newsletter and also in the parish letter. After approval by the local council (the community should bear the remaining risk if not enough donations were raised), a new bell could be commissioned from the bell foundry Ars Fundendi, master bell founder Peter Glasbrenner from Schwäbisch Hall. As a special feature, the bell was cast on site, at Wiesgarten in Fuchsstadt, exactly at the place where a bell was cast for Fuchsstadt in 1729, namely the big bell of the Fuchsstadt parish church.

The bell casting took place in wonderful weather as part of a festival on September 8, 2018, with great sympathy from the local population. The new bell has the inscription " PACEM IN TERRIS " (German: Friede auf Erden) at the top , " I call all people of good will " in the middle and " Fuchsstadt 2018 " at the bottom . On the back is a simple cross designed by Klaus Dittmann. After 76 years, Fuchsstadt now has a peace bell again, the sound of which is a constant reminder for peace on site and throughout the world. The bell has the tone a and weighs approx. 65 kg.

The consecration of the bell was celebrated on October 3, 2018 by Dean Michael Krammer together with Pastor Norbert Wahler. Here, too, the participation of the local population was very high and several Fuschter clubs and groups helped to organize the consecration of bells. Mayor Peter Hart announced that the new bell could be financed entirely through donations. Since October 16, 2018, the new bell can be rung again by anyone.

Way of the Cross

Way of the Cross at the Kohlenberg chapel (11th station).

The altar cross inside serves today as the twelfth station of the Stations of the Cross set up around the chapel, which was donated by the Munich-based master builder Josef Wahler, who comes from Fuchsstadt. The stone sculptor Ludwig Sonnleitner and his son Otto were able to complete the first two Stations of the Cross in 1950, but then Geistl died. Council of meadows and master builder Josef Wahler.

A donation from Walburga Wahler, the widow of the founder, enabled the completion of the Way of the Cross under Pastor Franz Schober. Pastor Schober had the Way of the Cross, contrary to plan, not set up on the way to the chapel but around the chapel. Cathedral Capitular Philipp Kaiser inaugurated the Way of the Cross on April 24, 1955 in the presence of the founder and Member of the Bundestag Maria Probst .