Visitation of the Virgin Mary (Herzogenrath)
The Visitation of the Virgin Mary is a Roman Catholic branch church in Herzogenrath in the district of Kämpchen in the former municipality of Kohlscheid .
history
Before the end of the 19th century, roughly the entire area of the former municipality of Kohlscheid belonged to the parish of St. Katharina in Kohlscheid. Due to the strong development of mining and the increasing population with it, the need for their own parish church arose in many districts. So also in Kämchen, which had its own mine, which had meanwhile been merged with the other pits in the worm area and which was operated by the Eschweiler Mining Association (EBV).
A church building association was founded in 1935 and Bishop Johannes Josef van der Velden appointed Father Josef Moonen SMM ( Montfortaner ) as rector in 1945 (until 1948). In 1947 the rectorate was officially set up and separated from St. Katharina, and at the beginning of 1952 it became independent under property law. At the same time as the church was completed, the Visitation of the Virgin Mary was elevated to a parish.
The church
The preliminary design comes from Gottfried Jonas from Duisburg, the architect Peter Gier developed the construction plans and supervised the execution. After the first groundbreaking in July, the foundation stone was laid in October 1952. In June 1953 the church was consecrated.
It is a brick hall church under a low saddle roof . The floor space is 35 × 15 m and offers 250 seats and 600 standing places. A four-sided, massive bell tower with a low tented roof rises above the chancel, which only slightly protrudes from the ridge of the high gable roof. On each long side there are 12 coupled, round closed windows. There is a large tracery rose window above the main entrance in the east gable .
Inside the ceiling is clad with wood. The choir is increased by 6 levels. In 1954 a new organ was installed. The glass paintings from 1956 are by Johannes Beeck from Hinsbeck. Karl Radinger carried out the Way of the Cross in 1956. A major renovation was completed in August 1966.
prehistory
The general director of the EBV asked the general superior in Monschau to set up a branch in Kohlscheid for the operation of a preservation school and for outpatient nursing for families. In 1920 5 sisters of the Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Family (OSF) came to build the St. Joseph Monastery in rooms that the EBV had made available. The preservation school was opened in 1921 and a chapel was consecrated in the house. Soon the Franciscans from Aachen and the Fathers from Simpelveld were reading mass every day. In 1922 a sewing school was opened, which in 1930 was prepared as an emergency chapel by the people's mission because of the crowds. From July 1945 three masses were read in the monastery on Sundays and baptisms and first communions took place. This situation of makeshift aid over many years led to the desire to set up an independent parish. In 1961 the nuns were recalled and the monastery dissolved.
The parish
When it was founded, the parish included the districts of Kämpchen, Forstheide and Kircheich. In 2010 the five parishes in Kohlscheid, including the Visitation of the Virgin Mary, were merged into the large community of Christ our Peace .
Web links
Coordinates: 50 ° 49 '30.8 " N , 6 ° 5' 29.4" E