Book of Mary
The pilgrimage church Mariabuchen is located in the eastern part of the city of Lohr am Main in the district of Sendelbach and is one of the most famous pilgrimage destinations in the Spessart . It was inaugurated on May 29, 1701 by Würzburg Auxiliary Bishop Stephan Weinberger (1667–1703). The church, located on a forest path, once the shortest connection between Lohr am Main and Karlstadt , looks back on a much longer history if the legend is to be believed.
Legend
According to legend, a shepherd in the Middle Ages placed a self-carved figure of Mary in the knothole of a beech tree in order to pursue his piety in peace. The little figure, which has grown in over time, gradually became known to the residents of the surrounding villages, which laid the foundation stone of the pilgrimage site.
The figure that had grown into the tree over the years was forgotten again. However, it was not possible for unbelievers to walk past the beech. An invisible force stopped them. One day, however, an unbeliever angry about this obstacle thrust his sword into the book, whereupon the words "O woe" rang out three times and his sword was bloody at the tip. The unbeliever was so shocked that he stopped dead in his tracks and was only freed by passing Christians. Then the beech was felled and the ingrown figure was found again. It had the notch of the sword in the back. These incidents led the unbelievers to become Christians and henceforth to reside near the Bay of Mary.
The pilgrimage church
The oldest structural reference to the discovery of the statue of the Virgin Mary is a stone with the inscription "1406 ISM (Inventio Sanctae Mariae)". This stone is built into the north wall of the pilgrimage church. The pilgrimage tradition in the original chapel (built in 1434) is mentioned in several historical sources; At the end of the 18th century the chapel was too small and in need of renovation. A new building was commissioned in 1692, consecrated in 1701 and completed around 1725.
The baroque interior includes a pulpit, a high altar (donated in 1701, with the Entombment of Christ by Oswald Onghers the Younger - son of the more well-known painter from Mechelen ) and two side altars, the altarpieces of which depict the passage of Mary and the Annunciation . The Gothic miraculous image, a Pietà , can be found on the left side altar.
Votive tablets of miraculous answers to prayer and healings from the 17th to 19th centuries are attached to the left of the altar. The oldest is from the consecration year 1701.
In 1882 the miraculous image was restored. The interior of the church was renovated in 1994 and a new organ was added.
Monastery to look after the pilgrims
The Würzburg prince-bishop Christoph Franz von Hutten called the Capuchins to look after the pilgrims to Mariabuchen in 1726 . A monastery and hospice with 19 cells, a refectory, kitchen and gate room was built right next to the pilgrimage church. 1741–45 the convent was enlarged and rebuilt according to plans by Brother Aegidius von Arnstein. In addition, a hermitage with living room and bedroom, kitchen and ancillary room was built; it was surrounded by an ornamental garden and an orchard. There was also the beech tavern with two dining rooms and a kitchen.
In 1803 the monastery was initially secularized as a result of the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss . However, it was repopulated by Capuchins in 1849, and pilgrimages were resumed. A good century later, monastery life fell into a crisis due to deficiencies in the buildings and inadequate living conditions. The Capuchins wanted to give up the monastery. In 1969, on the initiative of the longstanding Guardian Arno Fahrenschon, the pilgrimage organization Mariabuchen eV was founded to preserve and promote the pilgrimage tradition. In 1971–72 the decision was made to demolish and completely rebuild the convent building that could no longer be renovated. The old Buchenschänke had already been replaced by the Waldrast restaurant in 1962-64 .
In the anniversary year of 1995, the 600-year celebration (calculated from the time the image was found) was celebrated with Bishop Paul-Werner Scheele .
In 2002 the Capuchin Convention was dissolved due to a lack of staff. Polish Minorites have since taken over the monastery and care for pilgrims.
In 2011 the Waldrast was demolished. The successor building of the same name was inaugurated on March 25, 2012.
Pilgrimage
Since the 1970s, Mariabuchen has been the destination of many pilgrims and major pilgrimages every year.
Infrastructure
From Steinbach , a hiking trail to the left (west) of the Buchenbach leads past some rock formations and an asphalt bike path to the right of the stream to the Buchenmühle, which is only 100 meters away from Mariabuchen, but a good 30 meters lower and already belongs to the Steinbach district. Here the Franconian Marienweg crosses , a long-distance hiking trail to the Franconian pilgrimage sites.
The historic beech mill made of red Main sandstone was mentioned as early as 1726; it was built as a water mill and restaurant for pilgrims. It is still a popular destination for hikers, weddings and family celebrations today. Of the seven mills that once existed in the Buchenbachtal , it is the only one left.
A steep stairway leads from the Buchenmühle to Mariabuchen. Another hiking trail leads from Sendelbach past a Marienbildstock (lookout point) to the pilgrimage church.
Another restaurant is located directly on the church square with the Buchenstüble with half-timbered upper floor.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Mariabuchen.de: Wallfahrtswerk , accessed on June 22, 2011
- ↑ http://www.mariabuchen.de/rundbrief2013/2013_rundbrief.pdf
Coordinates: 49 ° 59 ′ 19.1 ″ N , 9 ° 37 ′ 20.5 ″ E