St. Martin (Herrngiersdorf)
The Roman Catholic branch church of St. Martin in Herrngiersdorf , a village in the Lower Bavarian district of Kelheim , is a Romanesque building from the 13th century, which is mainly due to the addition of the late Gothic choir at the beginning of the 16th century and the Baroque transformation in the 17th century . and 18th century. In front of the high altar is the crypt with the bones of Bernhard Lehner, who died in 1944 at the age of only 14 in the reputation of holiness . For his beatificationhas been prayed since 1950. Numerous pilgrims also come to Herrngiersdorf all year round to see the tomb of Bernhard Lehner.
history
Herrngiersdorf, which from 887 belonged to the area of the Counts of Ebersberg and was donated to the newly founded Benedictine convent Geisenfeld in 1037 , was originally part of the parish of Sandsbach and was only changed to Semerskirchen in 1920 .
Judging by the stylistic features, the nave and tower (without gable tops) of today's church were built in the 13th century. Serious damage to the building occurred during the Landshut War of Succession in 1503/04. Presumably for this reason a new, late Gothic choir was built in 1505/06 , which was consecrated in October 1506 by the Regensburg auxiliary bishop Petrus Grad . In 1659 the clapboard covering of the tower was renewed and a knob and a cock were put on. A soul chapel attached to the tower is mentioned for the year 1668 , but it no longer exists today.
In addition, in the 17th century the church was made Baroque, i.e. the church was refurbished in the Baroque style. According to an inventory of 1660 at that time were two altars in the church: a the church patron Martin consecrated altar and a Marienaltar . As early as 1668, however, a carpenter from Langquaid was making a new high altar, for which a carver from Kelheim contributed the altar sheet the following year . In 1676 new church stalls were purchased and in 1697 the interior was repaved. In 1701, the Landshut carpenter Matthias Nay delivered today's high altar. The two side altars, which were also made in Landshut, were brought into the church a year earlier. All three altars was allowed in 1761 by the painter Joseph Fürstenprey from Berg ob Landshut grasp . Around 1720 the nave and choir were re-covered with clapboards. Around 1740 the elaborate stucco decoration in the choir was created, which was probably made by the plasterer Martin Bader from Rohr . Perhaps the western porch was added at that time.
In 1803 the tower was repaired, in 1864/65 the tower bulb was replaced by a shingle-covered pointed helmet over four triangular gables. Towards the end of the 19th century, the gallery was expanded and access to it was moved inside the church. The exterior was renovated in 1906 and the interior of the church in 1911/12. The Regensburg sculptor Halmer repaired the stucco, while the painter Johann Böckl provided the new version of the room shell. From 1921 the two-storey sacristy was built, which replaced the previously very small extension, which was only accessible from inside the church. During a renovation in 1925, the interior was whitewashed again by Johann Böckl; In addition, the stucco coat of arms of the Barons von Guggemos was created on the gallery parapet. During the restoration of the high altar at the same time, however, the altar painting was destroyed, which is why a niche with a figure of the church patron was inserted in its place.
In May 1950 an interior renovation began, during which the church painter Ludwig Vogel restored the stucco and its painting; In addition, the colorful window glazing was replaced by light panes in antique glass. In 1952, the choir was also newly paved and at the same time the crypt for Bernhard Lehner was laid in front of the high altar , which has since attracted numerous pilgrims . Another exterior renovation took place in 1960. During the interior renovation in 1969, the baroque pulpit , which was made in 1711 by the castle carpenter at the time and painted by a Mainburg painter, was demolished. In their place, late Gothic wall paintings came to light, which were then painted over again. In addition, in the same year the nave was paved with Solnhofen slabs . An exterior renovation in 1982, led by the Regensburg architect Josef Naumann, brought the Gothic foundation to the fore. In the following year 1983 the roof structure was renovated. In 1990/91 the room shell was also restored by the Regensburg companies Baier-Orthgieß and Bledl. The original baroque version of the 18th century was largely restored. In addition, some pieces of equipment were restored. In particular, the substructure of the three altars was renewed.
architecture
The east-facing church building comprises a two-bay nave with a Romanesque core and a two-bay, drawn-in choir that is closed on three sides. The choir is designed in the late Gothic style and, like the nave, has been given a Baroque interior. It is united with the nave under a common gable roof . The light red whitewashed exterior is structured by white pilaster strips ; the window openings are rounded. The tower and - to the east of it - the two-storey sacristy , which opens onto an oratory on the upper floor , are attached to the choir on the south side . The choir flank tower was largely built in the Romanesque on a square floor plan , possibly with a gable roof. It was later given an onion bonnet before the gable top and pointed helmet were added in the 19th century. The upper end is formed by a sphere and a cross.
Access to the interior of the church is through the porch, which was added to the nave on the west side. While the interior of the nave has a simple flat ceiling with restrained stucco, the choir is spanned by a barrel cap with intricate stucco. The choir vault rests on pilasters with heavily profiled entablature. The separation between nave and choir is created by the round choir arch . A simple organ gallery with a straight parapet and wooden staircase has been inserted in the rear area of the nave.
Furnishing
Piece
The high-quality, colored stucco decoration in the choir was created around 1740 by the Rohrer stucco plasterer Martin Bader. Ribbon and framework with branches of flowers and putti heads surround a cartouche mounted in the center of the choir vault and a conch shell painted on the end of the choir. The choir arch and the stitch caps are decorated with tendrils , flowers and fruits. The stuccoing of the nave ceiling, on the other hand, is comparatively restrained. It consists of a curved bandwork frame with mussel shells and putti heads as well as floral interweaving that are arranged around a stucco ornament placed in front of the choir . The niches in which the nave windows sit are framed by flowering branches and foliage and crowned by putti heads.
Altars
The mainly baroque high altar was created in 1701 by the Landshut carpenter Matthias Nay. It has a niche added in 1925, which ends at the top with a slightly drawn-in arch. This is framed by original baroque acanthus with five small angel figures . In the niche, a figure of St. Martin with a beggar can be seen as a replacement for the destroyed altar painting.
The side altars, built in Landshut in 1700, have a subtle structure, framed by acanthus and crowned by putti heads. On the north (left) side altar there is a now heavily overlaid Baroque painting of Maria Immaculata . The painting of Christ giving blessings on the southern (right) side altar, on the other hand, was probably not made until the beginning of the 20th century.
Tomb and crypt for Bernhard Lehner
In the middle in front of the high altar, a crypt was created in 1952 for the bones of Bernhard Lehner. This is closed with a simple tombstone, which only contains the name and date of birth and death of the deceased as an inscription . The boy from Herrngiersdorf (born January 4, 1930) attended the Obermünster episcopal boys' seminary in Regensburg after primary school on the recommendation of his pastor , in order to later become a priest after a long-cherished wish . The otherwise rather inconspicuous boy was particularly distinguished by his great piety . This was particularly evident when he became incurably ill with septic diphtheria in December 1943 and nevertheless looked forward to the impending death with the utmost serenity . Shortly before his death on January 24th, 1944, the following saying was passed down: “Let me die. Who will cry when you go to heaven! "
As early as 1950, the Regensburg Bishop Michael Buchberger initiated the beatification process for Bernhard Lehner. On September 14, 1952, Lehner's remains were transferred to the crypt in the presence of 20,000 believers. Since then there has been a day of prayer for the beatification of Lehner every year on the second Sunday in September. High spiritual dignitaries regularly come to Herrngiersdorf as celebrants of the festival service. In the afternoons there is always a devotion with the blessing of children and acolytes . On April 2, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI spoke . Lehner is granted the heroic degree of virtue by decree , so that he can now be called a “ Venerable Servant of God ” and can be beatified after acknowledging a miracle .
Oil painting in the choir
In the eastern choir bay, two large, ogival framed oil paintings hang on the opposite walls , both of which date from the Baroque period. The north (left) picture depicting the crucifixion of Christ was donated by Baron Franz Martin von Guggemos and painted in 1737 by the Landshut painter Andreas Plank. The painting opposite is a votive painting , probably from the late 16th century. In the upper area you can see the Ascension of Christ with Mary and the apostles , including the donor family. According to the inscription, the painting was restored by Andreas Plank in 1736.
Other equipment
The cheeks of the church pews, artistically decorated with acanthus and fruit hangings, date from the 18th century. The crucifix on the south side of the nave , on the other hand, is late Gothic and was probably made at the end of the 15th century. Exactly opposite is a figure of St. Joseph made by Joseph Staudacher in 1906 on the occasion of the jubilee of the priesthood. This is framed by two paintings, each showing two evangelists . These paintings are likely to come from the pulpit, which was torn off in 1969 and hung exactly at this point. The cycle of the Cross , consecrated on May 25, 1884, was painted by Matthias Stadler from Kelheim.
In the choir there are some epitaphs from the 17th and 18th centuries for deceased members of the noble Guggemos family, who lived at Herrngiersdorf Castle at that time . The epitaph for the former Hofmark owner Ernestus Aicher († 1631) and his wife Susanna is also located on the tower ground floor .
organ
The organ , built around 1830, was restored in 1985 by Georg Jann from Allkofen near Laberweinting . In the course of this work, the housing was also redesigned by Baier-Orthgieß.
Bells
In the Romanesque tower there are four bells with the tone sequence b 1 –d 2 –f 2 - (+) - b 2 . The two historic bells were cast by Hanns Graf in Landshut in 1533 and 1534. Another bell is dated 1950 by an inscription. The fourth, undated bell is believed to have been made in 1962, since a consecration of the bell has been handed down for July 22nd of that year .
Surroundings
The church is surrounded by a small cemetery , some of the walls of which date back to the 18th century. Sections also come from cemetery expansions in the 19th and 20th centuries. The soul chapel to the west of the church portal dates from the first quarter of the 20th century. It is a small building with a steep pitched roof and a bow-shaped porch. The war memorial for the fallen of both world wars was probably erected in the 1950s.
literature
- Karin Hösch: Churches in the parishes of Sandsbach and Semerskirchen. Published by the Catholic parish office of Semerskirchen, Peda-Kunstführer No. 168/2001, Art Publishing House Peda , Passau 2001. ISBN 3-89643-172-2 .
Web links
- Description of the St. Martin branch church in Herrngiersdorf on kirchturm.net
- Ongoing proceedings: Venerable Servant of God Bernhard Lehner from Herrngiersdorf (1930–1944)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e Hösch, pp. 23–26.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Hösch, p. 26f.
- ↑ a b Current proceedings: Venerable Servant of God Bernhard Lehner from Herrngiersdorf (1930–1944) (PDF; 128 kB). Online at www.bistum-regensburg.de; accessed on January 20, 2017.
- ^ Herrngiersdorf, Filialkirche St. Martin . Online at glockenklaenge.de ; accessed on November 12, 2019.
Coordinates: 48 ° 47 '22.1 " N , 12 ° 4' 4.9" E