St. Verena (Enchenberg)
St. Verena ( French Sainte-Vérène ) is a pilgrimage chapel near Enchenberg in Lorraine . The chapel plays a major role in the religious life of the Bitscher Land . It was added to the monuments historiques catalog in 1996. The Association pour la sauvegarde de la chapelle Sainte-Vérène takes care of the preservation .
According to tradition , the veneration of the patron saint, Saint Verena , goes back to Swiss immigrants who came to Bitscher Land at the end of the 17th century. Originally from Egypt , Verena is still one of the most venerated saints in Switzerland.
The chapel was built in the 15th century and enlarged in 1685. However, four construction periods can be seen on the building. The simple Romanesque choir windows suggest an even older building from the early Middle Ages. A window and door from the late Gothic period are considered architectural masterpieces . Two gable windows in the Renaissance style on the west side are dated to the turn of the 15th to the 16th century . The entrance to the chapel is in a naive baroque style . The terracotta Holy Virgin comes from this period . The choir made of large, plastered sandstone blocks, with its Gothic arches creates an unusual picture.
The old altar disappeared around 1960 and reappeared damaged in November 1991. He now has his place in the chapel again. It is said to be a work by Johann Martersteck , a master from Bouquenom . The write-up due to the large similarity to the altarpiece of Rahling , which also comes from torture plug, safety record relative.
The old valuable painted church windows disappeared around 1960. It was not until the turn of the last century that they were replaced by representational paintings by the artist Sauveur Pasqual. The gable window shows Saint Verena with her jug and comb insignia. In addition, Saint Mauritius is depicted with a red flag and a broken sword. A Gothic window shows Saints Ursus and Victor , martyrs of Mauritius in the Theban Legion .
Adjacent to the chapel is a Lourdes grotto , which was built in 1958 to mark the centenary of the miracles of Lourdes .
The Calvary in the typical design of the Bitscher Land probably dates from 1827.
About a hundred meters below the chapel, a spring with very soft water rises, which may have contributed to the choice of the building site and served to supply hermits living here. It has been used as a washing place by the residents of Enchenberg since ancient times.
The feast of Saint Verena is celebrated on September 1st. By far the largest pilgrimage in Lorraine is dated May 1st. It goes back to a rampant rinderpest around 1770 , against which Verena was called for help.
The Way of the Cross leads from the chapel through a ravine to the parish church. Many of the 14th stations from the 18th century have been gradually renewed.
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Coordinates: 49 ° 1 '10 " N , 7 ° 20' 29.5" E