Stiftspfarrkirche St. Kassian (Regensburg)
The collegiate parish church of St. Kassian in Regensburg is the second oldest church in the city after the collegiate church of the old chapel and is one of the earliest church buildings in Bavaria. The listed church has a rich architectural history and was subject to drastic changes in different epochs. Today the Rococo style dominates in the interior and on the north facade . The church is on continuously since 1225 pen Our Lady of the Old Chapel pastoral care. With only around 65 Catholics, the St. Kassian Abbey Parish is the smallest parish in the Regensburg diocese.
The patronage of the martyr Kassian (memorial day: August 13th), who is considered the first bishop of the diocese of Säben in South Tyrol (today in the diocese of Bozen-Brixen ), occurs frequently in northern Italy and South Tyrol, but is rarely widespread north of the Alps . The Regensburg Kassianskirche is even considered to be the northernmost church dedicated to this saint, which is explained by the city's early membership of the Patriarchate of Aquileia .
history
Founding history up to the transition to the collegiate monastery to the old chapel
The St. Kassians Church is one of the oldest churches in the city of Regensburg, along with the collegiate basilica of the Old Chapel and the St. Emmeram Basilica . Legend tells that it was built on the site of a former pagan , possibly Roman temple . This is also assumed by the inscription in the cartouche at the apex of the choir arch , where it says: " Templum S. Cassiani olim Idolorum " (Temple of St. Cassian - once an idol temple ). The church was first mentioned in a document as " Capella (m) ad sanctum Cassianum " in the year 885. At that time it belonged to the royal palatinate of the Agilolfinger and Carolingian on the old grain market . In contrast to the Old Chapel, which was reserved for the king and his court as a palace, St. Kassian served the royal officials as a place of worship. As in 1225 with St. Ulrich a new palace chapel was built, San Cassiano went as Stiftspfarrkirche tie in with the newly constructed collegiate over the Old Chapel. This condition continues, so that pastoral care in the Kassianskirche is still the responsibility of the canons of the old chapel.
Carolingian building and Romanesque extension
The oldest building of the Kassianskirche goes back to the Carolingian period. Since no walls have been preserved from this building, only foundations, it was only discovered during the most recent renovation work. A reconstruction shows that the building was at least 20 meters long, but probably more 26 to 28 meters long, and ended with three round apses on the east side . The beginnings of the apses were where the eastern pair of pillars of the nave are today. While they were only about 2.50 meters wide at the sides, the main choir is assumed to be 5.80 meters wide, which corresponds to the current width of the central nave.
According to today's knowledge, this pre-Romanesque church was spared the flames as one of the buildings during the great city fire of Regensburg in 891, as it was surrounded by a cemetery at that time . The building was probably expanded slightly in the 12th century, i.e. in the Romanesque period . The middle apse was replaced by a square choir bay , to which again semicircular apses , this time slightly drawn in, were connected.
New building of an early Gothic basilica in the 13th and 14th centuries
The core of the building was built as an early Gothic basilica in the 13th century . First, the now much wider aisles were added so that the church received its current transverse dimensions.
Around 1300, but in any case still in the first third of the 14th century, the other buildings were also rebuilt in the now highly Gothic style. First of all, to the east of the old church, the new front wall with the three apses and the pentagonal sacristy was built so that services could continue to be held in the old building. Only the vaulting of the new choir and the erection of the free pillars in the central nave made it necessary to demolish the old church. While the choir section and parts of the lateral outer walls already corresponded to the current state, this high-Gothic building did not yet reach the length of the current church. It ended at the level of the middle pair of cantilever piers. As can still be seen today, they were half pillars that were integrated into the west wall of the early Gothic church. Parts of the previous building may have been left as the entrance hall. The church, which was built at that time, was probably accessed from the west side by means of a staircase, as the floor level had been raised significantly compared to the Romanesque church.
Remodeling in the 15th to 17th centuries
A hurricane raging across Bavaria on June 29, 1474 made repairs to the church inevitable. In 1477, under dean Joseph Hayden, in addition to the restoration of the church - the masonry of the nave was renewed - it was also adapted to the late Gothic taste of the time. For example, the building was extended by a yoke to the west, so that the church reached its present length. In addition, a richly carved sacrament house was created, which replaced a simple sacrament niche used up until then.
In 1601, the collegiate chapter decided again to fundamentally renovate the collegiate parish church, which in the meantime was again in a very poor structural condition and was therefore called templum ruinosum . An inscription plaque made of slab of limestone in the western entrance area reminds of the measures carried out in 1603/04 . The panel is surrounded by a frame with vine tendrils and shows a shield with St. Mary with a lily scepter. In 1603/04 the central nave was given a significantly steeper roof so that the basilica was transformed into a relay hall . In addition, the lateral apses were given significantly larger, ogival window openings, which can still be seen on the exterior.
In 1626, the small, now dilapidated church tower was demolished and replaced by a turret over the west gable. This was renewed again in the 19th century. In 1640 a stately four-storey building wing with apartments for the canons of the canons was added to the south of the church. This was replaced by a new building in the neo-renaissance style in 1888/89 . In addition, the walls of the central nave were raised so that a mezzanine could be drawn over its flat ceiling. Finally, the aisles were also re-covered.
History of the pilgrimage to the "Beautiful Maria"
The pilgrimage to the "Beautiful Maria" came about after the expulsion of the Jews from Regensburg in 1519. A stately church was built on the area of the former Jewish quarter. The founding legend of a pilgrimage evolved from cult propaganda, which was largely driven by the Regensburg cathedral preacher Balthasar Hubmaier , which was linked to the figure of "Beautiful Maria" by the Landshut carver Hans Leinberger . Accordingly, the newly built house of God gained great fame as a pilgrimage church to the "Beautiful Maria". However, the lively pilgrimage activity declined sharply after five to ten years. After the church became Protestant in 1542 and is called the Neupfarrkirche , the miraculous image was transferred to the monastery of the Franciscan Minorites on Dachauplatz. On August 13, 1747, the feast day of St. Kassian, the pastor at the time, Johann Anton Götz, had it transferred to the parish church of St. Kassian. There, so the clergyman hopes, the Marian pilgrimage associated with this image should revive.
In fact, a lively pilgrimage soon began. In the years 1759 to 1783 62 so-called miracle reports , i.e. reports of miraculous answers to prayer and healings through the intercession of the Mother of God, were recorded in writing. One example is given here: The Thurn und Taxis ' general director of the Princely Post in the Netherlands, Alexander August von Becker, found himself in great distress with his two sons on a ship on the Danube in 1766 and was wonderfully saved by Mary's intercession. As a thank you, he donated a valuable votive painting that is still in the church. It is the only remaining votive plaque attached to the right of the choir arch. With the secularization , the pilgrimage ended abruptly at the beginning of the 19th century.
Redesign in Rococo style in 1749/60
After just two years of pilgrimage, the enormous popularity of the revived pilgrimage and the plentiful donations made it possible to start renovating and redesigning the Kassian church, which was gradually implemented from 1749 to 1760. During this time the Kassianskirche was converted into a pilgrimage church in the typical Rococo style, which is recorded in another inscription panel. During the construction work, the Gothic church furnishings , consisting of the sacrament house and seven side altars, were removed. In addition, the ribs of the Gothic choir vault were chipped off.
It was then newly decorated with numerous frescoes and rich stucco decorations. For this purpose, the arcades of the nave were flattened in order to gain space for large-scale frescoes. The plasterer was Anton Landes from Wessobrunn . The large ceiling fresco in the central nave is attributed to the Prüfingen painter Otto Gebhard . The altars were also renewed; the rest of the frescoes were created by the Augsburg rococo painter Gottfried Bernhard Göz . The altars were also renewed in the course of this redesign. Only the Gothic cassian altar, possibly a former high altar, has been preserved to this day. The originally constructed Rococo high altar, for example, was created in 1759 by the sculptor Johann Baptist Dirr from Stadtamhof .
Two of the paintings, which Göz completed in 1758, deal with the pilgrimage to the "Beautiful Maria" - as is the western ceiling fresco in the south aisle. It tells the legend of the expulsion of the Regensburg Jews and the origin of the Marian pilgrimage. This is a first-rate work of art that is anti-Marian and anti-Jewish and was not criticized for the first time in 2006 because of the allegations of ritual murder presented therein .
After the most recent renovation work was completed in October 2015, the anti-Jewish depiction was once again a topic in the local press. At this time the criticized ceiling fresco was again open to the public for the first time. In addition, after the restoration, the depiction of the expulsion of the Jews across the Stone Bridge was more recognizable than it had been for decades.
Redesign in the historical style in 1863/1865
In the years 1863 to 1865, under the pastor Andreas Senestrey, brother of the then diocesan bishop Ignatius of Senestrey , a renewed transformation in the style of historicism took place . The rococo altars were removed and some of them were given to the Carmelite Church of St. Joseph . The high altar and most of the votive offerings were destroyed. Stucco and frescoes did not go unscathed either: They were whitewashed, like the entire shell, in an uninviting, stone-gray shade. In addition, a metal ciborium altar and colored glass windows were installed. Only the Stations of the Cross , which were created by the sculptor Franz Seywald from Hengersberg , have survived from this redesign . These are now on the outer aisle walls.
Restoration measures of the 20th and 21st centuries
During the next renovation between 1906 and 1911, efforts were made to restore the original rococo impression. For example, frescoes and stucco were exposed and restored. In addition, the sculptor Jakob Helmer created a reconstruction of the Rococo high altar in 1908/09. He was able to orient himself on a preserved wooden model by Dirr from 1759. In 1908 the church received a new organ from the company Martin Binder & Sohn from Regensburg, the prospect of which elegantly closes the central nave on both sides of the rear window. The next interior renovation took place between 1951 and 1955. In particular, the room shell was re- taken .
After the necessary restoration work had been delayed for a long time, an extensive overall restoration had to be urgently started in 2007 due to the risk of collapse. First of all, the complex static renovation was carried out, during which the foundations of the previous church were also found. External repairs followed by 2012, and work was carried out inside the church by mid-2015. In addition to the restoration of stucco and frescoes and the new version of the shell in lighter tones, the latter also included the construction of an "altar island" in front of the actual choir, which was equipped with a folk altar , an ambo and a priest's seat made of Lasa marble . The total cost of 6.6 million euros could only be borne by support from public funds and donations.
architecture
Exterior construction
The building, which is about 38.4 meters long and 24.3 meters wide, faces east and can be seen from three sides. The rectory of St. Kassian, the former residential complex of the canons of the collegiate church, is attached to the old chapel on the south side. The east facade is characterized by the additions to the main choir, the side apses and the former sacristy, which, however, do not appear as a closed choir section, but rather appear as individual structures attached to the rectory.
The main choir consists of large blocks of houses and is closed on five sides of the octagon. In the three eastern bays above a base zone there are formerly Gothic windows, the upper ends of which were converted from pointed arches into segmental arches in the Baroque period . There are triangular struts between the windows , which are highlighted in the upper third by recessed surfaces decorated with tracery . A gargoyle in the shape of an angel's head forms the upper end . In contrast to the main choir, the plastered secondary choirs are much lower than the main choir and do not protrude as far from the east facade. They are each closed on three sides of the hexagon and only have a small, transverse oval window. The still recognizable pointed arches testify to earlier, much larger window openings, which were, however, blocked in the course of the Baroque era. A small Gothic sacristy , which is no longer used, is crammed between the main choir and the northern side apse . It has a pentagonal floor plan and, like the main choir, is made of stone. In each of the two free outer walls, a small loopholes-like window opening is surrounded by a hollow and closes off at the top in an ogival shape. Inside the sacristy is spanned by a Gothic ribbed vault that rests on original head consoles .
The north facade, facing the Neupfarrplatz , is actually the front side of the Kassianskirche. It is divided into five axes by double pilaster strips , which with their white color stand out clearly from the light green whitewashed wall backings, and window openings that are closed off in segments. In the central axis is the clearly highlighted north portal decorated in rococo shapes .
Like the window openings, the portal, which is framed by a house framing, is closed off in an arched segment. There is a cartridge above the door with the inscription “PRIMA / ECCLESIA / S. CASSIANI. CIVIU (M) / PAROCHIA “(First Church of St. Cassian. Parish Church of the Citizens). This inner framing of the house is embedded in a hollow, which is surrounded by a kind of portico . Two pilasters carry a cranked cornice with an approximately 80 centimeter high figure of the church patron Kassian. It is a copy of a late Gothic stone sculpture that was made during the recent renovation. The original figure is kept in a depot. Behind the figure is a wicker-arched window that is significantly smaller than the other nave windows and is crowned by a cornice. The latter, however, does not have a strictly architectural form, as there are no pilasters compared to the lower cornice. This construction is kept in an ocher-colored tone and is framed by a third frame made of white banding , which is shaped in the best Rococo style, free of any architectural specifications. Stuccoed rose blossom branches, rocailles and an egg stick serve as decoration . This frame is crowned by a rococo cartridge without an inscription.
The west facade facing the narrow Malergasse is structured by the exceptionally rounded arched portal, the segmental arched window opening above and a small round window. Above it is the coat of arms of the monastery dean Joseph Hayden, held by an angel, who was responsible for the redesign in 1477. It shows the bust of a bearded man in a hat, whose ribbon flutters backwards. Immediately below this is a somewhat wider but lower stone that bears the year "1477". However, both stones were only attached to the west facade in 1749. The top end is the unadorned roof turret, which has sound openings on all sides and is crowned by a pyramid-like helmet that was put on in the 19th century .
inner space
Inside, the Kassianskirche presents itself as a three-aisled , four-bay relay hall. With the exception of the three domed apses, the building has a flat roof . The three naves separated by pairs of round pillars are about the same width in the front area, the side naves narrow towards the west. Although the interior is still well below street level, the floor has already been raised significantly compared to the Gothic building. This has the effect, for example, that the octagonal bases of the free pillars are already deep in the ground. As a result, the arched arcades , which function as dividing arches , appear very low.
Accordingly, the illumination of the central nave is also relatively poor. It draws its light almost only from the large west window on the organ gallery and from the choir windows, so that the stucco and frescoes are much less effective than in a comparable, bright rococo hall . The west gallery extends at different heights over all three naves and covers almost the entire rear nave yoke. The new sacristy is installed under the gallery in the south aisle, which was moved there in 1760 from the narrow, dark sacristy extension on the east facade. As a counterpart it corresponds to the Holy grave Chapel under the gallery in the north aisle. It was created during the neo-Gothic renovation and has a flat coffered ceiling with applied star ribs .
Stucco and fresco
Stucco work
The stucco decoration in the interior of the Kassianskirche was created around 1754 by the Wessobrunn master Anton Landes, who from 1750 also worked in the collegiate church of the old chapel. The stucco work includes purely ornamental structures in the forms of the Rococo, such as pilasters and belt-like ribbons, as well as fully plastic putti and animal figures. The small stucco reliefs that are distributed over the two aisles are of particular importance. On it are the four evangelists Matthew , Mark , Luke and John (in the front of the north aisle), the four church fathers Gregory the Great , Hieronymus , Augustine and Ambrosius (in the back of the north aisle), the four "great" prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah , Ezekiel and Daniel ( in the front of the south aisle) and the four "little" prophets Hosea , Joel , Obadja and Amos (in the back of the south aisle). The attributes on the Apostles' cross and the frames of the wall paintings in the central nave are also stuccoed .
Ceiling fresco in the central nave
The largest of the total of 13 wall and ceiling paintings in the Kassianskirche is the ceiling fresco in the central nave, which is 13.20 meters long across the yoke. It is believed to have been made around 1755 and, due to its stylistic features, is attributed to the painter Otto Gebhard from Prudence. At the upper end a band of clouds can be seen, on which two angels and two cherubim look at what is happening below. This is immediately followed by a representation of the Holy Spirit dove in front of a bright light. Diagonally below you can see God the Father with the scepter in his right hand and Jesus Christ with the cross, which complete the Holy Trinity . Numerous angel figures float all around. At the feet of the Son of God, one of the angels shows the two keys of the “ Prince of the Apostles ” Peter . This is shown diagonally below on another cloud bank. He shows himself to be a "fisherman of men" ( Lk 5.10 EU ) with a large net in which he has already caught ten believing hearts. He now lifts them up to heaven. Other apostles are depicted to his left; in addition, three contemporary collegiate canons have joined them. On the right side of Peter, Saint Cassian is shown almost the same size. A putto carries its miter ; he himself has clamped his pedum between his chest and right forearm, while in his hands he holds the open book of faith, on which lies a palm branch as a sign of his martyrdom. He enters the saved souls and is thus actively involved in the salvation process.
At the lower edge of the picture, an earthly scene is shown in front of the large globe in the background. The people portrayed are personifications of the four continents known at the time: Asia as a prince with a turban , Europe as an empress , holding a crown and scepter to two servants on a red pillow, America as a kneeling young man with a quiver on his back and a bow to his Feet and Africa as a dark-skinned person who also wears a turban. All of them perceive the salvation of souls with visibly great emotion. In the lower right corner are personifications of the seven main vices (pride, envy, gluttony, avarice, indolence, anger, lust). A lightning strike kills the people, so the trucks are defeated.
Marian fresco cycle in the central nave
A six-part cycle of frescoes, which Gottfried Bernhard Göz created in 1754/56, is depicted on the walls of the central nave above the partition arches. These are Old Testament scenes that are supposed to show that the image of Mary was already shaped in the Old Covenant. The scenes depicted also refer to equivalents in the New Testament. There are two cartouches with inscriptions on each fresco. The lower one shows the quotation from the Old Testament, the upper one a corresponding call to the Mother of God. In addition, an apparition of Mary is painted in grisaille on each of the pictures .
On the north wall of the eastern yoke Sarah and Abraham are shown on the way to Egypt ( Gen 12.13 EU ). On the opposite wall you can see Judit , who gives her maid the head of the Assyrian general Holofernes that has just been severed ( Jdt 8.31 EU ). On the north side of the enthroned closes in the middle yoke Bathsheba and her son, King Solomon , to ( 1 Kings 2.19 EU ). On the south side you can see Esther who has fainted. At the same moment the Persian king Ahasver jumped up from his throne to pardon her and thus save her people Israel ( Est 7.3 EU ). On the north side of the western yoke Abigail kneels before King David and implores him for mercy ( 1 Sam 25.31 EU ). On the opposite wall, Rebekah is shown at the well, handing Eliezer, Abraham's servant, a jug of water and promising him to water his camels too ( Gen. 24.14 EU ).
Sarah and Abraham on the way to Egypt
Judit with the severed head of the general Holofernes
Bathsheba enthroned with King Solomon
Pardon the Esters by the Persian king Ahasver
Abigail begs King David for mercy
Rebekka hands Eliezer a jug of water
Ceiling frescoes in the north aisle
The three ceiling paintings in the north aisle tell the legend of the church patron Kassian. The sequence of images begins in the eastern yoke with the depiction of Bishop Kassian, who teaches pagan students. The martyrdom of the saint is depicted in the middle yoke: he is stabbed to death with styluses by his former students, who are now angry against him . But an angel floating down from heaven brings him a laurel wreath and palm branch, which indicate his quality as a martyr. In the western yoke his veneration can be seen as a miraculous saint, to whose grave mothers come with their children. While the two outer representations are in portrait format, the middle picture is landscape format, so that all three scenes face the visitor entering through the north portal.
Bishop Kassian teaches pagan students
Martyrdom of St. Cassian
Adoration of St. Cassian
Ceiling frescoes in the south aisle
There are also three ceiling paintings in the south aisle, which, like the one in the north aisle, were created by Gottfried Bernhard Göz in 1758 and are arranged and aligned in the same way. They show the story of the pilgrimage to the "Beautiful Maria". In the east the Ratisbona, the personification of Regensburg, is depicted, helplessly raising her arms to the sky, while behind her the city becomes a victim of flames. This scene refers to the town fire in 891, which the Kassianskirche is said to have survived unscathed as the only building. As a result, according to the intention of the picture, it stands out particularly as a storage place for the miraculous image.
The transfer of the miraculous image to the collegiate parish church in 1747 is shown in the middle yoke. The scene is evidently understood as an act of divine providence, since it is accompanied by St. Cassian and St. Mary as good shepherdess. In addition, the former pilgrimage church to the "Beautiful Maria" is shown in the background; underneath there is a cave-like cellar with the inscription "ABSCONDITA MDXLII" (hidden in 1542) at the entrance. On the left side of the winged is Chronos seen as the personification of the time (in 1747 set up again) in a stone the words "(N) OVITER exposita / MDCCXL / VII" chisels .
The picture in the western yoke shows the dark prehistory of the pilgrimage. The Ratisbona, a woman who carries the two keys of Peter, which can also be found in the city coat of arms, on her head, has placed herself under the protection of the "Beautiful Mary", who is on a column with the year "MDXIX" (1519 ) stands. The Ratisbona triumphantly placed her right foot on the Jew lying across in front of her. The depiction suggests that the destruction of the synagogue (shown in the background on the right) and the expulsion of the Jews from the city (on the left in the background) took place under the protection of the Mother of God. Another accusation hostile to Jews is depicted at the lower edge of the painting: the five children's corpses that can be seen there are said to have been victims of Jewish ritual murders.
The Kassianskirche was spared from the city fire in 891
Transfer of the miraculous image to the Kassianskirche in 1747
Expulsion of the Jews from Regensburg
Altars
High altar
Today's high altar is a reconstruction of the altar created by Johann Baptist Dirr in 1759 and destroyed in 1864, which was made by the sculptor Jakob Helmer in 1908. Only with the concave curved plinth does the high altar fill the entire width of the presbytery; above it it is inserted in filigree forms between the two outer windows. The altar table is flanked by the two life-size figures of the Evangelist John (left) and the prophet Isaiah (right). The predella has a frieze made of rocailles and ends in volutes at the side . The gilded tabernacle is arranged in the middle ; Above it, a richly decorated exposure niche is framed by mighty volutes.
The superstructure of the tabernacle swings upwards with a wave arch, from which a kind of obelisk rises in the middle , which tapers towards the top . In its lower third lies the book with the seven seals on clouds , on which the Lamb of God is worshiped by two apparently floating worshiping angels. The image is set behind by a halo. At the place of this group of figures in the original high altar was the miraculous image of the "Beautiful Maria", which is now on the right side altar. Today's representation with elements from the Revelation of St. John was not created until the reconstruction of the high altar in 1908. Halfway up the obelisk, which can only be identified as such by the obelisk on closer inspection, there are two small ones - again on clouds Cherubim .
At the upper end of the obelisk stands a life-size Baroque figure of St. Kassian on a pedestal, equipped with all the attributes that identify him as a bishop. He wears the miter on his head and the pedum in his left hand . In his right hand he holds an open book in which he sinks his gaze. The figure emanates a special dynamic, as the bishop's left foot protrudes slightly over the base plate and his broad coat seems to blow backwards as a result of the movement. The figure of the church patron stands under a gilded canopy from which numerous tassels dangle. It extends almost to the choir vault and thus forms the upper end of the high altar. It rests on a filigree construction of two rocailles-like arches arranged one above the other on each side. These are supported on two pilasters that flank the central choir window. The pilasters end in further rocaille-like structures from which palm branches emerge - probably a symbol for the martyr Kassian.
Side altars
The two baroque side altars in the interior rounded side apses were designed as counterparts. A slightly concave reredos rises above the cafeteria . The middle part, which protrudes somewhat spatially, contains the central group of figures in both altars and is framed by a series of four differently designed arches. To the side of this stand two reliquary pyramids on a pedestal above the predella . Due to the design in the upper area, the relatively small, transversely oval window in the apex of the choir remains free. On the side it is framed by green fields with golden stripes and humps, each of which ends in a volute at the top on the outside. Four almost weightless arches extend from these fields and carry a cartouche crowning the window.
The north (left) side altar shows Jesus in the middle part after he was deposed from the cross in his mother's lap, a so-called Pietà . Behind this group of figures is the cross with titulus , shroud and crown of thorns . In the cafeteria there is a shrine for storing the holy oils , which was designed by the Munich artist Franz Steinberger.
The southern (right) side altar contains the miraculous image of the Beautiful Maria , a 95 centimeter high group of figures of the Madonna and Child, in the center. It originated in the first quarter of the 16th century. As far as we know today, the Landshut carver Hans Leinberger is considered the creator of this work of art. The figure of the baby Jesus was only added in the course of the Baroque transformation in the 18th century. In the 20th century the group of figures was recast. The figure of Mary stands in front of a wreath of 47 rays in which 19 roses form another wreath. St. Mary stands in contrapostal on a gilded base. She wears a gilded, blue-lined robe. In her left hand she holds a lily scepter; in the right she carries the baby Jesus, who is lovingly leaning his curly head on her mother's shoulder. She is wearing a silver-colored dress and is holding a bird in her left hand. His right hand shaped it into a fist, which can be seen as an allusion to the much older miraculous image in the old chapel. Putti of the group of figures each hold a candlestick.
Late Gothic winged altar of St. Kassian
Opposite the north portal there is a late Gothic winged altar on the south wall , which is dedicated to St. Kassian. This was donated by the then parish vicar Peter Veichtner in 1498 and it served as a high altar until the middle of the 18th century before it was dismantled and stored in the course of the Baroque era. Only the wing reliefs were to be preserved and were attached to the walls of the main choir. During the renovation in 1863/64, when there was a return to the Gothic , the altar was rebuilt and placed in the Holy Sepulcher Chapel with renewed wings. The stone canteen contains a holy grave with a wooden figure of the body of Christ. During the most recent renovation, the altar was moved to its current location while retaining the Holy Sepulcher.
A large shrine with gilded carvings rises above the low predella, which is decorated with a quatrefoil frieze. It contains a fully plastic figure of the enthroned Bishop Kassian. Two angels are painted on the back wall, turning to the saint and stretching a red veil behind him. On the inside of each wing there are two reliefs that refer to the legend of the saints of the church patron. The capture of Kassian can be seen above on the left. The bishop is led out of a fortified city in full gear . His condemnation is made known to everyone with a fanfare. The martyrdom of Kassian can be seen at the bottom left. Shackled to a pillar, he is tortured and finally executed by his former students, who are now angry against him. The transfer of the relics of St. Kassian is shown above on the right wing. The ceremony is attended by a crowned ruler, possibly the Bavarian Duke Theodo II . In his right hand he carries an ostensorium , a display vessel for cult objects of all kinds. At the bottom right is a miraculous incident at the grave of Kassian. In addition to Bishop Germanus , two women with naked children who are also praying pray there . A banner goes out from the mouth of the deceased , which refers to the power of his healing word even after death.
Other equipment
Gothic keystone
The keystone of the high Gothic choir vault, made from a piece of limestone , was deposited in the masonry of the right aisle and plastered over during the redesign in the middle of the 18th century. During renovation work in 2011, it was surprisingly found in a wall niche in the south aisle and then restored. Today it is about where it was found, just below the ceiling next to the right side altar. It shows a relief on which the bust of St. Kassian can be seen. He wears a bishop's robe and holds the torture pen in his right hand and a book in front of his chest in his left.
Late Gothic sepu kral sculpture
Next to the entrance to the Holy Sepulcher Chapel there are two remarkable works of late Gothic sepulchral sculpture . They are both made of Regensburg green sandstone and show significant signs of age due to the low resistance of this material . On the left is a square relief from around 1480/90, which shows the prayer of Jesus on the Mount of Olives . In addition, two coats of arms are included. On the right is the rectangular epitaph for Elisabeth Graner († 1491). In the upper part, which takes up almost two thirds of the picture, the Visitation of Mary is depicted in front of a hilly landscape. In the lower third of the members of the family donor (s) kneel, accompanied by two arms with a crest and a tape with the grave inscription.
Prayer room in the Holy Sepulcher Chapel
A contemporary prayer room was created in 2015 in the former Holy Sepulcher Chapel on the northwest corner of the nave . On the north wall of the chapel there is a free-standing, gilded disc with a painting of the Fatima Madonna in the upper left . This was created in 1944 by the Regensburg painter Erwin Schöppl. After the war it was recovered intact from the ruins of the Obermünster and has since been venerated in the Kassianskirche. A confessional is set into the east wall of the chapel .
Altar island
A new altar area was also set up in 2015 based on a design by Franz Steinberger. This is located in front of the actual choir, which is separated by a communion bench , on a slightly raised "altar island", the base of which is made of brass . On it are the people's altar, ambo and priest's seat made of high-purity Lasa marble. The place of origin of Laas is in the South Tyrolean Vinschgau , i.e. in the diocese of Bozen-Brixen, which emerged from the diocese of Säben founded by Kassian. Relics of the three diocesan patrons Kassian (Bozen-Brixen), Heinrich ( Bamberg ) and Wolfgang ( Regensburg ) are embedded in the 2.8-tonne altar block .
organ
In 1887 an organ was already there. The twelve- register instrument originally came from St. Josef and, due to its size, probably completely covered the west window. This instrument was donated to the new St. Josef Church in Reinhausen on March 1, 1908 , and transferred there.
The organ that is preserved today dates from 1914 and was built by Willibald Siemann as Opus 315 . The case was considered historic in the past and dated to an unknown origin from 1754. According to the latest research, it is considered the only addition of the modern era and is therefore classified as a work in the neo-baroque style around 1914. The organ itself comprises 12 stops on two manuals and Pedal and has pneumatic Bälgchenladen instead of the usual corporate cone chests . The organ was played and changed relatively little in the past. It therefore represents the most originally preserved Siemann organ in Regensburg and also has unusual structural features. It is still on the original low pitch. The prospectus pipes escaped delivery , as they are made of tin on the front and zinc on the back.
After a careful restoration as part of the overall renovation by master organ builder Drewes Chlup from Regensburg, when it received a new pair of fans, it is in excellent condition. The instrument has the following disposition :
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- Coupling : I / I, II / I, I / P, II / P
- Secondary register: Kalkantenklingel
- Playing aids : 1 free combination , expression pedal , Fixed combinations P mF, F, Tutti; Wind pointer, swell indicator
- Tuning tone : 427 Hz at 15 °
Bells
Two bells, which are among the oldest in the diocese of Regensburg, are hung in a wooden trestle chair in the dainty roof turret . In addition, these are the oldest bells in the city of Regensburg, which are rung regularly. The lower pitch bell (strike note d 3 ) was cast in the middle of the 13th century and weighs around 160 kilograms. This used to hang in the house on Heuport and in the roof turret of the collegiate church to the old chapel and only then came to the Kassianskirche. The second bell (strike note 3 ) was also cast in the 13th century and weighs around 120 kilograms. It is possible that this bell has always been housed in St. Kassian since it was made in the late 13th century. During the renovation work between 2007 and 2015, the two historic bells were also repaired. After processing in the Lachenmeyer bell welding plant in Nördlingen , they were reinstalled by the Regensburg company Turmuhren Nidermayer and received a linear drive that is controlled by microprocessors .
literature
- Johann Baptist Kurz: The St. Cassian's Church in Regensburg. Regensburg 1956.
- Paul Mai (Ed.): Collegiate Foundation of Our Lady of the Old Chapel in Regensburg 1002–2002. Catalog for the exhibition, July 15 - October 11, 2002. Bischöfliche Zentralbibliothek, Regensburg 2002.
- Volkmar Greiselmayer: Albrecht Altdorfer's "Schöne Maria" in the criticism of Martin Luther and Albrecht Dürer. In: Karl Möseneder (Ed.): Controversy over images - From Byzantium to Duchamp. Reimer, Berlin 1997. ISBN 3-496-01169-6 . Pp. 73-94.
- Johann Güntner: The pilgrimage to the "Beautiful Maria" in Regensburg. Schnell & Steiner, Regensburg 1997. ISBN 978-3-7954-8035-6 .
- Florian Sendtner: corpse in the cellar. In: Hubert Ettl (ed.): Regensburg - travel reading book. Lichtung Verlag, Viechtach 2006. ISBN 978-3-929517-78-1 . Pp. 67-76.
- Collegiate monastery of Our Lady of the Old Chapel (Ed.): The Collegiate Church of St. Kassian - Regensburg's oldest parish church. Schnell & Steiner, Regensburg 2015. ISBN 978-3-7954-3008-5 .
- Rainer Alexander Gimmel: Regensburg - Stiftspfarrkirche St. Kassian (= Small Art Guide No. 2856). Schnell & Steiner, Regensburg 2016. ISBN 978-3-7954-7043-2 .
Web links
- Website of the St. Kassian Abbey Parish on the Regensburg Collegiate Monastery of Our Lady of the Old Chapel
- Report on the Marian fresco cycle in St. Kassian on the website of the diocese of Regensburg
Individual evidence
- ^ Gimmel, p. 2f.
- ^ Gimmel, p. 3f.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Gimmel, pp. 4–9.
- ↑ a b c d Gimmel, pp. 27-29.
- ↑ Sendtner: corpse in the cellar. In: Ettl (ed.): Regensburg - Reise-Lesebuch, pp. 67–76.
- ↑ Helmut Wanner: Renovation reveals old sins from October 23, 2015. Online at www.mittelbayerische.de; accessed on February 8, 2017.
- ↑ Angelika Lukesch: 250,000 euros for the Kassianskirche from May 28, 2012. Online at www.mittelbayerische.de; accessed on February 8, 2017.
- ↑ German Foundation for Monument Protection participates - 100,000 euros for the renovation of the St. Kassian Church on June 16, 2012. Online at www.wochenblatt.de; accessed on February 8, 2017.
- ↑ Angelika Lukesch: Chapel in St. Kassian is open from April 26, 2013. Online at www.mittelbayerische.de; accessed on February 8, 2017.
- ↑ Ralf Strasser: In St. Kassian the bells are ringing again on October 16, 2015. Online at www.mittelbayerische.de; accessed on February 8, 2017.
- ↑ a b c d e f g Gimmel, pp. 9–12.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i Gimmel, pp. 19–27.
- ↑ a b c d e f Gimmel, pp. 12–15.
- ↑ a b Gimmel, p. 18f.
- ↑ Thomas Dietz: Then St. Kassian looked out of the wall . Online at www.mittelbayerische.de; accessed on February 16, 2017.
- ↑ Organ Database Bavaria, Version 5 (2009), ed. by Michael Bernhard.
- ↑ Wolfgang Wittmann in: Festschrift for the inauguration of the organ . Parish office St. Josef Reinhausen, Regensburg 1994, pp. 12–15.
- ^ Christian Vorbeck: The organ builders Martin Binder and Willibald Siemann. Siebenquart Verlag , Cologne 2013. ISBN 978-3-941224-02-5 .
- ^ Georg Dehio: Handbook of German Art Monuments. Regensburg and Oberpfalz Deutscher Kunstverlag, Munich 1991, ISBN 3-422-03011-5 , p. 522.
- ↑ Bruno Fromm in: Collegiate monastery of Our Lady of the Old Chapel (ed.): The Collegiate Church of St. Kassian - Regensburg's oldest parish church. Schnell & Steiner, Regensburg 2015, ISBN 978-3-7954-3008-5 , p. 112.
- ↑ Information from the restoring organ builder
- ↑ According to Thomas Dietz, Mittelbayerische Zeitung : These are real character bells! . Online at www.horomat.de; accessed on February 16, 2017.
Coordinates: 49 ° 1 '3.4 " N , 12 ° 5' 49.7" E