A CHURCH THAT HAS ATTRACTED PILGRIMS FOR CENTURIES-Phil&Jill

From the lakeside promenade and approaching St Wolfgang by ferry, the church is an immediate attraction. The towering heights of its walls and the high steeple is a familiar sight in the Austrian villages but the Parish church at St Wolfgang proved to be something special and many surprises.

20190724_144338

On the outside wall is a memorial to soldiers who lost their lives in the two World Wars.

You enter the church by the back door from the cream coloured arches, from where magnificent photos could be had of the scenic views across the lake and from the private beach platform of one of the more elite lakeside hotels.

20190724_175556

20190724_174744

20190724_174823

20190724_175757

20190724_175613

The origins of the church come from Saint Wolfgang himself one of the most popular saints in Austria and Germany. At the age of 6, his parents sent him to be educated at the famous monastic school on the island of Reichenau on Lake Constance. He furthered his education in Wurzburg. He continued to attract attention of the Bishops because of his industriousness and inventiveness. After a series of missionary posts, in the Christmas of 972 ordained as the Bishop of Regensburg. He focused on science and teaching. He also founded new monastries and churches and in doing so, endeavoured to help the poor and the sick.

Bishop Wolfgang lived and worked in a dark century, marred by armed conflicts. This, however, did not hinder him from being an excellent teacher, an abstemious monk, a visionary Bishop, a founder of new churches and a role model for the Christian life for generations to come. This veneration led to his canonisation by Pope Leo IX in 1052. However at the time of his Bishopric of Regensburg, he found the intense conflicts between Emperor Otto II and the Bavarian Duke Heinrich II far too abhorrent and left his town for the solitude of Lake Abersee, now known as Lake Wolfgang. He lived as a hermit in a cave on the Falkenstein Rock between St Gilgen and St Wolfgang. Legend has it that his only companion, a monk continually complained of thirst, so Wolfgang hit his stick on a rock and a well sprung up, which still flows today and its water is famous as a remedy for many diseases. The monk could not stay and left Wolfgang to live alone. Legend continues to tell the story that the devil tried to kill Wolfgang by squeezing rocks together and crushing him between them. However, Wolfgang leant against the rocks and prayed fervently, apparently leaving an imprint of his head and hands in the stone, which is still visible today. He now thought of finding a better place to stay and taking his axe, hurled it into the valley, promising that he would erect a church and a hermitage on the spot where he found it. Three days of searching later, he found his axe on the shores of the lake, where today's church of St Wolfgang stands .

Today's 15th century, Gothic church was built after the fire of 1429. Evidence of the earlier Romansque remains can be found in several places to the rear of the church. When your eyes become accustomed to the dark gloomy interior after the brightness of the outside, the irregular floor plan is immediately noticed. This is because of the builders' respect for the original building. According to legend, the wrought iron railings in the centre of today's church surrounding the Thomas Schwanthaler Double Altar mark the site of the original church built by St Wolfgang which was dedicated to John the Baptist.

Thomas Schwanthaler was born in 1634, a son of a woodcarver. He built the magnificent Baroque altarpiece in 1676 and it dominates the centre of the church. It is said that the Abbot of Mondsee planned to erect this altar on the place where the Pacher altarpiece (I will tell you more if this shortly) now stands because in the Baroque times, the Pacher Altarpiece was no longer in fashion. However Schwanthaler was so impressed with the beauty of the Gothic work of art that he persuaded the Abbot to place his new altarpiece further back within the church, thus protecting the Pacher altarpiece. As I mentioned earlier the lattice work denotes the contours of the original church. Two previous altars had stood here and Schwanthaler's work combines them together into a Double Altar. Three splendid, turned columns, entwined with vines, divide the altars into Wolfgang's altar and the Sacramental Altar. The altar is richly endowed with figures and angels.

20190728_212647

20190728_213446

20190728_213411

20190728_213329

The magnificent pulpit with its rich ornamentation and opulent flower garlands is by Michael Guggenbichler. The Four Doctors of the church are mounted onto the pulpit and between these are pictures showing the miracles that St Wolfgang performed for suffering people.

Most or the baroque pews were installed in 1750. Small name plates can be seen on the benches. In the 19th and part of the 20th centuries, the inhabitants of St Wolfgang could reserve a place in the church on payment of an annual fee.

The St Wolfgang's Renaissance organ cabinet dates back to 1629. It has 28 stops which operates the main organ and pedals and 1,890 pipes are available. It is played regularly at church services and every summer, as part of a concert series, recitals are given by internationally renown musicians.

The vaulted ceiling has Gothic ribs and the entire interior was painted with ornamental frescoes.

20190724_180703

20190724_180157

Other images are throughout the church which I captured but there were many other galleries. Every inch had some painting, sculpture or ornamentation.

20190724_180105

Now as if that is not enough for one church, the huge Michael Pacher altar catches you by surprise at the back of the church. St Wolfgang's high altar, indisputably a great example of European art, is frequently referred to as the most beautiful altar of all winged Gothic altars - not only because if its exquistic artist quality or its successful combination of carvings and paintings, but also how well preserved it is. This work of art was created over many years in Bruneck, South Tyrol leading up to 1481 when Michael Pacher bringing it by ship and wagon to St Wolfgang assembled it himself. It still stands on the original spot.

St Wolfgang's altar is 12m high and more than 6 metres wide. Its three-dimensional figures are carved from Arolla pine wood, which is a particularly durable type of wood so a major restoration has never been needed. Consistent with the custom of the time, the altar is a winged altar and has a pair of wings on either side.

The main richly gilded shrine depicts the life of Mary. The detail is so grand that you need to sit for ages to try and commit it all to memory. It is simply magnificent.

The Crowning Superstructure is seven extremely slender spires which form the upper part of the altar and they incorporate a number of figurines.

The winged paintings are in two panels. When all wings are closed, four panels depicting the life of Wolfgang are on display and are known as the Workday View. When one pair of wings is closed and the other open, eight images of the life of Christ are displayed. This is how the altar used to be seen on Sundays, hence the term Sunday view.

20190728_213126

20190728_213043

20190724_180829

20190724_180637

As you can see this church completely captivated me. I was dazzled at the beginning and then intrigued to learn more of the significance of this magnificent work of art. I visited the church twice and sat aborbing all the different features. I eventually bought a book about the church to help me understand more. I felt it warranted some research. I have tried to summarise what I have read to give you a feel for this place of worship, history and art. As I said in the beginning this church was full of surprises.

On the way out you come to the Pilgrims' fountain.

In 1515, Abbot Wolfgang Habert from Mondsee arranged for the fountain to be produced in Passau. It was cast from bell metal and covered with a Renaissance stone super-structure. An inscription which reads 'For use by poor pilgrims who do not have any money for wine - may they be gratified with this water' is on the base of the fountain. St Wolfgang stands on top holding a minature church. The fountain is embossed with four naked men. Three men of these show the drastic results of enjoying far too much wine (bladder problems, stomach ache and diarhoea). The fourth man, drinking the health-giving waters is bursting with health and energy.

Sort of the first over .05 alcohol campaign!! Maybe some messages take time to action!!