It doesn’t appear bulky, rather delicate when you drive towards it: The Basilica of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, which is one of the most famous places of pilgrimage in Bavaria, was consecrated 250 years ago. Once you have arrived at the top of the mountain, then of course the true dimensions of the church with the two distinctive towers become apparent. The splendor can already be guessed from the outside, which then fully unfolds inside. With all the glamor, where should you look first?
The famous builder Balthasar Neumann planned the church, it took almost 30 years until the consecration, Neumann had already died at that time. In the centre: the rococo altar for the 14 Holy Helpers, who give the place of pilgrimage its name. The vast majority of pilgrimage sites in Germany are Marian pilgrimage sites.
In Upper Franconia you can direct your prayers to 14 saints if you believe in it. Their life and martyr stories that have been handed down are quite martial, as Franciscan Father Maximilian Wagner, rector of the basilica, says: “The end of their lives was sometimes very cruel.” According to legend, Saint Catherine of Alexandria was murdered, and Saint Barbara was beheaded by her father because she had not renounced the Christian faith. The origins of Fourteen Saints go back to a 15th-century legend. The 14 Holy Helpers are said to have appeared to a shepherd and asked him to build a chapel.
In spring, summer and autumn, Vierzehnheiligen near Bad Staffelstein (Lichtenfels district) is a lively place, especially at weekends. The pilgrimage groups arrive almost every half hour and enter the basilica singing. Pilgrimages are still popular, says Father Maximilian Wagner. There are still the traditional pilgrimages of individual communities to the Fourteen Saints, but there are also pilgrims who complete the pilgrimage routes alone or in small groups. And of course – the famous church also attracts tourists and day trippers. However, the rector has also noticed a great interest in the basilica and in faith-related topics in this group: “People have many questions.”
In March of this year, the German Bishops’ Conference met in Vierzehnheiligen.
(Photo: Nicolas Armer/dpa)
For Archbishop Ludwig Schick of Bamberg, the Fourteen Saints are “God’s loveliest living room in the archdiocese”. He says: “The whole basilica with the domes exerts a suction effect: it pulls towards the sky.” This gives “hope and consolation, strength and courage in life and in death. Fourteen Saints should be a source of life for all visitors, that is my wish and prayer”.
The church consecration jubilee will be celebrated in Fourteen Saints this Sunday, the papal nuncio Nikola Eterović is expected. The place of pilgrimage last attracted national attention in March, when the German Bishops’ Conference (DBK) met there.
The basilica is officially owned by the Free State of Bavaria. The Franciscans have lived in Vierlehnheiligen since 1839 and look after the place of pilgrimage. At that time there wasn’t much left of the splendor of the rococo – a fire had damaged the church. The last major renovation of the interior took place from 1982 to 1990. Father Maximilian is certain that a church like Vierzehnheiligen is “built for eternity”, and people feel that. When he offers guided tours for children, they often ask: “Does God live here?”