Pope Benedict XVI, in his first travel since his election in
April, celebrated Mass for World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany.
This city has long been a stronghold of German Roman Catholicism,
symbolized by its massive cathedral (Kolner Dom).
Pope Benedict XVI, in his first travel since his election in April, celebrated Mass for World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany. This city has long been a stronghold of German Roman Catholicism, symbolized by its massive cathedral (Kolner Dom).
A smaller church was built on this site in the ninth century, but in 1164 the bones of the Three Magi (the “Wisemen” who visited the infant Jesus in Bethlehem) were taken from Milan, brought to Cologne as the spoils of war, and put into a magnificent shrine still on view in the church.
These famous relics drew travelers from all over Europe, making Cologne one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in the Middle Ages. This phenomenon resulted in the start of construction on a new, larger cathedral in 1248, built in the Gothic architectural style of contemporary French cathedrals.
Construction continued for some 300 years, but was stopped in 1560 for lack of funds. Then it sat uncompleted for another 300 years, reportedly used as a stable and prison by Napoleon during an invasion.
In 1820, construction was finally begun again, based on the original architectural plans, and it was finally completed in 1880. The cathedral survived heavy Allied bombing of Cologne during World War II nearly intact and is now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Site.
As a friend pointed out to me while we were circling it, trying to take a photograph, it is so huge that it can’t fit into one shot. The spires soar to 500 feet, but they are so open and lacy that they give the impression of lightness and fragility.
Although cavernous inside, throngs of summer tourists (there is not admission charge unless one wishes to climb 509 steps inside the bell tower to an observation gallery) make it difficult to move around and see its riches.
In the German university city of Heidelburg is a church with quite a different story. Construction on the Church of the Holy Ghost was begun in 1398 and completed in 1508. But the upheaval of the Protestant Reformation caused many interesting twists in this church’s history.
Besides worship services, this large building served other purposes: burial place for German princes, university banquet hall, repository for Europe’s largest collection of handwritten books, the “Bibliotheca Palatina.” (During the Thirty Years’ War these books were captured and sent to Rome as a gift for the Pope; in 1836 a small portion of them were returned to Heidelburg.)
It’s the Church of the Holy Ghost’s religious history that is particularly interesting. Originally Roman Catholic, in 1545 the congregation demanded adoption of the Reformation.
The following year the first Lutheran service was held.
From 1559-83 services alternated between Lutheran and Calvinist (Presbyterian) forms.
In 1622, the city was captured by a Catholic general and Mass was reinstated.
In 1649, it became Protestant again.
In 1698, “Simultaneum” was established, meaning Catholics and Protestants both used the church, but at different times.
In 1705, a compromise was reached resulting in the construction of a wall between the “nave” (main seating area) and “choir” (front section) so Catholic and Protestant services could be held at the same time. The wall was removed and reinstalled several times, with the final removal occurring in 1936, making the church completely Lutheran.
Notable features of the church include
a modern stained glass window featuring the face of a boy peeking in from outside
a mass of merchants’ booths or stalls built right against its walls, leading some visitors to call it “The Church of Free Enterprise.”
