Telgte Pilgrimage
Encyclopedia
The pilgrimage from Osnabrück
to Telgte
takes place since 1852 on the second Sunday after the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
; it is known as Telgte pilgrimage ("Telgter Wallfahrt") or Osnabrück pilgrimage ("Osnabrücker Wallfahrt (nach Telgte)").
Each year approximately 8,000 pilgrims participate in the 47 km long walk along the B51 and more visitors arrive by bus or car.
Despite an interdiction during the wars in 1864-1866 (Second War of Schleswig
) and 1914-1918 (World War I
), during the Kulturkampf
1872-1882 and during Nazi Germany
1938-1944 many people went in small groups or alone on the pilgrimage to Telgte.
The object of worship is the statue of the painful Blessed Virgin Mary. It shows Mary, holding the body of Jesus
after his death. The statue was made in 1370 and is thus one of the oldest portrayals of this motive (see Pietà
). The statue is made from wood of the poplar and 150 cm in height.
In 1654 the Prince-Bishop
Bernhard von Galen
had a chapel built especially for the pietà and the pilgrimage. After this the interest in the Osnabrück pilgrimage increased even more.
in the churches St. Johann and St. Joseph in Osnabrück
, and at 3 am the walk begins. The pilgrims walk through the village Oesede (Georgsmarienhütte
) and the town Bad Iburg
. They reach Glandorf
at about 8 am where another mass is celebrated. At 10 am they rest in Oedingberge and a meditation is held. The procession reaches Ostbevern
approximately at 1 pm and after a lunch break they set out for the last part of the walk. They reach Telgte at 4 pm and visit the pietà
. With prayers for the night in the church St. Clemens, the schedule for the first day ends.
The first pilgrim mass starts on Sunday at 4:30 am with at least one other mass following for children and youths.
Before they begin their way back at 8 am they come together for a last prayer. At 7 pm they reach The church of Peter and Paul in Oesede (Glandorf), where the final meditation is held.
Osnabrück
Osnabrück is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, some 80 km NNE of Dortmund, 45 km NE of Münster, and some 100 km due west of Hanover. It lies in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest...
to Telgte
Telgte
Telgte is a town in the Warendorf district, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated on the river Ems, 10 km east of Münster, and 15 km west of Warendorf.-History:...
takes place since 1852 on the second Sunday after the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, or the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, is a liturgical feast in honour of the martyrdom in Rome of the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul, which is observed on 29 June...
; it is known as Telgte pilgrimage ("Telgter Wallfahrt") or Osnabrück pilgrimage ("Osnabrücker Wallfahrt (nach Telgte)").
Each year approximately 8,000 pilgrims participate in the 47 km long walk along the B51 and more visitors arrive by bus or car.
History
The pilgrimage was started by layman citizen of Osnabrück in 1852, approved by the Catholic Church under the condition, that no spirits or other alcoholic beverages will be drunk. In 1856 the procession was led for the first time by a priest.Despite an interdiction during the wars in 1864-1866 (Second War of Schleswig
Second War of Schleswig
The Second Schleswig War was the second military conflict as a result of the Schleswig-Holstein Question. It began on 1 February 1864, when Prussian forces crossed the border into Schleswig.Denmark fought Prussia and Austria...
) and 1914-1918 (World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
), during the Kulturkampf
Kulturkampf
The German term refers to German policies in relation to secularity and the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, enacted from 1871 to 1878 by the Prime Minister of Prussia, Otto von Bismarck. The Kulturkampf did not extend to the other German states such as Bavaria...
1872-1882 and during Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
1938-1944 many people went in small groups or alone on the pilgrimage to Telgte.
Object of worship
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
after his death. The statue was made in 1370 and is thus one of the oldest portrayals of this motive (see Pietà
Pietà
The Pietà is a subject in Christian art depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus, most often found in sculpture. As such, it is a particular form of the Lamentation of Christ, a scene from the Passion of Christ found in cycles of the Life of Christ...
). The statue is made from wood of the poplar and 150 cm in height.
In 1654 the Prince-Bishop
Prince-Bishop
A Prince-Bishop is a bishop who is a territorial Prince of the Church on account of one or more secular principalities, usually pre-existent titles of nobility held concurrently with their inherent clerical office...
Bernhard von Galen
Bernhard von Galen
Christoph Bernhard Freiherr von Galen was prince-bishop of Münster. He was born into a noble Westphalian family....
had a chapel built especially for the pietà and the pilgrimage. After this the interest in the Osnabrück pilgrimage increased even more.
Course of the pilgrimage
The pilgrimage starts on Saturday at 1:30 am with massesMass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
in the churches St. Johann and St. Joseph in Osnabrück
Osnabrück
Osnabrück is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, some 80 km NNE of Dortmund, 45 km NE of Münster, and some 100 km due west of Hanover. It lies in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest...
, and at 3 am the walk begins. The pilgrims walk through the village Oesede (Georgsmarienhütte
Georgsmarienhütte
Georgsmarienhütte is a town in the district of Osnabrück, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the Teutoburg Forest, approx. 7 km south of Osnabrück.- History :...
) and the town Bad Iburg
Bad Iburg
Bad Iburg is a town in the district of Osnabrück, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the Teutoburg Forest, 16 km south of Osnabrück....
. They reach Glandorf
Glandorf, Germany
Glandorf is a municipality in the district of Osnabrück, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated close to the Teutoburg Forest, 24 km south of Osnabrück...
at about 8 am where another mass is celebrated. At 10 am they rest in Oedingberge and a meditation is held. The procession reaches Ostbevern
Ostbevern
Ostbevern is a municipality in the district of Warendorf, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Ostbevern is situated on the river Bever, approx...
approximately at 1 pm and after a lunch break they set out for the last part of the walk. They reach Telgte at 4 pm and visit the pietà
Pietà
The Pietà is a subject in Christian art depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus, most often found in sculpture. As such, it is a particular form of the Lamentation of Christ, a scene from the Passion of Christ found in cycles of the Life of Christ...
. With prayers for the night in the church St. Clemens, the schedule for the first day ends.
The first pilgrim mass starts on Sunday at 4:30 am with at least one other mass following for children and youths.
Before they begin their way back at 8 am they come together for a last prayer. At 7 pm they reach The church of Peter and Paul in Oesede (Glandorf), where the final meditation is held.
External links
- Osnabrück pilgrimage, official website of bishopric Osnabrück (German)
- Telgte pilgrimage, official website of parish St. Clemens, Telgte (German)
- Pietà in Telgte, an article from bishopric Münster (German)