Although the Reformation in the 16th century had swept across the country, Langegg remained a Catholic island under the administration of the archbishop of Salzburg . After the miraculous healing of the daughter of the administrator Matthäus Hering, the latter donated a chapel. There he placed the image of the Virgin Mary, in front of which he had prayed. Soon it was much visited.
The Habsburgs promoted the pilgrimage and in 1645 brought the Servites to Langegg, who built the monastery complex. They brought with them the cult of the veneration of the plague saint Peregrin. Around 1773 the church "Mary, Salvation of the Sick" became one of the most important plague pilgrimage sites in the country (1739: 39'000 pilgrims!). For 330 years the Servites at the "Austrian Hilff- und Heylberg" looked after the pilgrims.
Due to personnel problems (no new blood) the Servites left Maria Langegg in 1974 and handed over the parish to the diocese of St. Pölten. Recently the monastery has served as a branch of the Community of the Beatitudes. These receive pilgrims - except during their holiday week in August.
After the demolition of the first church, the present church was rebuilt from 1765 and completed in 1773. The presbytery from the old church is still existing, it is the so-called "original chapel". The old high altar is still there.
Above the entrance gate to the church is the coat of arms of the Servites: SM = Servi Mariae, Servant of Mary.
In the heart of the Church I want to be love
(Saint Thérèse of Lisieux)
The Community of the Beatitudes was founded in France in 1973 by two couples and is today an international private association of the faithful of papal law. It unites the laity and the clergy with the desire to come as close as possible to the example of the early Church through community life, voluntary poverty, intense sacramental and liturgical life, as well as through active engagement in service to the poor and proclamation of the Gospel.
There are about 30 houses (foundations). A General Moderator is elected every 4 years by the General Assembly and supported by a General Council. Each house is headed by a "shepherd". Several houses are grouped into regions and provinces, which are led by a provincial moderator.
From the flyer of the Community of the Beatitudes
PS: On our pilgrimage we will meet St. Thérèse of Lisieux again and again, for example in St. Johann in Tirol and later almost everywhere in France.
A little tired and exhausted from the heat, we stand in the cool church of Maria Langegg, happy to have reached our destination. Behind us the altar with the miraculous image.
In the cloister of the Maria Langegg monastery is a copy of the famous Mariahilf picture. For comparison the original by Lucas Cranach from Innsbruck. This is at least the fifth Mariahilf picture we have seen since Vienna.
This Nepomuk (patron saint of the Servites) greets those entering the cloister.
He is also included in my Nepomuk collection.
Guest or pilgrim rooms on the first floor.
Unfortunately it is not always possible to stay here overnight. The best is to call and inquire: Tel: 02753 393
http://www.maria-langegg.kirche.at/en/html/1/0.html/
preceding stage
next stage
