“Feldbrandziegel” a word perhaps unfamiliar to many tells a silent story. It whispers of the bricks used to build St. Mariä Vermählung. This chapel stands not in Bonn directly but in Oedekoven. It is a part of the municipality of Alfter in the Rhein-Sieg-Kreis district.
St. Mariä Vermählung is more than just a building. It is a testament to the faith and resilience of a community. Imagine this small chapel in 1756. Oedekoven was then an independent village. This chapel was its only house of worship.
The residents of Oedekoven built St. Mariä Vermählung themselves. The Abbess of Burbach Monastery provided the land. Construction finished in 1757. It was just before the grape harvest. The chapel was originally dedicated to the Seven Joys of Mary. Later its name changed to Mariä Vermählung.
For years this chapel was the heart of the community. People gathered for masses. They prayed the rosary. They held private devotions. Regular services however took place in St. Laurentius. This was the mother church in Lessenich/Meßdorf. This changed in 1940. Priest Heinrich Flatten came to Oedekoven.
Oedekoven’s population grew quickly. St. Mariä Vermählung became too small. Even enlarging the organ loft in 1947 did not solve the problem. Some worshippers stood outside during services. They joined in from the doorway. The community needed a bigger church. St. Mariä Himmelfahrt was built nearby.
But St. Mariä Vermählung retained its significance. Today meditative services are held here. The annual Eucharist celebration takes place during the small fair. This is on the third Saturday in January.
The chapel is a simple hall with a three-sided choir closure. It has a flat barrel vault. It is about six meters long and four meters wide inside. Renovations in 1968-1971 and 1981 shaped its current appearance.
In 1971 St. Mariä Vermählung reopened. It became a memorial for soldiers from Oedekoven. A copper relief shows the four apocalyptic horsemen. They symbolize war famine and death over Oedekoven. They commemorate those who died in the two World Wars.
In 1981 Bishop Klaus Dick consecrated the altar table. Relics of Bonn’s patron saints Cassius and Florentius were placed in the altar. The late Baroque altar piece and figures were restored. The altar piece and the Mary statue above the entrance came in 1864. They were originally in the chapel at Tempelhof. This chapel burned down. The altar piece depicts the Holy Family adoring the newborn child. Above is the lamb on the book with seven seals. The Christ monogram “IHS” is in a halo.
Two Franciscan figures stand near the altar. One figure is Johannes von Capestrano. He was a preacher and army leader. He fought against the Turks. The other figure is likely Francis of Assisi. He stands with his foot on a globe. This symbolizes rejection of the world.
The bell in the chapel tower dates back to the 14th century. This was discovered in 1956. It happened during a restoration.
In January 2021 the church was illuminated in green and blue. Artist Rafael Buttlies created this light installation. It was called “Hope of the Light.” It symbolized hope during the Corona pandemic.
St. Mariä Vermählung stands as a beacon of history faith and art. It reminds us of the people who built it. It reminds us of their struggles and their hopes.