A bell tolls. Its sound echoes across the quiet landscape. This is Zu den Heiligen Engeln in Glinde. It’s more than just a church.
Zu den Heiligen Engeln stands proudly. This is a place of worship steeped in history. It wasn’t always the magnificent structure you see today. Its story begins in the late 1940s. A small community of Catholics needed a church. They were initially part of the St Paulus parish in Billstedt. Many Catholic workers lived in Glinde after 1936. They worked at the Kurbelwellenwerk Hamburg and the Heereszeugamt. Services were held in unconventional locations. These included the Lindenhof the kindergarten or the Tannenweg school.
The church was finally built in 1949 and 1950. It was then that the name Zu den Heiligen Engeln was chosen. This name is a testament to the Paderborn Schutzengelverein. They helped finance the project. By the mid-1950s the church was too small. For sixty years discussions raged about expansion or relocation. A lack of funding from the diocese prevented this.
Finally in 2014 permission for renovation and expansion was given. The community showed incredible dedication. They used creative financing and considerable volunteer work. They achieved the church’s transformation. The result was a brighter and more modern building. Safety standards were updated. The number of seats however remained unchanged.
Notice the altar and ambo. The Obernkirchner sandstone altar replaced a wooden one in 1963. The ambo’s stele was carved from the altar stone in 2015. Relics of Saints Crispin and Crispinian rest within the altar plate. They are covered by a Goten-Rot-Granite lid. Look at the Tabernacle. It was crafted in 1963 by goldsmith Egino G Weinert. It features scenes of Old Testament angels.
The fourteen stations of the Stations of the Cross are a masterpiece. They were created by Hans Janerk in 1977. They were cast in bronze. The bronze relief of the Three Archangels is from 1985. It’s based on a design by Manfred Willers. The small stone tablets with the word “Glaube” in various languages mark the 12 anointing points of the church consecration. They are truly unique. The organ dates from 1974. It was built by Grollmann in Hamburg.
And the bells? The larger bell rings a b’. It was cast in 1507. It came originally from St Ursula church in Queissen in Poland. It and a smaller bell were approved for use here in 1949. A crack in the smaller bell necessitated its replacement in 1976. The damaged bell was restored. It was returned to St Ursula’s in Gwizdanow in 2009.
Zu den Heiligen Engeln is a testament to faith. It’s a beacon of hope. Its history reflects resilience. It’s more than bricks and mortar. It’s a story of community. It’s a place of peace. It is a beautiful and significant building.