Consider the story of a church born from the district of Marzahn’s new beginnings. That’s the story of Von der Verklärung des Herrn. This Roman Catholic church stands as a testament to faith. It arose amidst Berlin’s late 20th-century modernization.
Bishop Alfred Cardinal Bengsch initiated the project. His successor, Joachim Cardinal Meisner, continued it. The church’s construction spanned from 1984 to 1987. It provided a communal space for the growing Catholic population.
Back then Marzahn was undergoing significant redevelopment. The authorities supported the church’s construction. They allocated suitable land. A special construction program funded the project. The DDR government oversaw it. Four new churches were built in East Berlin districts because of this program. Limex, a state-owned foreign trade company, managed the building process. The German Caritas Association oversaw the project from the church’s side.
Pfarrer Kaschubowski commissioned Hermann Korneli. Korneli was an architect from the Bauakademie der DDR. He designed the modern church and its interior. The cornerstone was laid in October 1984. The complex includes the church, a multi-story rectory, and a single-story connecting building. This connecting building houses the parish hall and community rooms. A dominant bell tower stands at the building complex’s northwest corner.
After three years, the church was consecrated. Joachim Cardinal Meisner dedicated the new building. He named it Von der Verklärung des Herrn. This name references the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ in the Bible.
The church boasts a steel frame construction. Brickwork fills the spaces. Clinker bricks clad the facade. The semi-open church tower rises 29 meters high. Three bronze bells reside inside. A four-meter-high gilded steel cross crowns the flat roof. The church’s three naves have distinct heights. The building features a fanned layout. The altar sits at the center of the main nave. The entire complex occupies approximately 2350 square meters.
Inside, white plaster covers the walls. This creates a neutral backdrop. Light floods the main nave through rows of white windows. A wooden Corpus Christi dominates the altar. It arrived in 2000. The side naves connect to the main nave without columns.
The northern side nave serves as a baptismal chapel. A baptismal font, a Johannes Minne sculpture, and an apostle candlestick catch the eye. These medieval figures came from a South German community. A concrete frieze depicting Christ’s Stations of the Cross adorns this nave’s wall. Werner Frischmuth created this modern artwork.
The southern side nave serves as a Marian chapel. A limewood statue of Mary is the centerpiece. It stands on a three-part marble pedestal. An artist from Eichsfeld created the statue. He modeled it after his girlfriend.
Embedded in the wall is a historical stone. It comes from the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Bishop Meisner brought it back from a trip to Rome.
A Walcker organ sits on the gallery above the entrance. The catholic community acquired this instrument in 1999. Johannes Kircher expanded and installed it. The Von der Verklärung des Herrn also has three bells. They were cast in Apolda in 1989. Each bell displays biblical scenes and inscriptions. The Verklärung bell depicts the Transfiguration. The Elija bell features the prophet Elijah. The Moses bell shows the image of Moses.
Since 2022, the church has been part of the parish of St. Hildegard von Bingen. Von der Verklärung des Herrn stands as a place of worship. It is also a testament to Marzahn’s transformation.