Did you know that the Communauté des Sœurs de Marie Réparatrice stands on land with a royal connection? This very ground was gifted to the Catholic Church by Queen Elisabeth of Hungary during a pilgrimage to Alsace in 1226. She visited the Sainte-Odile monastery. That’s why the street bears her name to this day.
Let’s delve into the story of the Communauté des Sœurs de Marie Réparatrice. It is more than just a building. It embodies faith and dedication.
In 1857, the Baroness Emilie de Hooghvorst founded the congregation. After becoming a widow at 28 with four children, she dedicated her life to God. Her mission was to create a religious family under the protection of the Holy Mother. She named her Réparatrice to highlight humanity’s repair after sin. Bishop André Raess of Strasbourg offered his help.
Emilie became Mère Marie-de-Jésus. Her main concern was building a church for her new congregation. The beautiful church of Marie-Réparatrice was consecrated on December 8 1862. Soon after Mère Marie established a subsidiary in Rome. She received special protection from the Holy See. This led to many more subsidiaries. Two decades later there were hundreds around the world.
The chapel of the Communauté des Sœurs de Marie Réparatrice stands at 14 rue Sainte-Elisabeth. This is in the Finkwiller district of Strasbourg. The chapel’s architecture features a Gothic style in a cross shape. It is reminiscent of the Byzantine style. The church is 27 meters long and 8.5 meters wide. It reaches a height of 15 meters.
During World War II bombing damaged the building. Repairs followed in later years. The chapel boasts beautiful stained-glass windows. It also contains a Silbermann organ. Sadly the organ is unusable for many years. Despite its modest size and difficult access, the chapel offers excellent acoustics. This makes it a fitting venue for public spiritual concerts.
Towards the end of the 20th century, the Strasbourg sisters re-purposed a chapel near the entrance. They temporarily stopped using the main church. The premises were used by a medical student association for a while. In 2006, the Archdiocese of Strasbourg agreed to let the Romanian community use it. The Romanian community had been searching for a suitable worship place.
The Romanian parish undertook compliance work and installed an efficient heating system. They also renovated the rooms. The sisters authorized the construction of an iconostasis. They also allowed the church to be furnished with Orthodox inventory.
On April 11 2011, Patriarch Daniel of Romania blessed the iconostasis. Metropolitan Joseph Pop of Western and Southern Europe was present. Archbishop Casien of Lower Danube and other bishops priests and deacons also attended.
Besides regular services on Fridays Saturdays Sundays and major holidays, the Romanian Orthodox parish hosts cultural activities. These include conferences exhibitions concerts round tables and ecumenical meetings. A parish school teaches children catechism and Romanian language. It also supports the Association of Romanian Students in Strasbourg. It collaborates with all Orthodox parishes in the region.
So here at the Communauté des Sœurs de Marie Réparatrice we find a place of deep history. It represents faith community and cultural exchange. A place where prayers have echoed for centuries. A place where traditions blend and new beginnings take root.