Didn’t Mainz Bishop Kirstein hope to rebuild St. Maria ad Gradus after its destruction? This hope led to today’s Liebfrauenkirche. The Liebfrauenkirche stands as a testament to Mainz’s layered history. It is a modern Roman Catholic church. It is located in Mainz. The Liebfrauenkirche’s story begins long before its construction in the 1960s.
Let’s travel back to the early 11th century. Archbishop Siegfried I consecrated a new Marienstift. This was in 1069. A church was associated with this foundation. It was called St. Maria ad Gradus. People also called it Liebfrauenkirche. The name “ad Gradus” or “to the steps” came from a staircase. This staircase connected the church’s east portal to the lower ground near the Fischtor.
Imagine this earlier Liebfrauenkirche. It stood east of Mainz Cathedral. It connected the cathedral to the Rhine River. Over the centuries, St. Maria ad Gradus faced destruction and renewal. A fire in 1285 significantly damaged the church. It was rebuilt and expanded in Gothic style. Archbishop Peter von Aspelt consecrated the rebuilt church in 1311.
Prussian forces shelled Mainz in 1793. The Liebfrauenkirche was damaged. Saving the church was not possible during the French occupation. Bishop Joseph Ludwig Colmar couldn’t save all Mainz churches. The Liebfrauenkirche stood in the way of building the Grande Rue Napoléon. The church was torn down between 1803 and 1807. Its stones were used for the Kastel fortress and to improve the Finther Landstrasse.
Today, outlines of the old church are marked in sandstone. You can see them on Liebfrauenplatz. This reminds us of the past. Since 1999, the reconstructed choir area hosts Mainz’s market breakfast every Saturday from March to mid-November.
Now, let’s turn our attention to the modern Liebfrauenkirche. The parish was established in 1931. This became necessary due to the expansion of Mainz. For over 30 years, services took place in the Liebfrauensaal. The Liebfrauensaal served as a temporary church.
Bishop Kirstein wanted to rebuild a place to honor the Virgin Mary. The city provided land in 1912. World War I and inflation delayed construction. An architectural competition was held in 1929. Eberhard Finsterwalder won. Construction began in 1929 but stopped in 1933.
During the Second Vatican Council, Bernhard Schmitz was chosen to design a new church. The modern Liebfrauenkirche was consecrated in 1966. The church’s design emphasizes God’s covenants with humanity. Peter Paul Etz created the windows. They depict scenes from the Old Testament. The north wall shows the Exodus. The south wall shows God’s covenant and the Resurrection of Christ.
The Liebfrauenkirche’s design points east. Its shape is a parabel stump. The altar is a central gathering place. The Kreuzwegstations are by Adam Winter. They were moved from the original church. Three casts of Gothic figures from the old church’s tympanum are displayed.
Liebfrauen received a new organ in 1967. Two bells cast in 1970 ring for the church. Today, Liebfrauenkirche also hosts the Spanish-speaking Catholic community of Mainz.
As you stand here, consider the layers of history beneath your feet. The Liebfrauenkirche connects Mainz’s past and present. It is a place of worship and a reminder of the city’s enduring spirit.