Two legends dance around the origin of the Maria-Hilf-Kapelle. One speaks of a dragon. The other whispers of a battlefield. Welcome to the Maria-Hilf-Kapelle.
Imagine, if you will, Mals gripped by fear. A dragon lurked near Ellhorn. People turned to Mary for help. They promised a chapel if the dragon vanished. The beast disappeared. To this day, a tin dragon head sits atop the chapel tower. It serves as a quirky reminder of the legend of the Maria-Hilf-Kapelle.
Another tale suggests the chapel commemorates a battle. It was fought between Bishop Friedrich von Montfort and Count Hugo von Werdenberg in 1289. The battle took place near Balzers. But there is no solid proof linking the chapel to this event of the Maria-Hilf-Kapelle.
Few old writings exist about the Maria-Hilf-Kapelle. We learn much from examining the building itself. Some think a small chapel stood here in the 13th century. Yet, the foundations hint at construction in the early 16th century. Intriguingly, the chapel isn’t mentioned in records from 1595. A priest’s will from 1690 speaks of a “new Chapel Maria-Hilf”. So, a rebuilding or major change likely happened before then at the Maria-Hilf-Kapelle.
The Maria-Hilf-Kapelle’s tower dates back to the early 1700s. The old choir was replaced. The nave was raised. A new roof was built. Donations fueled these expansions. In 1736, the “Brotherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary the Helper” was founded. This brotherhood was very important for the Maria-Hilf-Kapelle.
When fire destroyed the parish church in 1795, this Maria-Hilf-Kapelle became the main church. It remained so until 1807. Reports from the early 1800s describe the Maria-Hilf-Kapelle as dilapidated. It was even robbed twice.
An altar was consecrated in 1816. This suggests some renovation. More work likely occurred in the 1840s. A new roof structure was added around 1842-1846. The chapel was consecrated in 1846. It honored the Virgin Mary and her mother, Saint Anna. A vestibule and sacristy were added in the 1890s to the Maria-Hilf-Kapelle.
Extensive renovations took place in 1944 and 1945. The chapel was replastered. The roofs were redone. A new gallery replaced the old one. In 1966, the area around the chapel was revamped. Trees and shrubs were planted.
On January 4, 2012, disaster struck. A fire started in the Christmas crib due to a technical fault. The fire didn’t spread. Smoke caused significant damage inside. The interior needed weeks of restoration. Wooden surfaces were cleaned. Walls were repainted. Decorated ceilings underwent special cleaning. Altars were dismantled and cleaned. The organ was taken apart and re-tuned.
In 2016, the tower’s exterior was renovated. The 70-year-old wooden shingle roof was replaced. The tower’s facade was cleaned.
The Maria-Hilf-Kapelle has a rectangular nave. It also has an apsidal choir. The tower stands to the northeast. The sacristy is to the southwest. The chapel is made of rubble stones. The sacristy and vestibule are brick.
Inside, the main altar and side altars date from 1720-1730. The main altar features a copy of Lucas Cranach’s Mariahilf image. Statues of John the Evangelist and John the Baptist flank it. The oval frontispiece depicts “God the Father with Dove”. Putti and angels adorn the scene.
The left side altar shows the Holy Family. God the Father and the Holy Spirit are above. Saint Francis’ stigmatization is on the oval frontispiece. Statues of a priest and John of Nepomuk stand nearby.
The right side altar depicts Anthony of Padua. The Virgin Mary appears to him. The frontispiece shows John of Nepomuk. Statues of a saint and a bishop surround him.
Ceiling paintings in the choir and nave depict scenes from Mary’s life. The Visitation is in the choir. The Annunciation and Presentation of Jesus at the Temple are in the nave. The paintings’ age is debated. Some say early 1700s, others mid-1800s.
An organ was purchased for the Maria-Hilf-Kapelle in 1868. It came from the parish of Mols. It was likely installed in 1869/1870. Späth Orgelbau restored it in 1945. Mathis Orgelbau restored it in 1991. Johann Sylvester Walpen likely built the organ around 1824. It is probably his last surviving instrument.
The Maria-Hilf-Kapelle has two bells. The larger one dates to around 1300. It is said to have come from Gutenberg Castle in the late 1700s. It is dedicated to the Four Evangelists. The second bell dates to 1508. It bears the inscription “Ave Maria, gratia plena”. An electric bell system was installed in 2000. Before that, the bells were rung by hand.
The Maria-Hilf-Kapelle stands as a testament to faith. It is a repository of art. It is a landmark. It is a testament to enduring legends.