Did you know that Sankt Ignatius in Frankfurt am Main wasn’t always here? This striking church is a testament to resilience and faith. It stands proudly in the Westend a residential area near the Rothschildpark. But its story began long before this modern building.
In 1919 Jesuits established a presence in Frankfurt. This was significant as Frankfurt was traditionally Lutheran. The community grew. In 1930 a new parish Sankt Ignatius was formed. Its first church was located at Im Trutz Frankfurt 50. This address became a symbol of resistance during the Nazi era. The parish priest has always been a Jesuit a tradition upheld to this day. The original church however proved too small. It was damaged during World War II air raids.
A new beginning arrived unexpectedly. The Metallgesellschaft a major company offered land for a new church. They acquired the old church to demolish it for an expansion of their subsidiary Lurgi. This was a pivotal moment. The foundation stone for the new Sankt Ignatius designed by the renowned architect Gottfried Böhm was laid in 1963. The church’s unique design a striking concrete structure symbolizes the ‘wandering people of God in the desert’. The interior features a large triangular window depicting the Burning Bush. Surrounding windows show roses echoing the imagery of the Burning Bush and the rosary.
The church’s construction was not without its challenges. A minor fire in 2007 caused extensive renovations delaying services for over two years. Then in 2014 as part of a restructuring of Frankfurt’s Catholic parishes Sankt Ignatius became a rectorate church of the new Dompfarrei St Bartholomäus. The church’s location across from the Frankfurter Welle building which until 1994 housed the Metallgesellschaft further underscores its unique story. Today Sankt Ignatius serves not only its own large congregation but also a Filipino community and the Catholic university community. It has survived war restructuring and fire yet continues to be a vibrant center of faith in the heart of Frankfurt am Main. Its history is one of adaptation and persistence a reflection of the enduring spirit of its community.