What if two churches became one? Since 2009, the Catholic parish communities of Heiligkreuz and St. Elisabeth in Würzburg’s Zellerau district have been united. They now form the Parish Community of Heiligkreuz and St. Elisabeth.
The restructuring of the Diocese of Würzburg in 2021 made the Parish Community part of the Pastoral Area of Würzburg Süd-West. Since October 1, 2022, the Parish Community of Heiligkreuz and St. Elisabeth has joined with the Parish of St. Burkard. They now form the Parish Community of Heiligkreuz, St. Elisabeth and St. Burkard.
Let’s start with St. Elisabeth. St. Elisabeth is a Catholic parish church in Würzburg. It stands in the southern Zellerau district on Bohlleitenweg. The church is named after Elisabeth of Thuringia. She was known for her devotion to helping others. Elisabeth died young at age 24.
St. Elisabeth is a large hall church built in the 1950s. The Zellerau parish of Heiligkreuz had grown to 14,000 Catholics. This created a pastoral need to divide the community. So, the new curacy of St. Elisabeth was established. Bishop Julius Döpfner founded the church foundation on April 5, 1950. The state approved it on May 3, 1950. The cornerstone was laid on July 18, 1954. Bishop Julius Döpfner consecrated the church on September 3 and 4, 1955. The altar area was redesigned in October 1967. This followed the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council.
In 2012, there was talk of shrinking or demolishing St. Elisabeth. This was due to the building’s poor condition. Also, fewer people were attending services. In early 2015, a decision was made not to tear down the church. However, it would not be fully renovated either. Instead, the plan was to maintain it for the next 10 to 15 years. After that, the church members would decide what to do next.
Now, let’s turn our attention to Heiligkreuz. Heiligkreuz is also a Catholic parish church in the Zellerau district. It is located on Sedanstraße, at the corner of Friedrichstraße. The parish center is on Hartmannstraße. Heiligkreuz means Holy Cross. Churches with this name are dedicated to the Holy Cross. This is the cross on which Jesus died. The Patron Saint Day is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross on September 14.
The architect Michael Niedermeier built the Parish Church of Heiligkreuz. The cornerstone was laid on August 5, 1934. Bishop Matthias Ehrenfried consecrated it on September 15, 1935. The bombing of Würzburg on March 16, 1945, damaged the church roof. The church building was renovated outside in 1957 and 1958. Walter Schilling led the redesign of the chancel and the interior renovation in 1967. The last complete renovation was in 1985.
Heiligkreuz is a three-aisled basilica. It has a gable roof and a rectangular tower. The tower has a hipped roof and a high lantern. The plastered building features limestone details. It has a lion portal. On the main facade is a sgraffito image. It shows the “Exaltation of the Cross by Emperor Constantine.” Willy Jakob created it in 1935. A sculpture of Ecce Homo from 1588 by Paulus Michel stands on the southeast outer wall.
Inside Heiligkreuz, a bronze sculpture of the Returning Christ with Tabernacle hangs on the chancel wall. Otto Sonnleitner created it in 1967. A bronze cast of the Madonna with Child stands on the left front side of the central nave. Otto Sonnleitner created it for the Bayreuth St. Hedwig’s Church in 1961. A red marble relief by Fried Heuler from 1935 is on the pulpit basket. It depicts Christ among the Apostles. The inscription reads: “Go into all the world and teach all nations.”
These two churches, St. Elisabeth and Heiligkreuz, now work together. They serve the Catholic community in Würzburg’s Zellerau district. Each church has its own unique story and history. Together, they form a strong and vibrant parish community. They continue to serve the spiritual needs of the people of Würzburg.