Could you imagine for a moment the echoes of prayers that have filled this sacred space for centuries? We’re standing before St. Rochus und St. Sebastian in Würzburg. It’s a testament to faith. It’s a story etched in stone and spirit.
This church is in Unterdürrbach. It stands as a beacon on Unterdürrbacher Straße. Look across the street. You will see Rochusgasse.
St. Rochus is dedicated to two saints. The church honors St. Rochus of Montpellier. He was a famous pilgrim who died in 1327. His feast day is August 16. St. Rochus also honors St. Sebastian. He was a martyr often shown with arrows in his chest. His feast day is January 20.
The original church suffered damage in the Thirty Years’ War. It was rebuilt and rededicated on August 16, 1672. Bishop Stephan Weinberger consecrated it to the Virgin Mary and St. Rochus. In 1776, it became a parish church. The original structure was torn down in 1800. Adam Salentin Fischer designed the current church. It was consecrated on September 15, 1801. Wilhelm Jakob Beatus Josef von zu Rhein donated 30000 Gulden for the new building.
The church suffered damage during a bombing on March 31, 1945. Interior renovations took place in 1961 and 1962. A new sacristy was built in 1976 next to the choir. The church was renovated inside and out in 1977 and 1978. The last interior renovation was in 1991.
Notice the simple design. Fischer’s plans feature a distinct western choir area. A roof turret with an onion dome and clock serves as the bell tower. The main facade presents a classical style.
Inside St. Rochus, you’ll find remarkable art. Würzburg court sculptor Johann Peter Wagner created the high altar between 1800 and 1801. Angels flank the freestanding altar and tabernacle. The altar features four columns. A sculpture of the Crucified Christ stands in the middle. Figures of Mary and John are between the columns. God the Father is in a radiant glory above. Putti with the Instruments of the Passion are above the outer columns. Wooden figures of St. Rochus and St. Sebastian stand on pedestals.
The altar and ambo were made from the communion rail in 1979. A wooden panel shows the Crucifixion on the right choir wall. Eulogius Böhler painted the Assumption of Mary and the Rosary in 1901. The coat of arms of the church’s founder is over the chancel arch.
The right side altar shows the martyrdom of St. Vitus. A figure of St. Joseph is on the Vitus Altar. The left side altar shows Anna teaching Mary the scriptures. A statue of the Immaculata stands on this altar. Johann Peter Wagner created it in 1765.
Johann Peter Wagner also made the classicist pulpit in 1800 and 1801. Busts of the apostles Peter and Paul are on the pulpit basket. An oval relief shows the Annunciation. A snake and a cross are on the sounding board. A Moses figure with the Ten Commandments crowns the sounding board.
The Baroque crucifix with attendant figures is also by Johann Peter Wagner. Gottfried Günther donated it. It stood in the Unterdürrbach cemetery. A figure of Christ as the Man of Sorrows is under the gallery. Andreas Leimgrub painted the Stations of the Cross in 1858. Friedrich Münch donated them. Josef Sattler restored them in 1982.
Look up at the ceiling. A glory with the Eye of God is in the middle. It is surrounded by a wreath of stucco roses. Angels’ heads peek out. Medallions painted by Eulogius Böhler depict the four Doctors of the Church. Symbols of faith, love, and hope are under the gallery.
The Elenz company from Würzburg built the organ in 1980. It has 18 registers.
In 1982, a new Chapel of Mary was added. It is between the sacristy and the foyer. It provides a place for reflection. The church must remain locked because of the Peter Wagner furnishings. A limewood Pietà from 1769 is in the chapel. It was previously in an open field chapel. Curd Lessig created fourteen Stations of the Cross in 1963. Glas und Licht Schieblon made glass windows with Passion motifs in 1982.
The bells of St. Rochus are a chorus of faith. They call people to prayer. The Christkönigsglocke weighs 260 kg. The Muttergottesglocke weighs 178 kg. The Rochus- und Sebastiansglocke weighs 105 kg.
St. Rochus stands as a testament to time. It shows the resilience of faith. It honors those who sought solace here. It reminds us of the enduring power of community.