Eleven bells now ring in the basilica of vierzehnheiligen

On the eve of christmas sunday, numerous interested people had gathered on the basilica square to listen to a "bell vesper" to follow the presentation of the bells. It was obvious to the audience that this was a wish of their hearts, which was reflected in the applause at the end.

Since the feast of fourteen saints in may, the bells at the pilgrimage site had been silent. In this period, the belfries were rebuilt in wooden construction. In them, six more bells now enrich the sound of the organ. Total noise in the "french betlehem" now eleven bells on different occasions, individually or as an ensemble.

Reconstruction was necessary

Twelve years ago, after two bands of the coarse blasius bell were broken, the cause was investigated and found in the cropped suspension and the "steel one" bell tower attributed. For the preservation of the bells a reconstruction was therefore necessary. From the organist of the basilica, georg hagel, came the suggestion to provide space for smaller cimbalom bells in the belfry to be renewed. With the selection of these bells it was paid attention to the fact that they fit into the sound picture of the existing bells.

At the "bells vespers the bells rang out, individually and as an ensemble – and they told of the eventful history of vierzehnheiligen. The individual time periods were movingly underscored with colored light effects on the north side of the basilica.

The smallest bell "puer natus est" ("a child is born to us") recalled the 24. September 1445, when, according to tradition, hermann leicht, the shepherd of the monastery of langheim, saw a crying child in the field. As the "emergency bell" and the "jesuskind bell together they rang out, remembering the child and the 14 emergency helpers.

In the 18. The construction of the basilica by balthasar neumann on behalf of the cistercians finally took place in the 16th century. This is commemorated by the bells of st. Benedict and st. Bernard.

The basilica was completed in 1772, but none of the original bells still exist. In 1835 lightning struck, the towers and the whole roof burned down, and the bells were destroyed.

1839 king ludwig I called. The franciscans to fourteen saints. It was finally remembered by the "franciscus bell". In 1869, the two coarse bells were cast that still ring in the south tower today.

Now the bells of george and blasius were rung by the bell-ringer johann paul lotter. The two bells from 1921 and finally the emergency bell from 1950 were added, so that at the end the complete old bells sounded for a few minutes.

Now the story continued, and church caretaker richard lurz reported on the decision to cast new bells in order to relieve the old bells and the towers. Basilica organist and bell expert georg hagel reported on the individual strike notes and weights of all eleven bells. Now the new bells could be enjoyed one after the other, and for a few minutes they dug together into the garden of god.

As a cistercian church, the basilica is a mary church. This was also sung together in the "gegrubet seist du, konigin" and by the sound of the four marienglocken horbar.