The Hildegardis Reliquary in the Eibingen Parish Church
In the anniversary year 1929, the Hildegardis reliquary was manufactured in maria Leach and Cologne, according to a draft by Brother Radbod Commandeur OSB. The guilded reliquary resembles a building, on the door wings of which the allegories of the cardinal virtues can be seen: justice, courage, prudence, moderation. On the front and the backside, four saints - two at a time - are shown. Except for the scull, hair, heart and tongue, the reliquary contains bones of St. Hildegard and smaller relics of the Saints Giselbert, Rupert and Wigbert.
Three centuries after the destruction of the Rupertsberg monastery, for reasons yet unknown, a fire broke out in the Eibingen church during the night from September 3rd to the 4th in 1932. Despite the smoke and heat, the Hildegardis reliquary could be saved. The church and east wing burnt down. Taking account of former stylistic elements, a new church was built which was consecrated on July 14th, 1935 by Bishop Antonius Hilfrich of Limburg and put under the protection of St. John the Baptist and the patroness of the village, St. Hildegard. For practical reasons both portals are facing east. The altar-piece, the pebble-mosaic and the windows were created by Ludwig Baur from Teigte. The glass cabinet on the left side contains the scull of St. Gudula, Patron Saint of Brussels. Hildegard probably received this relic by friends of Brabant.
At the south corner of the church, above the foundation-stone, there is a Hildegard sculpture carved of Franconian shell-limestone by Franz Bernhard of Frankfurt. It was fitted into the stonework in 1957 as a reminder of the first Hildegard procession which took place in 1857. Especially on September 17th, the day of Hildegard's death, an increasing number of pilgrims comes to Eibingen every year to join the procession of relics in honour of the great Saint.
Dr. Werner Lauter
Historical Sites