WA church is clearly visible on a hill north of Aschaffenburg. As if it wanted to defy all worldly and climatic hazards, the baroque church of St. Johannes towers over the country at a height of 370 meters. To this day, the sightlines are kept free of buildings, although in the evenings there is a truly uplifting feeling when yellowish spotlights make the church float – as a symbol of the promised city on the mountain.
The Archdiocese of Mainz and the Aschaffenburg Abbey wanted to make a dominant statement on the edge of their western Spessart possessions. Accordingly, the triple-stepped portal tower was aligned southwest, behind which the pilaster-decorated nave almost disappears. The furnishings, on the other hand, took time after the consecration in 1769, and it was not completed for secularization.
With the richly crafted rococo pulpit in mind as a reminder of better days, the small community had to accept long makeshift arrangements. It was only at the end of the 19th century that it was able to re-equip. In the historicizing Renaissance style, a high altar could be set up and ceiling paintings could be installed. Like the altarpiece, it shows scenes from the life of church patron John the Beheaded.
An additional loss was associated with the reorganization of the region’s parish system. After centuries, the people of surrounding villages no longer had to climb the steep mountain to their mother church for church services, weddings or burials. Of course, this called for their own places of worship, which, like in Reichenbach to the north, were built even under the difficult post-war conditions. The cemetery also wanted to be built next to the church, which was started in 1948.
Why the form of graves with completely identical furnishings, which is unprecedented in this area, was chosen for this purpose could never be fully clarified. Although the custom of uniform burial boards (“Stickel”) near Lindenfels-Schlierbach can be traced back to the settlement of Tyroleans in the 17th century, there is only speculation about the Reichenbach motifs: all graves were provided with an identical crucifix and only a small one Board with the vital data to allow.
Either under the impression of the Second World War, people were looking for an equivalent that death makes everyone equal – a cross was also placed for every fallen soldier in the area. Or since the creation of their own parish, the believers wanted to be united in a common symbol that corresponds to the Christian ideal of lack of needs. Even under completely different circumstances, this self-image remains unchanged.
Directions
An excursion into the hilly Spessart landscape starts and ends in front of the Johanneskirche. The bus stops here and there is a large parking lot behind it. The church is open; The annual nativity scene in a confessional is also worth noting. At Christmas time the action moves several meters in front of the left side altar.
The figures come from the local Sauer carving workshop, which still maintains the traditional, idealized understanding of the nativity scene. You pass their showrooms after a few meters when you cross the town on the left on the main street; From the fork turn right towards Breunsberg. We only have to walk briefly next to the road at the end of the development, then a footpath offers wide views over the wooded Spessart mountains.
In close view, an original granite stone stands out. It is a reminder of the years of land consolidation and the previously recognizable Chapel of the Good Shepherd. It was specially implemented for this purpose, or rebuilt in 1996 with the help of a chapel building association and provided with bronze cast work.
A red double line marks the area around the chapel. It indicates the direction “Up” to the left. It’s more of a downhill route there since you soon turned right and 400 meters further left. Fruit trees always accompany you, even before and after crossing a country road (a few steps to the right). If you don’t choose the direct route to Daxberg, the double line includes a protected fishing pond called Milchgrundweiher.
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