2024 Danube Pilgrimage: Altötting and Regensburg

Altötting has been a destination of pilgrims since 1489, when news hit of 2 healings attributed to a Madonna made out of lime-wood that was in an octagonal baptismal chapel. This Madonna arrived in Altötting around 1330. Silver urns containing the hearts of Bavarian sovereigns are opposite the Madonna, as a sign of "ducal guard of honor". Due to the wood used for the Madonna, as well as the candles burned in the chapel throughout the years, the Madonna is also called the Black Madonna. No pictures are allowed in the chapel; however, this link will take you to information and pictures. The chapel is actually quite small and dark; the picture is a little deceiving. When I first went into the chapel and knelt down to pray, she appeared to be without emotion, but the more I watched and prayed, she seemed to be smiling.

All around the outside of the chapel are depictions of healings, from ceiling to floor. Some of these are centuries old; some are in writing, and some only have pictures.

Click here for a more impressive picture that will give a better idea of the depictions of healings. Popes John Paul II and Benedict went to Altötting as pilgrims. Pope Benedict's papal ring can be found on the Madonna; she appears to be holding it in her left hand.

If you will allow me, let me back up to before we made it to the Chapel. We started our morning by celebrating Mass at St. Anne's Minor Basilica. Built in the Baroque style in the early 1900's, Pope Pius X declared it a papal church. Being the largest church in Altötting, there are 12 side altars with a gorgeous high altar. I had the privilege of reading the Responsorial Psalm during Mass. I just knew something spectacular was going to happen here...this verse is one of my favorites and saw me through my husband's illness:

God indeed is my savior,

I am confident and unafraid.

My strength and my courage is the LORD;

And he has been my savior.

---Isaiah 12:2

Basilica of St. Anne

View of the inside

The organ is from 1916.

Close up view of the Altar depicting St. Anne with Mary

The Stations of the Cross can't be missed in any Catholic Church.

The Ambo is also a "must not miss".

Beautiful chapel within the Basilica.

Papal Coat of Arms from Pope Pius X (who was the Pope at the time of dedication) to Pope Benedict XVI

We weren't able to go into St. Konrad because a Mass was being celebrated. St. Konrad was a Capuchin Brother who made pilgrimages to Altötting growing up. Orphaned at the age of 16, he worked the family farm until his siblings told him he was to be married and take over the farm, to which he declared that he was going in a cloister. Eventually, St. Konrad was the Porter at the Cloister of St. Anne. There is a story of children from the town ringing the bell at the door; as soon as they saw Brother Konrad, they would quieten themselves and begin to pray the Hail Mary. If they rushed through, Brother would tell them in a stern voice that Above all else, we Capuchins must pray! He would kneel and pray in front of the Black Madonna daily.

St. Konrad Church

St. Konrad

Once we walked into the Kapellplatz, such a feeling of peace came over me. We walked in right at noon: just in time for the Angelus Bells:

Also in the Kapellplatz were signs. This one is the Fatima Prayer:

During the walking tour, we were able to enter the Collegiate Church of Sts. Phillip and Jacob. Originally, this land was a monastery around 876. The present church was built in 1489 and expanded to house the number of pilgrims flocking to Altötting in 1511.

Stations of the Cross

Tod von Eding (Death of Altötting) is a mechanical statue from around the time of the plague. Legend has it that with every swing of the scythe, someone dies.

We were able to go individually into the Chapel of Grace, which houses the Black Madonna. As I previously stated, the actual chapel is very small, but there are some chairs available.

Door to the Chapel with Epiphany Marking

Close up view of above the doorway

There were a few things I learned while writing this post that I wish I had known about while visiting.

Weather candles can be purchased. These are made with the wax from the candles in Chapel of Grace and are lit in the presence of storms.
St. Konrad: we were told a little bit about him, but it would have been great to have been told more.
St. Magdalena: The pictures look stunning. This is another Capuchin Church and, according to this site, confessions are constantly heard, or at least they were in 2018.
There are a couple of other churches in town that I wasn't aware of. This town with a population of approximately 13,500 has certainly been blessed!

At the time, I didn't think anything spectacular happened at Altötting. A couple of days later, as I walked to my cabin on the ship, it hit me: I have my joy back. I truly feel I can contribute that to the Black Madonna, and it makes perfect sense that she changed from being without emotion to smiling as I prayed in front of her.

REGENSBURG

Regensburg is an adorable town, full of history, round towers, and medieval streets. As we walked from the ship to the Basilica where we would attend Mass, I "stumbled" upon these:

Stolpersteine ("Stumbling Stones") are placed in sidewalks where individuals were deported. Included on each plaque is the person's name, birth, deportation date, and death (if known), as well as where they were deported. I stopped in my tracks when I saw this and pointed it out to those walking with me. No one in the group had any idea about them, so I explained it. It made me a little sad that the other groups (I was in the last one) walked right on by without any acknowledgement of it. This article reports that all 45,000 dispersed through the continent together make up the largest Holocaust memorial in the world. Select International Guide who was with us is Polish, and she said that her government decided not to participate in this project due to the astounding number of people who were deported and killed during the Holocaust. To read my personal connection to someone whose parents & grandparents are memorialized through Stolpersteine, read this post from one of my other blogs.

Mass was in an incredible Basilica; it was a bit overwhelming to be perfectly honest. The "Old Chapel" is a Marian Shrine that is one of the most important Christian sites in Bavaria. The future Pope Benedict XVI would come here to pray when he taught at the university.

The main Altar

An amazing ceiling: Always look up!

Side altar

The Ambo

The Organ is the only organ blessed by a Pope in person (Pope Benedict XVI in 2006)

The "ceiling" of the Ambo

Another side Altar

Just beautiful. And all for the glory of God. There was so much to look at; every time I turned my head I saw something else. There is a Miraculous Image that is housed in the Chapel of Mercy at the Basilica. Said to have been painted by the Evangelist Luke, it was gifted to Emporer Henry II by Pope Benedict VII in 1014. Pilgrimages to the Image have been made since the 14th century with miraculous healings being reported in the 17th century.

Byzantine picture of the Mother of God holding the Child Jesus

The ceiling in the Chapel of Mercy

A Crucifix on the wall in the Chapel of Mercy

Close-up of the Miraculous Image

There is a Fatima sculpture that survived the bombs in 1945, but I missed it.

During the walking tour, St. Peter Cathedral was pointed out; however, we didn't go in as a group. I ran in quickly because it's in the Gothic Style, and it's a cathedral. Bonus: It was built in the 13th century.

View of the Spires

St. Peter in a boat under the Crucifix

View of the outside of the Cathedral

Gargoyles on the West Facade

Entrance on the West Facade

8 statues of the Apostles on the "porch" of the West Entrance

Inside

Beautiful stained glass behind the main Altar

St. Peter

WELTENBURG ABBEY

I have to say, this was quite the treat. Quirky, but interesting, Weltenburg Abbey is a Benedictine Abbey with origins believed from the 7th century, although a dedicated abbot was not mentioned until 1040. We had a short walk from a parking lot to the Abbey and saw a couple of points of interest on the way.

A memorial to 3 US soldiers who drowned in the Danube during training.

This stone slab/plaque may be a reminder of the waterline in 1845.

St. George is the patron of the Abbey

Inside the church is where the quirkiness comes in. We were treated to a talk about the frescoes and sculptures in the church. The church was built as if it were a theater, which begins the quirkiness.