Welcome to St. Laurentius Church in Marktheidenfeld. The Catholic parish is pleased to welcome you here. In the next few minutes, we would like to accompany you on your visit to our house of worship. At ten stations, you will find short audio files that bring the church’s exterior and interior closer to you. You will receive information about both the construction history and the religious symbolism. You decide how much time you want to take- each station stands on its own-, so you are also welcome to skip individual points. The audio files are also available as text for reading on the homepage. In addition, there is a second playlist that explains the saints depicted on the columns in the nave and on the side altars. Further instructions will follow later.

A visit to our church is really worth it: Because St. Laurentius Church is a true landmark of our city. Many visitors, for example, stop by here on Fridays after a stroll through the Green Market to find some peace and quiet. For our community, it has been a spiritual home for several hundred years – a place of encounter, faith, and silence. And it is the namesake of the city's largest folk festival: the Lauenzi Fair in August. At the beginning of the audio guide, it is therefore good to know that Saint Lawrence is often depicted with a grill in his hand. Our audio guide starts outside on Obertorstraße in front of the church's large main portal. Now, please go there.

You are standing in front of the main portal of the church, looking at the Baroque west facade from 1736. At the top, you will see three sandstone figures from the 19th century: Laurentius in the middle, Joseph on the left, and Mary on the right. Laurentius is depicted a second time directly above the entrance door.

If you take a few steps to the right, you will see the church tower with the clock and the weathercock on top. The roof is shaped like a pear. Origi-nally, the striking Echter church spire rose high into the sky, but it was destroyed by fire in 1805. St. Lawrence's Church was built in 1613/14 under the Würzburg prince-bishop Julius Echter. During the Counter-Reformation, it was important to show from afar that Marktheidenfeld was once again Catholic.

Now climb all the stairs to the glass canopy at the church tower. You will hear music until you get there. After that, the tour will continue.

You are now standing in front of two doors. The right door leads to what is now the sacristy, which served as the choir room of the former 12th-century fortified church. The medieval frescoes from the 15th century rediscovered there, with Christ as ruler of the world in the apse and the symbols for the evangelists on the vaulted ceiling, represent the oldest pictorial motifs. As the sacristy cannot be visited, you can get an idea of what it looks like on the website.

Now turn around and look at the crucifixion group diagonally opposite. It stands on Calvary of the former cemetery, and according to the inscrip-tion was donated by Stephan Decker and his wife Margaretha on April 30, 1675. Jesus is on the cross, his mother Mary is on the left, and his favorite disciple John is on the right. The prayer on the inscription plate is a testimony to the piety of the time.

"O Jesus, my help and my gain,
to you my heart and all my senses,
you bless my work with your grace,
for which I thank you early and late.
Jesus, my comfort and confidence,
never let me depart from you,
your cross, your suffering, and bitter death
are my comfort in all distress."

Now continue straight ahead towards Kirchgasse. On the church wall, you will see four plaques commemorating the blessed work of the nuns in Marktheidenfeld.

• 1856–1984: The Poor School Sisters
• 1885–1989: The Würzburg Sisters of the Redeemer in the hospital
• 1924–1983: The Würzburg Sisters of the Redeemer in outpatient care
• 1984–2006: The Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus from Hiltrup

After the wine arbor, you can see a relief of the Archangel Michael from 1749 on the right: The Latin inscription „Quis ut Deus“ which in English means “Who is like God?” refers to the name Michael, who defeated evil under his feet, the fallen angel Lucifer. He is also considered the patron saint of cemeteries.

After exploring the exterior of St Laurence’s Church, you are now invited to discover its interior. Please return to the main entrance on Obertorstraße. As you make your way there, music will once again accompany you.

As you open the door, a few steps lead up into the church. They symbolically separate everyday life from the house of God — a place of peace and holiness. The two holy water fonts on the benches invite Catholics to cross themselves with holy water in remembrance of their own baptism. Then take a seat in the benches of the central nave.

The old baptismal font was reintegrated into the church during the most recent renovation in 2020. At the font, children in particular are baptised so that, with the help of their parents and godparents, they may grow into the Christian faith. The Paschal candle points to their new life with Jesus Christ, who has redeemed us from all guilt and sin and has conquered death. At the end of our earthly lives, he grants us eternal life with God and leads us from earthly darkness into heavenly light. During the Easter season, you will find the Paschal candle at the front of the chancel.

The confessional, made of wood in the mid-18th century, stands against the back wall. Along with baptism, confession is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. Above the confessional shines a colourful stained-glass window: Deacon Laurence dedicates himself to the poor and the sick, to the children and the elderly. In these people in need he recognises the true treasure of the Church. To them, he distributes the Bread of Saint Laurence.

The two tomb slabs to the right of the confessional are a special feature: these were rediscovered under the floor of the sacristy during renovation work in 2003 and depict the Catholic count and countess Wilhelm and Elisabeth von Krichingen, who ruled over Marktheidenfeld and died in 1610 and 1612 respectively. Their faces were chiselled away during a brief Protestant phase in the course of the Thirty Years' War. A reminder of the religious wars. Directly above the tomb slabs is an important commemorative plaque from 1613. The Latin abbreviation D.O.M. stands for „Deo Optimo Maximo“ meaning „Dedicated to God, the best and greatest.“

The following text reads in contemporary English:

"Bishop Julius, faithful to his father,
Richly equipps the parish
Builds new churches there,
reinstalls the old Catholic religion.
His loyal subjects follow him,
They rejoice and wish
That God may be the protector of this awakening.
For this he desires only thanks,
That his providence may remain unaltered."

This wish came true for Prince-Bishop Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn: with over three hundred new churches built, he led Catholicism to new heights in his diocese of Würzburg. He himself died in 1617.

Now proceed to the right side altar, the altar of Mary. Our tour will continue there.

You are now standing in front of the side altar dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God. This altar – like its counterpart on the opposite side – was originally made in 1692/93 by master carpenter Caspar Bretträger from Lengfurt. The altars have had an eventful history, as they have been restored and rededicated several times over the centuries. From 1879 to 1930, for example, each altar had its own tabernacle, while the large paintings were replaced by figures.

Today, in the centre of the right side altar, you can once again see the Baroque oil painting after Lucas Cranach, which was created for this altar around 1700. It depicts the baby Jesus with the Virgin Mary. A special detail of this painting are the two angels placing a wreath of roses on Mary's head. This gesture can be interpreted as the coronation of the Queen of Heaven. At the same time, it is reminiscent of the rosary prayer that has been dedicated to Mary with love for centuries. Beneath the painting is a Pietà from 1894 by Franz Wilhelm Driesler from Lohr: Mary holds her deceased son Jesus in her arms – a moving image of suffering and love. People in difficult life situations in particular feel understood and accepted here. Many believers light a candle in front of this image, linger in silent prayer and entrust their worries, their thanks or their requests to Mary. As an intercessor with God, Mary is regarded as someone who sympathises and gives hope.

Perhaps you would also like to light a candle for Mary?

Here you can also see Saint Barbara, Saint Wendelin and the infant Jesus. Information on this can be found in the second playlist.
Our tour now continues in front of the chancel. Please move to the front row of pews.

The chancel, also known as the choir, faces east. Just as the sun rises in the east, Jesus Christ, the sun of righteousness, is at the centre of the service. On the choir arch wall, the curtain held by angels, created around 1898 as a stucco relief, sets the scene: curtain up now for the sacred play that we solemnly stage in the service with signs, symbols and images. With the gifts of bread and wine, we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ at the Lord's table and await his return. 

It is the celebration of the Eucharist, the great thanksgiving of the Church, the source and summit of our faith. The Franconian artist Max Walter created the altar from red sandstone in 1983. Altar is derived from the Latin word „altus“ and means high or exalted. The altar, as the centre and sign of Christ himself, should be clearly visible in the church.

The altar contains relics of St. Lawrence, St. Fausta, St. Eugenius, of Burkard, the first bishop of Würzburg, and the blessed diocesan priest Liborius Wagner.
The stone ambo to the left of the altar is also a work of Max Walter.

Ambo comes from the Greek ἀναβαίνω (pronounced ‚anabaino‘) and means „I ascend“: the congregation should be able to see and hear the word of God clearly. After the service, the Gospel book lies open next to the ambo: God's word is open to all people.

The three sandstone seats, also known as sedilia, are fixed to the floor to the right of the altar, like the ambo and altar. The middle seat is reserved for the leader of the liturgy. The altar servers sit next to it.

Holy Mass was once celebrated at the magnificent Baroque high altar, which was built in 1737. Master carpenter Johann Caspar Balling crafted the two-column structure. The consecrated hosts are kept in the gilded tabernacle, e.g. for communion for the sick.

The Latin inscription „Ecce Agnus Dei“ from the Gospel of John, meaning ‘Behold the Lamb of God’, is an image of Christ, who patiently bore the sins of mankind like a lamb. The tabernacle was not made until 1904 by the sculptors Matthäus and Heinz Schiestl from Würzburg. Tabernacle, derived from the Latin „tabernaculum“, can be translated as ‘small tent’. God is travelling with us and pitches his tent among the people. The pelican depicted represents the ancient idea that it feeds its young with its own blood, which was symbolically transferred to the redeeming death of Jesus.

The large altarpiece depicts the martyrdom of St. Lawrence. It was painted in 1737 by Georg Sebastian Urlaub from Thüngersheim near Würzburg.

The statues of the two apostles Peter and Paul were created by the Flemish court sculptor Jacob von der Auwera from Würzburg. Peter with the key in his hand refers to the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus says to Peter: „I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven“.

Paul with the sword recalls his death: as a Roman citizen, he was not allowed to be crucified, but was beheaded with a sword.

The crowning glory of the high altar is the Holy Trinity: God the Father, his Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, enthroned in heaven. The Trinity is surrounded by heavenly angels, which correspond to the two angels on the tabernacle: in Holy Mass, heaven and earth are united, so to speak.

The theme of the Trinity is taken up again in the stucco reliefs on the south and north choir arch walls by the Holy Spirit dove and the eye of God in a halo of clouds and rays.

The eternal light lamp from the 19th century, which burns day and night and glows red, indicates the presence of Jesus in the tabernacle. Originally, this light shone for the deceased in the formerly adjacent church cemetery.

To the left of it, on the northern choir wall, you can see the sandstone tabernacle decorated with golden grilles, dated around 1617, which in its Gothic style forms a unity with the higher windows. It was formerly used to store the Holy Communion.

Above it, you can see a large 18th-century crucifix, the central symbol of our Christian faith.

Opposite, on the southern choir wall, stands the beautiful Rococo credence table, on which the gifts of bread and wine are placed for Holy Mass.
Above the sacristy door hangs the 18th-century painting of the Annunciation: the Archangel Gabriel brings Mary the good news that she is to become the mother of Jesus, and she accepts with all her heart.

Now proceed to the left side altar to continue with the audio tour.

You are now standing in front of the second side altar, where you can see the depiction of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, a decisive moment before his suffering. Like the altar dedicated to Mary on the right-hand side, this altar was also created at the end of the 17th century. The painting also dates from this period, but was heavily repainted in the 19th century.

Jesus prays here with heartfelt devotion: „Let this cup of suffering pass me by, but not my will, but yours be done.“ These words reveal his human fear, but also his unshakeable trust in God's plan of salvation. The evangelist Luke reports that at that moment an angel came down from heaven to give Jesus new strength. The altarpiece captures this moving emotional scene.

Next to the side altar are among others St. Francis and St. Joseph. Information on this can be found in the second playlist.

Next to the Mount of Olives altar is the Way of the Cross. The Passion of Jesus can be found on the right and left in the side aisles of the church. The 14 Stations of the Cross were created in 1856/57 by Andreas Leimgrub from Würzburg. The Way of the Cross shows Jesus on his difficult path to crucifixion. He falls three times under the weight of the cross. But he also receives help: Simon of Cyrene supports him, and Mary and Veronica stand by him, offering comfort and strength. When praying the Way of the Cross, believers feel that Jesus is a companion on the path of all who suffer. Take a moment to reflect on this.

In keeping with the Stations of the Cross, you will also find memorial plaques in the side aisles.

The church keeps alive the memory of the deceased residents of Marktheidenfeld, with particular remembrance given to the victims of war.In the rear southern (right-hand) side aisle, there is a sandstone memorial plaque dedicated to those who fell in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71.

Further forward, two memorial plaques on the side-aisle pillars commemorate those who died in the First World War from 1914 to 1918. In the front northern (left-hand) side aisle, the names of the missing and fallen soldiers of the Second World War from 1939 to 1945 can be read on the memorial plaques.

Take your time to look around. To continue the tour, please take a seat in the last pew in front of the organ gallery.

There are several statues of saints in the church. As an example, we introduce you to the patron saint of the church, Saint Lawrence. Information about the other statues of saints in the church can be found in the second playlist.

For Catholics, the saints are models of faith and are invoked as intercessors. They are venerated throughout the world.

Saint Lawrence, located on the right-hand side of the central nave and dating from the 18th century, is depicted with a gridiron and a palm branch. He was a Roman deacon in the 3rd century. Pope Sixtus II is said to have entrusted the Church’s treasures to Lawrence shortly before being beheaded by Emperor Valerian. Lawrence distributed them among the suffering and the poor. When the emperor demanded to know the whereabouts of the Church’s treasures, Lawrence reportedly replied that the poor were the Church’s true treasure. Valerian then had Lawrence executed on a glowing gridiron on 10 August 258. His last words were: “Turn me over, for on this side I am already done” – and reflect Lawrence’s devotion to God. The palm branch in his left hand identifies him as a martyr who, through his martyrdom, won the triumphant reward of eternal life with God. 

Around 10 August, numerous shooting stars can be seen in the night sky, also known as the Tears of Saint Lawrence. An old well known German saying rimes „Sankt Lorenz kommt in finstrer Nacht ganz sicher mit Sternschnuppenpracht“ meaning that Saint Lawrence comes in the dark of night, surely with a splendour of shooting stars. In the Patriarchal Basilica of San Lorenzo fuori le mura, one of the seven pilgrimage churches of Rome, the relics of Saint Lawrence are preserved, who is the patron saint of many professions that work with open fire, such as cooks, bakers, and brewers.

The next station of our audio guide is the organ. Please walk towards the sanctuary and turn your gaze to the organ.

You are looking at the organ, which has been located on the gallery since around 1750. The first organ was built in Marktheidenfeld by the renowned organ builder Johann Conrad Wehr, but unfortunately it has not survived. The Baroque organ case you see, consisting of two large harp-shaped sections with two trombone-playing angels, is dated to before 1730; its origin is unknown. In 1984, a new organ with mechanical action was installed into the historic case by the Elenz organ-building company of Veitshöchheim. In 2009, the organ was completely overhauled, newly voiced, and fitted with a modern combination system by the Heissler organ builders of Bad Mergentheim.

The organ, with three manuals (coupling manual, main manual, upper manual), has 26 sounding stops and 1,757 pipes. On the cartouche above the console are the words: “Soli Deo Gloria – To God alone be the glory.” The organist plays to the greater glory of God and for the joy of the people. This “queen of instruments” thus offers the best conditions for both liturgical and concert music, complemented by the ideal acoustics of the venerable parish church of St. Lawrence in Marktheidenfeld.

To conclude our tour of the church, you will hear our organ together with the men’s schola singing the Hymn to Saint Lawrence. Please click on the video to listen. If you wish, and if you enjoyed the audio guide, you are welcome to support our work with a small donation in the offertory box. We thank you for your interest and, through the intercession of Saint Lawrence, we wish you God’s blessing!