There are several legends about the creation of the White Cross:
1. The Cistercian monk Albericus saw on his trip to Rhineland the castle Are on the steep rocky slope and was of the opinion that only the devil could have built there. He learned that the devil had served Count Theoderic for many years. As he watched the moon one evening, the count asked the devil what he thought of the moon. He answered that he had been involved in the creation of the moon and the earth and boasted that it was no problem for him to build a castle on the steep rocks over Altenahr. The old castle of the count (in the district Altenburg) was devastated and not yet rebuilt. He asked what the devil wanted for the construction. He replied that they would agree, but he wanted free access to the castle. The Count did not like it and the closer the castle was to the completion, the more restless the count became. This was noted by his wise and pious wife, who advised him to set up the White Cross because the devil could not bear the color and the cross in honor of God. Thus the castle was protected on four sides: from the White Cross, from the cross on the castle chapel, from the black cross and from the cross on the Kreuzberg. Since then, the devil could not enter the castle anymore.
2. A geriatric widow was the mother of six children. No matter how much she worked, she had no money and could not even afford new clothes for her children. As she lost her trust in God and wanted to plunge from the castle hill. When she wanted to take a last look at Altenahr, she saw that a small white cross was visible on her house. Also on the other Altenahr houses were even larger white crosses to see. When she turned, she saw a huge golden cross above the castle. She came to her senses and ran back home quickly. Their children became craftsmen and the family felt better. Then the mother told her children of her appearance, and her son, who was a carpenter, made a large white cross, which he set up with his brothers in the place where her mother had had the apparition.
"Each of these crosses can tell its own story and what motivated people to erect "their" cross at this spot. (...) These wayside crosses were erected as visible signs and attract the attention of many people. The cross is a symbol of life. It stands as a sign of our Christian hope and wants to direct our gaze to Jesus Christ, who has overcome death (...). The cross is part of our lives, just as it was part of the life of Jesus. So I hope that many people ... will visit the wayside crosses, whether as places of silence and breathing before God, whether as places of community gathering, prayer and praise of God." (Dean Rainald M. Ollig in "Wayside Crosses")
The White Cross is a former station cross on Kirchberg Reimerzhoven, a district of the municipality Altenahr. It is about four meters high and thus visible from afar.
The exact genesis of the cross is unclear - but there are some myths and legends.
From the location of the cross you have a great view of the Ahr valley.
Translated by Google •
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