St. Mariä Heimsuchung Catholic Church, Farschweiler

Catholic Church of St Mary's Visitation FarschweilerBuilt in 1276 as a Gothic building. Renovated and expanded in 1788 and 1844. Today's church was built in two phases. The four-axle nave was built in 1788 while retaining the tower and the late Gothic choir according to plans by the master builder Johann Funck. The choir and tower were demolished in 1844 and the nave closed on three sides. The new choir was created by including a ship's axis and separating it with a choir arch. At the same time, the ship was extended to the west by two axes and the tower was advanced.
The parish church in Trier is a typical church building from the end of the electoral state to the middle of the 19th century. Until the 1960s, the church was an important place of pilgrimage. The statue of grace Madonna placed in the church is said to have been buried in the swamp below the church during the turmoil of the Thirty Years War, but was not found later. According to legend, after many years she drew attention to herself through her singing (tones and bells) and could thus be saved and carried back into the church. The believers from the surrounding villages learned of the discovery of the statue and made a pilgrimage to Farschweiler from then until the 1960s. They presented their personal needs and worries to the Mother of God and prayed to Mary against the rigors of the forces of nature and in dry summers for blessed rain. Sources: Database of cultural assets in the Trier region; VHS VG Ruwer (1991): Vom Caseler Pitt and the Hüttenmarei; HVV Farschweiler / Spillner H.-G. (1980): Farschweiler - Sources and documents on village history

The patronage "Maria (or in other spelling: Mariae) Visitation" of this church in Farschweiler refers to one of the many commemoration days or festivals in honor of the Blessed Mother Mary. The term "visiting" in the Bible - which is negatively tainted in today's way of expression or thinking - means Mary's visit to her relative Elizabeth.
She is married to Zacharias and the marriage remained childless, which was a social flaw at the time. Despite her old age, she was still pregnant, which the Archangel Gabriel told Maria when he brought her the message that she herself should give birth to Jesus, the Son of God.
The son of Elizabeth and Zechariah is John, nicknamed "the Baptist", who is considered the forerunner / pioneer of Jesus Christ.

If you hike along the high path, the church immediately catches your eye 😊