Weiler's "Praying Nun".
Legend, loosely based on tradition:
In the 17th century pious nuns lived in their convent above Salzig. When the Swedish king Gustav II.Adolf intervened in favor of the Protestants in the 30-year war, cath. Churches and monasteries robbed of their treasures and destroyed. The clouds of smoke also blazed on the Middle Rhine and drove the people to flee. In the cloister in Weiler, too, the nuns packed up their sacred treasures in a hurry, but were unable to escape and were slaughtered by the swords of the mercenaries. Only the pious sister Angelıka managed to escape through a secret door. She ran for her young life, pursued by the vengeful captors. Suddenly she was standing in front of this abyss here on the "Ziehley" and stared in horror at the Rhine below. In desperation she begged: “Holy Mother of God, spare me martyrdom, turn me to stone quickly”. The assassins who were hot on her heels searched for the woman for hours in vain. Finally they came to terms with the death of the young nun and climbed down the steep cliff to the Rhine in search of the fallen woman. They found nothing. Desperate, the murderers looked up at the rock on high and were horrified. Above their heads they looked into the face of the praying nun, who looked down into the valley as a petrified sculpture with folded hands and seemed to be praying for mercy for the assassins. They attracted attention knees, crossed themselves and returned penitently to the bosom of the catholic church. The rock formation with the features of a woman lost in prayer reminded of this legend for three centuries. The ledge was particularly popular as a photo opportunity. Generations of young people tried out daring climbing acrobatics their courage. Shortly before the end of the Second World War, a bomb hit the rock. What the war could not completely destroy was then blown up by a berm, who was annoyed by the constant climbing on and above his property. The bizarre natural monument collapsed as a result of the tremors the depth and triggered a landslide.The chainsaw artist Sigurd Br atzel from 66981 Münchweiler created this sculpture in 2006 to preserve the legend of the "Praying Nun" for posterity. "De Hadde Kern" took care of the installation and maintenance.
Edith Staaden-Weber Mayor of Weiler - Weiler in September 2006
Source: Text information board