Chapter 88 - Shrines, Part 2

The first blog on shrines was done last February, and as I said then, we have seen numerous shrines around Burgenland. Many of them are small, homey family shrines spotted in rural fields or at the edge of villages. Others sit in village cemeteries. Some have places of honor in village squares or in front of churches. Frequently, they have a plague motif which shows the traumatic effect the recurring plague epidemics had on the people. We've seen dozens of them, but I want to show a variety of types rather than just one after the other that are similar.

This shrine is located near the cemetery in Klingenbach.


The inscription, like many in this Croatian area of Burgenland, is in an old Croatian dialect, presumably dedicated to Mary as many of the shrines are, dated 1810.


We found this shrine near the side of the road in a sunflower field outside nearby Siegendorf.


This shrine stands just outside Saint Margarethen, a village northeast of Eisenstadt.


This fancier shrine lies in the village center of Stottera, in central Burgenland; it's dated 1849.

Like many of the village shrines, this one was built to thank God for the ending of bubonic plague epidemics. These plague columns usually depict saints who were thought to help save people from plague.

This side depicts St. Rochus (1295-1327) of Montpelier, France. The son of a governor, he renounced all his worldly goods. He is invoked against plague and other tribulations and is frequently seen on this kind of shrine, usually with a dog.


This side depicts St. Rosalia (1130-1166), the patron saint of Palermo, Sicily, whose family claimed descent from Charlemagne. Her body was found during a plague epidemic when she supposedly saved the people of Palermo. She is usually depicted as a young woman holding a cross, book or skull and wearing a crown of roses.


This side shows St. Sebastian (ca 256-ca 288) of Milan, a captain in the Praetorian Guard, who was killed during Emperor Diocletian's persecution of Christians. From a distinguished family, he was married with children. He and his brother refused to sacrifice to Roman gods, converted many Romans to Christianity and were arrested. He was shot with arrows but survived; then after haranguing Diocletian, he was beaten to death. He is usually depicted tied to a post and shot through with arrows. He is considered the protector of plague victims and of soldiers.

I don't get some of these. For instance, if St. Rosalia died of plague, how does she protect against it? St. Sebastian doesn't seem to have done things very intelligently; it's like he wanted to be a martyr.

This simpler shrine lies on the outskirts of Stottera.


This lovely shrine in the village of Trumau near Vienna is dated 1755.


This shrine is located in the town of Wiener Neustadt at the edge of a park.


Holy Trinity columns were erected to celebrate the church and the faith; they frequently emphasized plague motifs as does this one in the nearby village of Trausdorf. They were very common in Europe, especially in the 17th and 18th centuries and became one of the more visible features of Baroque architecture.


The inscription [roughly] reads: "Trinity Column. In 1838 Franz Piller Muller established this monumental column. On a strong post and an octagonal base lie the figures of the holy Erasmus, St. Francis, King Stephen and St. Rochus. Between them are labels in German, Croatian and Hungarian languages. On an octagonal column a powerful Trinity group is enthroned."


Saint Erasmus, also known as St. Elmo, (died ca 303) of Croatia is the patron saint of sailors, intestinal ailments and women in labor. He was reputedly tortured, retortured and eventually martyred for his continual preaching of the Gospel.


Saint Francis Xavier Navarre (1506-1552) was a missionary who died of plague in China. He supposedly raised people from the dead.


Here again is St. Rochus (1295-1327), a patron saint of plague and of dogs.


Saint Stephanus, King Stephen I of Hungary (ca 967-1038), was the first king and founder of the Kingdom of Hungary. He was renowned for strengthening Christianity, and his right hand is a relic in Budapest today.


We found this Marian Column in nearby Zagersdorf. Marian Columns are monuments built in honor of the Virgin Mary, usually in thanksgiving for the ending of plague.


This elaborate shrine in nearby Wulkaprodersdorf also has a plague motif.


And one more from Hungary. We found this shabby little shrine at the edge of the cemetery at St. Michael's Church in Sopron. Pax is the Latin word for peace. I wonder if many people sat on this bench before the shrine and prayed for peace. There's been precious little in this part of Europe.