Sacred Heart Church (Berlin) Explained

Sacred Heart Church (Berlin)
Native Name:	Herz-Jesu-Kirche
Location:	Berlin
Country:	Germany
Denomination:	Roman Catholic
Founded Date:	1898
Architect:	Christoph Hehl
Architectural Type:	Neo-Romanesque
Completed Date:	1896–1898

The Sacred Heart Church (German: link=no|Herz-Jesu-Kirche) is a Catholic church located in Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg, externally built in Neo-Romanesque style. Designed by Christoph Hehl, professor of medieval architecture, the building was completed after 16 months of constructions in 1898. The Neo-Byzantine-style murals inside the church were done by Friedrich Stummel.^{[1] [2]}

Themes of the murals

The murals of the church:

• Choir:
  • Apse: Jesus as Christ Pantocrator, above the Hand of God
  • Ceiling of the choir: Sacred Heart, carried by two angels
  • Walls of the choir: Angels carrying Instruments of the Passion
• Arch of the choir:
  • Risen Christ with two adoring angels
  • Saints of the local parish: Meinrad of Einsiedeln, Aloysius Gonzaga, Elizabeth of Thuringia, Teresa of Ávila
• On the archway (left and right):
  • Ecclesia and Synagoga
  • John the Baptist and Simon Petrus
  • John the Evangelist and Paul the Apostle
• Dome:
  • Lamb of God with the Seven seals and a vexillum, adored by 24 presbyters
  • Spandrels (left and right): The Prophets Malachi, Isaia, Ezekiel and Jeremiah
• Eastern transept:
  • Mary, Mother of Jesus with two angels, the saints Agnes of Rome, Gertrude of Nivelles and Saint Monica, her son Augustine of Hippo and the saint Hedwig of Silesia
• Western transept:
  • Saint Joseph, Alphonsus Liguori, Pope Leo I, the Doctor of the Church Augustine of Hippo and Bernard of Clairvaux
• Under the transept:
  • East side: Doubting Thomas with Jesus
  • West side: Simon Petrus sinking in the water, Jesus walking on water
  • East side of nave: Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well
  • West side of nave: The sinner washing the feet of Jesus
  • Western wall of the central transept: Crucifixion of Jesus
  • Eastern wall does not have any murals
• Nave:
  • West side: Jesus as a friend of the children
  • Ostseite: Jesus is healing and comforting the needy

Bibliography

• Irmtraud Thierse. "Katholische Kirche Herz-Jesu Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg". Förderkreis der Herz-Jesu-Kirche in Berlin Prenzlauer Berg e. V. 1998.

External links

• "Herz-Jesu-Kirche", history and data about the Sacred Heart Church (Berlin) at the official website of the city of Berlin (in German)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Sacred Heart Church. Saint Paul Catholic Parish. May 6, 2023.
2. Web site: Sacred Heart Church. Fantrippers. May 6, 2023.