Freckenhorst - St. Bonifatius

A monastery was founded here by some Everward and his wife Geva around 854 as a house of secular canonesses, unmarried daughters of the saxonian nobility. There are parallels to the abbey in Gandersheim, - only a few years younger - and as well a secular house for noble unmarried ladies.

The abbey existed upto 1812, and during centuries had a very colourful history. After Luther´s reformation the canonesses favoured to be "Lutherians" in future, so that some Anabaptists of the Muenster rebellion could find a secret asylum here for some years. Catholicism returned finally to Freckenhorst during the 17th century.

In 1116 the collegiate and the church burnt down. A new church was built. This new church got consecrated in June 1129 by Egbert, bishop in Muenster, a relative of and advisor to Lothair III.

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The most valuable jewel within this great romanesque collegiate church is this baptismal font. Quoting late Georg Dehio, one of the great german art-historians, this is "the most important baptismal from stone of the 12th century" in Germany, "a goldwork in stone".

Over a "greek" base, two carved bands going all around (a small third one on top is just ornamental). Inbetween is an inscription telling us the exact date of the consecration of the church: - 04. June 1129 -

Framed by arcades are seven "images", connected to the liturgical year, that actually translate to seven "steps" to salvation.

Here seen the Annunciation.

Archangel Gabriel announcing Mary that she would become the mother of Jesus. Gabriel holds a speech band, that reads "AVE GRAE PLENA (JES?) TECU" / Ave gratiae plena (Jes?) tecu / Hail, full of grace, Jesus is with you / This differs a bit from Luke 1.28.
Mary answers via speech band "FIAT M SCDM VBV T" / Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum / May your word to me be fulfilled /.

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Sorry for the bad quality of the photos. To take them on a afternoon in winter was not a really good idea, but I could not wait for better light in spring and so had to use a torchlight.


More interesting details can be found in:

Kirche und Stift Freckenhorst,
Jubilaeumsschrift zur 850. Wiederkehr des Weihetages der Stiftskirche am 04. Juni 1979, Warendorf 1979