Saint Mary of the Snows Church, Reșița

Saint Mary of the Snows Church, Reșița (Latin: Ecclesia in hon. Beatae Mariae Virginis ad Nives dedicata; Romanian: Biserica romano-catolică Maria Zăpezii; German: Römisch Katholische Kirche Maria Schnee; Hungarian: Havas Boldogasszony-templom) is the first Catholic church of Reșița, Romania. Situated in the old part of the city, it is flanked by the steel works and is closed in by a bridge-tunnel that helps intersection of the public road with industrial activities ways of the steel works. This is typical scenery in most parts of Reșița. The church is dedicated to Mary of the Snows, and simply known by some locals as Mary of the Snow (Romanian: Maria Zăpezii). The present church replaced the original wood church that existed on the same spot.

Saint Mary of the Snows Church, Reșița
View of the main facade of Saint Mary of the Snows Church
Religion
AffiliationRoman Catholic
RegionReșița
Ecclesiastical or organizational statusChurch
StatusActive
Location
LocationMuncitoresc quarter, Reșița, Romania
Saint Mary of the Snows Church, Reșița is located in Romania
Saint Mary of the Snows Church, Reșița
Location within Romania
Geographic coordinates45°17′41″N 21°54′05″E / 45.2948°N 21.9013°E / 45.2948; 21.9013
Architecture
TypeChurch
Groundbreaking1846 (1846)
Completed1853 (1853)
Direction of façadeSouth

History

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When the area belonged to the Kingdom of Hungary, the church was erected between 1846 and 1853, and sanctified in 1846.[1] The wood church that existed on the same spot was erected in 1771.[2] The church existed before the steelworks from behind of it and the bridge-tunnel from the front was constructed after 1947.

In a 1948 census there were 10,000 Catholics and 15,000 Orthodox believers in town.[1]

The dedication of the church to Mary of the Snow is celebrated each year on the Sunday closest to 5 August.[1]

The inside paintings were made by an unknown artist and were remade by Kurta Cazimir and Aurel Regulsky in 1988.

The organ was made by Richard Wegenstein from Timișoara in 1929 (L. Wegenstein and Sons company). It has a pneumatic structure, two guides, a crank and 18 sounding registers. The last restoration of it occurred in 2010.

Life of the church

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Mary of Snow indoor with sunlight beam in December 2015.

Masses are celebrated in three languages: Romanian, Hungarian and German (some prayers in Croatian or Czech on special occasions). Religious education is also in the three main ethno-historical languages of the city.

The parish, having the building next to the church, works closely with the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, the society being relatively closely situated to the church. The Catholic Medical Association also shares many activities with Mary of Snow.

Each year in January, Mary of Snow, together with all Christians of the city actively participate in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

There is also a local Ecumenical Women's Monthly Committee which meets for prayers in different churches of the city.

List of Catholic priests of Reșița

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The following table is a list of all catholic priest that served in Reșița. [3]

Surname First Name(s) Death year Beginning of
service
End of
service
Notes
Pilzbach Johann Adam 1802 1772 1776
Fritsch Lorenz N/A 1794 1798
Kempf Laurentius N/A 1798 1812
Aizele Matthias 1856 1812 1836
Bottka Paul 1872 1836 1845
Vendeschu Augustin Johann 1896 1845 1846
Einsner Georg N/A 1846 1870
Bartl Anton 1897 1870 1893
Löschardt Ferdinand 1914 1893 1899
Pallanik Johann 1922 1888 1910
Seitz Michael 1930 1883 1892
Amschlinger Franz 1946 1894 1903
Gehl Othmar 1951 1892 1903
Rothmayer Siegmund 1902 1899 1902
Schummer Rudolf 1944 1893 1907
Schutz Nikolaus N/A 1899 1901
Eisele Matthias 1944 1901 1906
Dietl August Gustav 1928 1901 1912
Misenko Josef N/A 1902 1909
Pálya Matthias 1915 1903 1915
Simonich Maximilian N/A 1903 1915
Schiller Szánthó Géza 1950 1908 1909
Elsner Josef 1965 1911 1926
Schrotz Stefan 1967 1912 1923
Fiedler Stefan N/A 1916 1923
Hager Nikolaus N/A 1917 1926
Fulda Paul N/A 1922 N/A
Blaskovics Adalbert 1981 1912/1956 1929/1981
Rudolf Josef N/A 1912 1921
Waltner Josef 1986 1920 1923
Rech Karl Géza 1956 1924 1925
Székely Franz N/A 1923 1930
Tóth Stefan N/A 1936 1943
Lischerong Matthias 1950 1925 1950
Strubert Peter 1956 1924 1932
Wild Josef 1961 1927 1933
Lindnder Wendelin N/A 1925 1929
Eisele Josef 1981 1926 1931
Juhász Tibor N/A 1930 1938
Kauschitz Antonius N/A 1933 1939
Benz Johannes 1985 1936 1942
Janisch Desiderius N/A 1934 1941
Hönig Franz N/A 1926 1931
Brosos Ludwig N/A 1933 1938
Hardt Alfons N/A 1927 1930
Hauptamnn Ferdinand 1989 N/A N/A Ordained as a priest at
Reșița on March, 29th 1936
Hampel Karl N/A 1934 1937
Willw Andreas N/A 1941 1946
Schwartz Josef N/A 1942 1946
Gerstenengst Josef 1992 1946 1958
Vöö Peter N/A 1940 1941
Lackner Paul 1987 1946 1987
Kokos Alexander 1954 1953 1954
Buding Zoltan 1996 1955/1995 1956/1996
Katic Theodor N/A 1955 N/A
Borth Nikolaus
Pater Gottfried
N/A 1958 1959
Demele Vencel 1999 1959 1963
Neu Anton N/A 1963 1965
Babeu Mihai N/A 1965 1972
Fritz Anton N/A 1972 1974
Hajdu Josef N/A 1974 1976
Höher Otto 2006 1976 1978
Dobra Petar N/A 1977 1979
Henger Michael N/A 1978 1980
Nagy Carol N/A 1979 1987
Dragomir Andrei Gheorghe N/A 1980 1982
Lovasz Reinhold N/A 1982 N/A
Muțiu Petru N/A 1983 N/A
Matei Peter Gottlieb N/A 1983 1988
Pál József-Csaba N/A 1987 2018
Szöcs László N/A 1987 1988
Medek Ioan Siegfried N/A 1988 1989
Catici Gheorghe N/A 1988 1992
Balogh András N/A 1988 1989
Wonerth László N/A 1989 1990
Ebenspanger Ferenc N/A 1989 1990
Zarioiu Iuliu N/A 1990 1991
Grega Bertram N/A 1991 1993
Groza Dán N/A 1992 1993
Debert Reiner N/A 1993 1994
Pălie Veniamin N/A 1994 1996
György Zoltán N/A 1996 1998
Altman Josef N/A 1997 1999
Conceangă Ulderic N/A 1997/2001 2003
Fechetă Virgil N/A 1998 1999
Țâmpu Petru N/A 1999 2001
Jäger Martin N/A 2002 2004
Rebegilă Petru N/A 2004 2006
Lucacela Davor N/A 2006 2008
Kozovits Attila N/A 2008 2009
Lunic Daniel N/A 2009 2011
Varga János N/A 2013 N/A

References

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  1. ^ a b c Țiglă, Erwin Joseph (2004) [2001]. "Resita Montana". In Konig, Waldermar (ed.). Biserici Romano-Catolice din Arhidiaconatul Montan (in Romanian) (a doua ed.). Reșita: ColorPrint Reșita. p. 110. ISBN 973-97258-5-6.
  2. ^ "Instituţiile minorităţilor naţionale – cadastru online - Parohia Romano-Catolică (Maria Zapezii)". Adatbank.ro. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  3. ^ Țiglă, Erwin Josef (n.d.) [N/A]. Priester, die in der römisch-katolischen pfarrei Reschitza gewirkt haben, von Erwin Josef Țigla (in German) (Prima ed.). Reșita: N/A. p. N/A.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
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