St. Willibrord church

St. Willibrord church

The frescoes from the 15.th and 16th century in the St Willibrord church in Rindschleiden are impressive. They cover some 170 m2. The origins of the ancient chapel date back to the 10 th century. The sanctuary was enlarged in the 16th century. The chapel is located in the municipality of Wahl in a scrape of an Ardenne high-plateau. The small church belongs to the most important cultural heritage in the country.

First, when the church was built in the 10 th century, it was dedicated to all saints. Only in de 15th century when the sanctuary was enlarged, it was dedicated to St Willibrord. Originally the church was no larger than 5 to10 m. Since 1535 the chapel had been enlarged several times. The visitor recognizes the different ages of elevation. An iron grating makes him see the ancient basements. Only in 1952 the frescoes were rediscovered. Finely restored, but even partly destroyed, they teach us about the bible.  Their function was not exclusively a decorative one. The faithful people and specifically the analphabets had in this way, to be familiarized with the most important passages of the bible.

Today the church is a protected monument. Some sources assert that Rindschleiden belonged to the ancient court of Echternach. Traditional transmission tells that St Willibrord created several medicinal springs by touching the soil with his pilgrim stick. In 1590 the spring of Rindschleiden was mentioned a first time. The baptismal font in stone was rediscovered and restored. The place exerts  a magic pull. The clergymen of Arsdorf, Buschrodt, Rambruch and Rindschleiden, meet each year on Whitsun for the service of worship in presence of a relic of St Willibrord.