Marienkapelle Tradigist

The origin of the Marienkapelle chapel in Tradigist is certainly unique in its form. After the elementary school was built in 1893, the people of Tradigist were keen to build a chapel to save churchgoers the long walks to Kirchberg, Rabenstein or Eschenau. The school chronicles show that the then principal Paul Heiß, a native Tyrolean, founded a chapel building committee on February 4, 1984. In a very difficult economic time, the residents summoned up the courage to build a church with a capacity of around 100 people.

Long-established farming families such as Hirschsteiner, Kirchner and Kaiser took up the plan of a master builder from Melk and began construction. The building site was ceded free of charge by Mr. Kirchner. The years leading up to completion were characterized by tireless efforts in construction and, above all, in raising funds. On June 27, 1897, the time had finally come. The Marienkapelle was consecrated by Bishop Johannes Rößler.

In 1953, another church building committee was founded, which campaigned for the construction of a church tower and the renovation of the church. The consecration took place on August 29, 1954, and on May 24, 1964, cast steel bells were finally consecrated during a field mass. A small statue of the Virgin Mary stands on the baroque high altar of the chapel, an indication that the church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. In 1986, a document was found in the tabernacle which indicates that a wooden part of the trunk of the cross of Jesus was walled into the altar.

The altar for the people and the lector's desk were created by master carpenter Leopold Gansch from Tradigist in 1979. The last exterior and interior renovation of the church was carried out in 1997 on the occasion of the centenary of the Marienkapelle. Cardinal Dr. Franz König, a native of Rabenstein, celebrated the festive service on this occasion.

Since its beginnings, the church community of the Marienkapelle Tradigist has endeavored both to preserve and manage its chapel, which is a listed building, and to maintain this place of prayer and worship and to be a living church community.