Coptic-Orthodox Monastery
of Virgin Mary and St. Mauritius in Hoexter Brenkhausen (Germany)


History of the convent

HG Bishop Damian

Coptic Churches in Germany

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German


The History of the convent


The convent of Brenkhausen with the name "in Vaile Dei" (valley of God) was foundet by Hermann the first of Corvey (1223-1257) in the forties of
the thirteenth century. As early documents about the convent were recognized as forgeriesand because of the fact that Brenkhausen lost all old documents in a fire of April 2nd 1276, old er documents had to be confirmed by the abbot Henry of Corvey (1278-1301), whereupon the convent got under the special protection of the monastery of Corvey. At the same time Brenkhausen was connected to the order of "Zisterzienser"! of Hardehausen whose abbots were inspectors of the convent as documents show. This fact proves that the convent of Brenkhausen contrary to other convents had a close connection to the order of the German "Zisterzienser"! Before the convent was built in the forties of the 13th century a parish had existed since 1231. Later it was widened by St. Mary's Chapel. The consecretation took place. In 1540 the chapels of St. Vitus, the patron saint of Corvey's countrie and St. John's Chapel were consecerated. An old document, which mentions a consecreation on December 3rd 1320 marked the end of the building activities in and outside the convent. 1278 the church had be widened by one third to the west, or perhapes there was a new building at this place.
Archelocical excavations between 1990 and 1992 proved a first period of building from approximately 1254 to the fire of 1271 or 1272,which stopped work for some time.
In this first period the eastern part was built,which was restored in the 70s of the 20th century and which was later used as the centre of the parish, with a hall for the morning cerenony of the convent, adining room and the rooms for the nuns on the first floor with a passage to church. A southern and a western wing were connected in a right angle. The west wing had been left unfinished when the fire started. In the following period, after the fire, the destroyed western wing was rebuilt in a simpler smaller way standing oblique. With an also oblique standing wall the northern part of the convent's yard leading to the church was also closed by an oblique wall. It is unnown, if this construction was only due to a short age of time because there was a right angled part of another building left,which was found at the archelogical excavations. This building erected parallel to both of the other buildings. The reason therefore is largely unknown. Since the 14th century the nuns of the convent had been doing educational work for girls.


After 1560 the convent suffered a serious crisis, which was caused by administrators, who worked for themselves instead of doing their work of administring the convent together with the female abbotbecause their was no help from the convent of the "Zisterzienser's order in Harde hausen. The abbot Theodor of Brenkhausen (1584-1616) felt as a landlord and because of the fact that Brenkhausen was founded by Corvey,he thought that he had to interfere. He transformed into a convent for female Benediktines. A monk of Corvey became its head in 1595. On July 18th 1619 the transformation of the order was officially confirmed by the nuntio of Cologne. In 1608 the nuns of the new order elected their first female abbot. Contrary to the past the large part of the nuns now were originated from wealthy and noble families. Thanks to this, growing economic earnings of the convent the activities of the abbot "Fiorenz von dem Velde" from Corvey who had been prior in Brenkhausen before, it became possible that between 1710 and 1746 a much bigger new building of the convent could be erected in the baroque style. lnthe following years various representative houses were built near the main convent, for example a farming house called "Zehntscheuee' in 1688, a stable for pigs in 1690 or the gatekeeper's house.
At first the wing with the main front was built. Prince abbot Florenz von dem Velde laid the first stone on April 19th 1710. in the west wing were the provost residence and the kitchen. This part is close to the other buildings of 13th century and is parallel to the eastern wing.Belonging to it,there are "Risalite" at both ends, each of them has an entrance porch with a burst Fronton. The sites are decorated with ornaments . Next to the door on the left and right hand-side below the fronton there are alcoves,where the statues of St. John's Baptist and of St.Vitus are placed at the southern porch. Below we can see the names of the saints and the date "gth of September 171 0" . At the northern porch in the alcoves St. Benedict the founder of the Benedictiners and his sister Schoiastika can be seen. Below, there is also the date "9th September of 1712". In the middle of the wing there is another alcove were formerly was a sculpture of the holy virgin, which is now at the castle of Corvey. Below is written : " Ut castrorum Acies Ordinata " . Reiow again another Latin inscription, which means translated : "To the honour of the gentle and mighty god, St. Mary, the holy virgin and John the baptist this house in the valley of God was built by Anna- Katharina B6nzeiburg,fem.ale abbot and by Engelbert of Mulstroe of Corvey 1712."
Because of missing building files, the architect's name is unknown. Sagebiehi supposes that it could be the builder Joseph Falk, who short time ago, had started the assembly hall in the monastery of Corvey. He believes that Falk already presented a plan for a whole new building,which was later completed, perhapes in a modified way, by another architect. Falk died in January 1712 at atime when the western wing of the convent had not yed been finished.
As to Sagebiehi of Faik's style of building the porches is said to have become more perfect in comparison to those in Corvey. The second building-period begins in 1717. The old"kitchen wing" has to give way to the new southern wing. In the middle of the external front of the new wing the sculpture of the Holy Agathe is placed in an alcove. This statue with two blazons, the writing-pad and the ornaments around the figure was created by the maste@'Fhedrich M61ler Biidthawern zu H0xa@'. Meanwhile this figure is no longer at its original place, but still todaya latin inscription can be seen, which means:"Holy Agatha, who extinguished the corroding fire, be also for our houses a safe protection!""With the help of god, this building was begun in the year 1717 under the honourable abbess Cathatina Agatha of Marteis and under the provest of Corvey Philip von Friesenhausen and it was sucessfully completed in the year 1735." But not all these eighteen years were spent building this relatively short wing as the building files confirm. After a modest start in 1717, real building activities started in 1734. Meanwhile a master mason from Lochtringen named Thomas Thiermier (born approximately, date of death March 12th 1747 in Lochthngen) acted as foreman of the works. An inscr.ibtion in the northern wing, a short wing between the west wing and the church, describesthe third building phase starting in 1746. Under another alcove, where the figure of St. John of Nepumuk originally was, which can now be seen at the front of the castle of Corvey, there is a latin inscribtion of the year 1746. The translation is:"0h, Holy Nepumuk, protect all who are loyal to you and be a patron saint for our holy truth." The nuns of the Benedectine order are said to have continued thew young gid's education, but also a lot of guests were fed and lodged in the various new buildings, too.
Not even one hundred years after its reconstruction, the convent was secularized on April 28th 1803. The principality of Corvey was taken over by the Princes of 'Nassau-Oranien'. now it became a domain. 1806 it became the property of the kingdom of Westphalia and 1809 it was given as a present from Napoleon for his general Colbert. After the dissolution of the kingdom in 1813, the principality of Corvey got under a provisional government, which was appointed by Prussia and Russia. On june 8th 1814 the Russian general-major 'von Tettenborn I gotthe domain, which in 1818 he sold to the landlord of 'Hessen- Rotenburg', who since 1820 had been given full power over Corvey from Prussia. After bthwe land-lord's death in 1834 his nephew, the. Prince of Hoheniohe-Waidenburg-SchillingsfOrst and Dukeof Ratibor, inherited thew principality of Corvey and consequently also the domain of Brenkhausen. the domain of Brenkhausen was the property of the Dukes of Ratibor until 1960. Since the sixties the domain has been empty and the federal state of Northrhine- Westphalia became its new owner. In the seventies the eastern wing was restored and since then it has been used as a parsonage of the Catholic congregation in Brenkhausen. The three baroque wings were restored in 1973/74. The chimneyheads were pulled down. The roof-truss was reconstructed and the roof retired. Unfortunately the ceilings, partly stuccoed, were largely destroyed during the works. The wodden gutter-pipes were renewed, windows and doors were protected. The remaining baroque outhouses on the premises were torn down.

In December 1993 the Coptic Church of Egypt bought the ancient convent of Brenkhausen from the German federal state of North- Rhine Westfalia. Coptic monks and assistants from Egypt are now restohng the old buildings in order to establish a monastery dedicated to the holy Virgin Mary and to the holy saint Mauritius. At the same time this monastery will become the new administrative centre and the bishop's headquarter of the Coptic Church in Germany.




ADDRESS

HG Damian - Bishop of Germany
Schulstr. 2
37671 Höxter-Brenkhausen
GERMANY

Tel / Fax: 05271-18905

Created: 01.06.97
Last Update: 06.07.97
Email:Martin Mitry