Few places are so suggestive of the legacy of the Holy Roman Empire as Regensburg. Today a provincial Bavarian town, this city for centuries played a major role in German and European affairs. Now what is characteristic of the art of Regensburg are the traces of the course of history one finds everywhere, but especially in certain of the main churches. Just as in Rome itself, Regensburg’s older churches embody a succession of styles from the early Middle Ages, or even Roman times,  to the late baroque.  We have previously looked at the former abbey of St. Emmeram.1) Let’s consider another monument to the city’s age of glory:  the “Alte Kapelle” (the “Ancient (or Old) Chapel”)  – or, more formally, the “Collegiate Church (Stift) of Our Lady at the Old Chapel in Regensburg.” 

Like St. Emmeram, the Alte Kapelle claims a heritage from pre-Carolingian times  – supposedly it was the palace Chapel of the Dukes of Bavaria and the first Christian church built on the lands of that tribe. What is certain, however,  is that the emperor Louis the German (ruling from 826 or 843 to 876) specifically founded a collegiate church attached to his palace using ancient Roman materials. Indeed, the ninth century was a period of great significance for Regensburg. Louis the German ruled from here; the emperor Arnulf is buried in the city. After a period of troubles, the city recovered its glory under the sainted Imperial couple Henry II and Kunigunda (ruled 1002 – 1024). They reestablished and rebuilt the Alte Kapelle in its current form.

Regensburg flourished through the 13th century  – among other things, a stone bridge was built that set the pattern for many others, notably that of Prague. Regensburg  became a free imperial city. However, by the 15th century the city had been surpassed within the empire both as a commercial and political center. The Reformation also inflicted wounds. The city itself became Protestant. But, in a situation characteristic of the later Holy Roman Empire,  much of the city’s territory remained in the hands of Catholic institutions: the cathedral, various monasteries and the collegiate churches(like the Alte Kapelle). And all was surrounded by the domains of the much more significant Duchy, and later Electorate, of Bavaria. Nevertheless,  Regensburg retained some lingering significance as an imperial center. For example, Don Juan of Austria was born here following a visit of the emperor Charles V…

Later the “perpetual imperial diet” (Immerwährender Reichstag) was established in Regensburg between 1663 and 1806 (the end of the Empire). The perpetual Imperial diet was a kind of parliament of the ambassadors of the German states. It was in connection with his duties as commissioner of the diet that in 1748 the prince of Thurn and Taxis moved to Regensburg, where his descendants reside even to the present day. 

The imperial legacy of Regensburg concludes with  the inglorious figure of Carl Theodor von Dalberg (1744-1817). He was a prelate very much to the taste of the late 18th century: a suave presence in the salons, archchancellor of the Empire, a possessor of multiple benefices: Regensburg, Mainz, Worms, Constance. Later he became one of the leading toadies of Napoleon and the last bishop of Germany to rule over  a secular state. And he ended his days, stripped of all his secular possessions,  as the bishop of Regensburg in 1817.

(Above) This photo shows the exterior of the Alte Kapelle as it appeared around 1980. From left to right we see the high 15th century Gothic choir, then the nave dating to 1000-1020 and finally the tower rebuilt in the 12th/13th centuries. And all is surrounded by walls and windows that have been redone in the forms of the 18th century.

The exterior does not prepare us for the dazzling white and gold interior. Alongside the Wieskirche and the Asamkirche it is one of the most spectacular late baroque/rococo spaces in Bavaria. Unlike these, however, the Alte Kapelle is not a “work of all the arts,” uniting decoration and architecture. Rather, the lavish new decor was applied to a much more ancient church.

The double-headed eagle of the Holy Roman Empire bearing the coat of arms of Bavaria – a reference to Emperer Henry II who refounded the collegiate church. He had been the duke of Bavaria prior to his coronation as king of Germany, and later Roman emperor.

(Above and below) The bulk of this immense decorative project was accomplished after 1750. The Alte Kapelle unites for almost the last time representatives of the disciplines so often encountered in late baroque interiors in Bavaria : a stucco specialist from Wessobrunn (Anton Landes), painters from Augsburg ( Christoph Thomas Scheffler and Gottfried Bernard Götz) and a local sculptor (Simon Sorg).

The Virgin Mary revered by the saints – painting by Christoph Thomas Scheffler.

(Above and below) Focal point of the church is the main altar with the tabernacle and statue of the Virgin. On either side are Saints Henry and Kunigunda, the imperial refounders of the Alte Kapelle. Much of their work still remains under the 18th century decoration.

In keeping with the dedication of the church proclaimed on the reredos, the Holy Spirit and God the Father hover above the Virgin and the Christ Child.

The stucco work by Anton Landes is overwhelming in its richness and complexity. It is no wonder that the Alte Kapelle lately seems to have found a niche as a wedding venue.

(Above and below) St. John Nepomuk (Nepomucene) was frequently encountered both in and outside of churches throught the Catholic regions of the Holy Roman Empire.

See generally Betz, Karl-Heinz. Die Stiftskirche unserer Lieben Frau zur Alten Kapelle in Regensburg, (4th Edition, 1979, Verlag Schnell & Steiner, Munich/Zurich )

1. The Society of St Hugh of Cluny, On the Trail of the Holy Roman Empire II: the Asam Brothers.(6/19/2021)

We read in the Brooklyn Tablet that another Catholic parish in the New York area is in danger of closing. 1) Transfiguration church (by now in a combined parish with St. Stanislaus Kostka) was a Lithuanian national parish in Maspeth, Queens. Time has not been kind to the Lithuanian presence in New York – remember the old parish of Our Lady of Vilna in Manhattan. We read that nowadays only one mass a month is offered in Lithuanian at Transfiguration. In 2024 a congregation of, on the average, five people attended this mass. Total attendance for the three “weekend”  masses is around 150. Massive repairs to the church and rectory are also needed. 

This parish was of some interest to us because in the not too distant past a traditional mass was regularly celebrated there. 2) I do not read any more about that in the current discussions within the parish on how to rescue the church. Quite the contrary! –  ideas suggested to keep the church open include “seeking landmark status, applying for grants to pay for repairs and reaching out to underserved communities.” Adds one parishioner: “one of those underserved groups is working people.”

We cannot say that Transfiguration church is a masterpiece of architecture. The current parish church from 1962 reflects the uneasy transition, typical of that time, from traditional architecture to modernity (or at least what passed for modernity in the Catholic Church)

The diocese of Brooklyn has not yet made a final decision whether to keep Transfiguration church open.

1. Katinas, Paula, “Transfiguration Church in Danger of Closing: Pastor,” The Tablet at 10 (March 29,2025).
2. The Society of St. Hugh of Cluny, “New Sunday Traditional Mass in Queens,” (September 23, 2019); “Traditionalism in Brooklyn and Queens,” (February 21, 2021)

Meditation at Mass for the Monday after the Third Sunday of Lent

by Fr. Richard G. Cipolla

The Gospel for this Mass is Jesus’ first visit to his home town of Nazareth after the
beginning of his preaching and teaching ministry. He has already preached in the
region of Galilee, but now he has come to the synagogue in Nazareth on Saturday
and is asked to do the reading, which happens to be from the prophet Isaiah
predicting the coming of the Messiah. And then he preaches to the people. The
reaction of the people is that they like what he is saying and also how he is saying
it. And they say to themselves: Isn’t this Joseph’s son? We know his whole
family. And so they are happy that a home town boy has made good. They did not
listen to the words of Isaiah except as a reading from one of the prophets. They
were religious Jews attending the service in the synagogue, part of what they did as
Jews. And because they did this, they thought of themselves as good God-fearing
people and were pleased that this hometown man had the gift of giving a good
sermon, good because it made them feel good about themselves. They had heard
about Jesus as a preacher, teacher and healer in the surrounding towns, and now
they hoped that he would perform some miracles for them.
And then Jesus takes on the role of the prophet, and he points out that the great
prophets like Elijah and Elisha performed their greatest miracles of healing and
compassion for non-Jews, for these prophets could not find Jews who really
believed. And in effect, what Jesus was telling these people: “You came here to
hear me read well and to speak well, but you will not believe who I really am,
because you use religion to comfort yourselves that you are the chosen people and
therefore you have an automatic “in” with God, and there is nothing to worry about
as to how you live your lives.” This makes the congregation very angry, and they threaten to throw Jesus over a cliff near the synagogue. But Jesus escapes through the crowd.

What does this have to do with us here this evening? We have come to this Mass,
which is what Catholics do. Some are here because the Mass is offered in the
Traditional Form. And we come here in the season of Lent. This may be part of
your Lenten rule. So many Catholics treat Lent as the pre-Easter season when we
are asked to do acts of penance, like giving up certain foods, not eating meat on
Fridays, maybe do some Bible reading, or remember people who are ill and
perhaps visiting them. And all this is good, but it can be merely following the
religious rules, which expire once Easter comes. It has nothing to do with really changing one’s life. More and more Catholics go to Mass to hear a good sermon and then to receive Holy Communion. Even if the sermon is not good, at least you get something out of Mass, you get Holy Communion. What would it take to shock people in the congregation who think they have their faith all figured out and will automatically go to heaven when they die because they are practicing Catholics? Who would dare to tell them that that might not be true? That person might be thrown off a cliff– or even crucified.