Fire Brigade Pilgrimage to the Marienweiher Basilica

A Pilgrimage of the Brigades

The Fire Brigade Pilgrimage to the Marienweiher Basilica annually gathers the volunteer fire brigades from the districts of Kulmbach, Hof, and Kronach for an evening in Marktleugast. From Radoplatz, the brigades – usually in uniform, with flags and standards – make the short walk up to the pilgrimage basilica. It is a pilgrimage that embodies the self-understanding of these volunteer firefighters: to serve, to help, to ask for protection.

Marienweiher — the Oldest Marian Pilgrimage Site in Upper Franconia

The Pilgrimage Basilica of the Visitation of Mary in Marienweiher is one of the oldest Marian pilgrimage sites in Upper Franconia. The current Baroque basilica was built between 1718 and 1740 on the foundations of earlier sacred buildings dating back to the early 14th century. It has held papal status as a Basilica minor since 1993. The precious statue of the Virgin Mary has been a destination for pilgrims from across the Frankenwald, the Fichtelgebirge, and beyond for centuries.

Marktleugast and Marienweiher

Marktleugast is a market town in the Kulmbach district of Bavaria. The district of Marienweiher, with its basilica, lies about one kilometre north of the main town, on the edge of the Frankenwald. Its location in a wooded, hilly landscape makes it a destination for walkers and nature lovers, even outside of the pilgrimage.

Ecumenism and Community

What distinguishes the Fire Brigade Pilgrimage from other pilgrimages is its explicitly ecumenical focus. Both denominations – Catholic and Protestant – celebrate the concluding service together. This practice reflects the reality within fire brigades: on the emergency vehicle, denomination is irrelevant; what matters is the willingness to help.