Pilgrimage Festival Maria Schnee Aufhausen

A Pilgrimage Site Since 1668

Aufhausen, a small municipality in the southern district of Regensburg, has been one of the most important Marian pilgrimage sites in the Upper Palatinate for over 350 years. The history begins in 1668 with parish vicar Johann Georg Seidenbusch (1641–1729), who had been given a statue of the Mother of God during his studies in Munich – a replica of the famous Roman shrine Maria ad Nives from the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. Seidenbusch placed the image in a small wooden chapel, thus founding the pilgrimage to Aufhausen.

The Patronal Festival on the First Sunday in August

The patronal feast of the pilgrimage church falls on August 5th, the feast of Maria Schnee (Latin Dedicatio Sanctae Mariae ad Nives). Since the main festival in the Aufhausen parish community is celebrated on Sunday, the pilgrimage festival takes place every year on the first Sunday in August. The solemn consecration to Mary is renewed for this festival – a tradition deeply rooted in the parish.

Candlelight Procession Through the Parish Village

Weather permitting, a festive mass takes place on the large church square in the evening. This is followed by a candlelight procession through the parish village: hundreds of pilgrims and parishioners accompany the shrine with candles through the night streets of Aufhausen. The procession is one of the most impressive Marian processions in the Upper Palatinate.

The Baroque Pilgrimage Church by Johann Michael Fischer

The current pilgrimage church is a masterpiece of Bavarian Rococo. It was designed by architect Johann Michael Fischer; the foundation stone was laid on June 12, 1736, the shell was completed in 1740, the consecration took place in 1751, and the tower was finished in 1761. The octagonal interior, measuring 35 × 22 meters, houses the original shrine on the high altar and ceiling frescoes by Franz Joseph Zitter. The church is currently undergoing extensive renovation (funded by over 3.1 million euros from the compensation fund); masses are held in the parish church of St. Bartholomew until the planned completion in 2027/2028.

Host: Spiritual Family of the Holy Blood

The pilgrimage is now pastorally cared for by the Spiritual Family of the Holy Blood, a church-recognized spiritual community focused on Eucharistic and Marian spirituality. Pilgrimages, Saturdays of Atonement for the Heart of Mary, and spiritual retreats take place throughout the year.