Rachel Evans
Berlin is home to countless churches and other places of faith, including several Catholic churches. St. Hedwig's Cathedral, for instance, is a Catholic church located in Bebelplatz, Berlin. It was built between 1747 and 1773 and is the episcopal church of the diocese of Berlin. Berlin also has an English-speaking Roman Catholic Mission, with churches such as St. Bernard's Church, All Saints, and St. Thomas Aquinas. Other notable Catholic churches in Berlin include the Basilica of St. John the Baptist, St. Joseph, St. Marien am Behnitz, and St. Matthias.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Catholic Churches in Berlin | 11 |
| Names of Catholic Churches in Berlin | St. Hedwig's Cathedral, Basilica of St. John the Baptist, St. Joseph, St. Marien am Behnitz, St. Matthias, St. Michael's Church, St. Sebastian Church, St. Adalbert, St. Ansgar, St. Bernard, Immaculate Conception of St. Mary |
| Location | Bebelplatz, Hinter der Katholischen Kirche 3, 10117 Berlin, Germany; Breitscheidplatz, 10789 Berlin, Germany; Karl-Liebknecht-Straße; Dennewitzplatz 1, 10783 Berlin, Germany |
| Contact | +49 030 2034810, +49 173 14080448 |
| Mass Timings | Mondays at 7 pm (St. Bernard's Church), First Friday of every month (All Saints, Blessed Sacrament Chapel), Sundays (11.00 am and 5.00 pm- St. Bernard), Sundays (1.00 pm- St. Judas Thaddäus), Sundays (10.00 am- St. Thomas Aquinas), Second Sunday of each month (6.00 pm- Sts. Peter and Paul) |
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What You'll Learn
St. Hedwig's Cathedral
The cathedral was built between 1747 and 1773, designed by Georg Wenzeslaus and constructed by Johann Boumann the Elder. It was the first Catholic church built in Protestant Berlin after the Reformation, commissioned by Frederick the Great to pay homage to the Catholic Silesians in the city. The circular building, modelled on the Pantheon, was part of the Forum Fridericianum, a prestigious square next to the opera house and library.
During World War II, St. Hedwig's Cathedral was almost completely destroyed. Reconstruction began in 1952, with the interior being redesigned by architect Hanns Schwippert. The church was restored in 1963, featuring a modern interior with eight chapels in the lower church and an organ.
In recent years, St. Hedwig's Cathedral has undergone extensive renovation and remodelling. The interior has been redesigned to enable liturgical celebrations in accordance with the guidelines of the Second Vatican Council. The most notable change is the placement of the altar in the middle of the church, surrounded by the congregation. This redesign has sparked controversy and strong protests.
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Maria Regina Martyrum
Berlin is home to many Catholic churches, one of which is Maria Regina Martyrum. This church was built between 1960 and 1963 as a memorial church for German Catholics. It is dedicated to the "blood witnesses for faith and freedom of conscience during the National Socialist era from 1933 to 1945". The church is located near the Plötzensee memorial site and shares a bell tower with the evangelical community centre Plötzensee, which is also a memorial church.
The architecture of Maria Regina Martyrum was designed by Hans Schädel and features artwork by Fritz Koenig, Otto Herbert Hajek, and Georg Meistermann. The church is part of the Charlottenburg-Nord memorial region, along with the evangelical parish of Charlottenburg Nord and the ecumenical memorial centre Plötzensee. The Carmelite nuns of Regina Martyrum have shaped the spiritual life of the memorial church since the 1980s, making it a vibrant memorial site. The nuns encourage people to remember the darkest period in German history and to be aware of modern forms of intolerance, discrimination, persecution, and terror. Maria Regina Martyrum is a place of spirituality and ecumenism, welcoming believers and seekers, Christians and non-Christians alike.
The church is open daily from 8 am until the evening liturgy for silent prayer, and visitors are also invited to take part in the various spiritual offerings. The church features a common bell tower and is located near the Carmelite monastery, where candles and Christian literature can be purchased.
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St. Joseph, Wedding
The church was dedicated to St. Joseph, the patron saint of workers. The decision to dedicate the church to St. Joseph was influenced by the significant population growth in Berlin after the founding of the German Reich, which brought a large number of Catholic immigrants to the area. By 1902, there were more than 8,000 Catholics in the area, and it was decided that a new parish was needed.
The interior of the church features five high round-arch windows in the apse, with alabaster-like cryolite glass panes. The altar table, tabernacle stele, ambo, and priest's seat are made of Carrara marble. The neo-Romanesque Marian altar is original to the church. In front of the old baptistery in the basement of the tower, which is no longer in use, stands the original terracotta figure of Maria Immaculata. The church also features a pipe organ, built in 1981 by the Wolfgang Eisenbarth organ-building company in Passau. The organ is a slider instrument with 48 registers on three manuals and a pedal.
In 2018, the Archdiocese of Berlin announced that during the renovation of St. Hedwig's Cathedral, the cathedral's chapter and pontifical offices would be held at St. Joseph's Church. In January 2019, the parish of St. Joseph merged with the parishes of St. Aloysius, St. Laurentius, St. Paulus, St. Petrus, and St. Sebastian to form the parish of St. Elisabeth in the Archdiocese of Berlin.
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St. John the Baptist
Berlin is home to the Basilica of St. John the Baptist, also known as the Basilica of St. John the Baptist Patron of Breslavia. The church is located in the district of Neukölln and is considered a Catholic cathedral. The architect, August Menken, designed the church in the Romanesque style of the Rhine. Construction began in 1894, and the church was inaugurated in 1897 in the presence of Emperor William II and Empress Augusta Victoria.
In 1906, Pope Pius X awarded the church the title of Minor Basilica. It became the headquarters of the military regular of the Federal Government in 2005. Today, it serves as the Catholic cathedral seat of the Military Ordinariate of Germany.
The Basilica of St. John the Baptist is one of several Catholic churches in Berlin. Other notable Catholic churches in the city include St. Hedwig's Cathedral, St. Joseph's Church in Wedding, and St. Marien am Behnitz. Berlin is also home to various other places of worship, such as the Zionkirche in the Prenzlauer Berg district.
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St. Matthias
Berlin is home to several Catholic churches, including St. Matthias. St. Matthias Church is a historic site in Berlin, located in the Tiergarten area. It is one of the most beautiful church buildings designed by the renowned architect Friedrich August Stüler in 1846. Stüler created the neo-Romanesque parish church for the citizens who resided in the area.
The church has a unique setting, standing out as the only historic building among modern constructions in the Kulturforum. It is surrounded by significant 20th-century architectural masterpieces, including the Neue Nationalgalerie, the Gemäldegalerie, and the Philharmonie. Despite its modern surroundings, St. Matthias Church has retained its 19th-century charm.
The church features three naves, with each of the three aisles boasting separate gabled roofs. The north side boasts a square tower that offers a panoramic view of Tiergarten, Potsdamer Platz, and Grunewald. On the south side, an apse marks the end of the nave. St. Matthias Church is accessible for wheelchair users via a stair lift located at the rear of the building, although the galleries and toilets are unfortunately not wheelchair-accessible.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, there are several Catholic churches in Berlin.
Some Catholic churches in Berlin include St. Hedwig's Cathedral, Maria Regina Martyrum, St. Bernard's Church, and St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Academy.
St. Hedwig's Cathedral is a Catholic church in Berlin that was built between 1747 and 1773. It is the episcopal church of the diocese of Berlin and is located on Bebelplatz.
Maria Regina Martyrum is a Roman Catholic Church that was built in 1963 in the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf borough of Berlin.
St. Hedwig's Cathedral is located on Bebelplatz, which is a noteworthy square due to its history as the site of an infamous book burning in 1933. The cathedral is also close to Brandenburg Gate.
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