The massive tower, which is now considered the oldest building in the municipality of Weyhe, has been preserved from this original building.
The name "Felicianuskirche" goes back to its medieval patron saint, St. Felicianus from Folignio in Umbria. He is said to have worked as a bishop there, not far from Assisi. According to legend, he fell victim to the persecution of Christians in 249 at the ripe old age of 94. It is unclear when the martyr, whose name means "the little happy one", became the patron saint of the church in Kirchweyhe. What is certain, however, is this: After Weyhe was captured by the Reformation around 1530, the patron saint fell into oblivion.
In 1662, the Sudweyhe landowner Dietrich Frese commissioned the construction of an organ - "in honor of God" - and donated it to Felicianus Church. The instrument had 15 stops and was probably the first organ in the history of the village's sacred building.
In 1858, the nave had to be closed "due to the threat of the vaults collapsing". A temporary wooden church was built opposite the vicarage, where services were held for five years. The pastor at the time, Superintendent Arnemann, described the church as an "old, beautiful monumental building" and admitted that it was "capable of repair", but in view of the rapidly growing congregation, the decision was made to build a larger new church.
The Bremen building inspector Simon Loschen was commissioned to plan "a monumental vaulted church in Gothic style". The architect had made a name for himself with projects in Bremerhaven and was an outstanding representative of neo-Gothic architecture. Work began in 1861, most of which was carried out by local craftsmen. The topping-out ceremony was due to take place on November 23, 1861, but at around ten o'clock in the morning, scaffolding collapsed in the choir. Three construction workers died and fourteen others were injured. The serious accident triggered a wave of willingness to help in Weyhe and the surrounding area.
The vaults were closed on June 27, 1862, and the new nave was completed in December, providing space for 1,200 people. The consecration ceremony took place on January 4, 1863 with a large turnout from the population.
With the construction of the new nave, which was added to the old, massive tower, the church council also made the decision to build a new and larger organ. The contract was awarded to organ builder J.H. Rohdenburg from Lilienthal, who created an instrument with 19 stops and two manuals. Like the nave itself, the organ façade was designed in Gothic style. The instrument was installed in the summer of 1864.
In the final days of the Second World War, the church was affected by ground fighting between British and German troops. In view of the difficult economic situation in the post-war period, the necessary repair work could only be carried out in a makeshift manner. Since 1960, a comprehensive renovation has been carried out step by step, starting with the tower clock and the weathercock. Among other things, the galleries were removed, the tower roof, which had been patched over and over, was re-roofed, the choir room was redesigned and the organ was repaired. The Felicianus Church was rededicated on May 16, 1971. Since then, further measures have been taken to secure the building.
In the mid-1990s, the church council decided to equip the Loschen building with a larger organ. Benefit concerts, campaigns and donations made it possible to commission the Swiss company Kuhn with the construction. The new instrument was inaugurated in April 2006. Since then, the excellent Kuhn organ, which is known far beyond the borders of Weyhe, has been resounding in the Felicianus Church, its façade fitting perfectly into the neo-Gothic nave.
A brief history
772-804 Charlemagne subdues the Saxons. The Christianization of our region begins.
Around 860 First written mention of the settlement areas of Kirchweyhe and Sudweyhe - as "Wege villa publica".
Around 1250 Two villages Weyhe ("due ville Weye") are mentioned in the Bremen Weser bridge list, Kirchweyhe ("Kerckweyge") for the first time in another source. The late Romanesque building of Felicianus Church is also said to have been erected in the mid-13th century.
1527 August 1: A document names Saint Felicianus as the patron saint of "Kerken tho Weyge". Johann Dörgeloh acts as parish priest. The reformation of the parish is not yet complete.
1621 The oldest surviving altarpieces are created. They were created by Georg (Jürgen) Berger, court painter to Bishop Philipp Sigismund of Osnabrück and Verden. It is possible that the original seven oil paintings were donated by the Sudweyher landowner Johann Frese.
1650 The vault of the nave shows deep cracks. Pillars are installed to prevent it from collapsing.
1662 The Weyhe landowner Dietrich Frese donates what is probably the first organ.
1675 Pastor Andreas Pflug dies on December 5 after 37 years in Weyhe. His portrait can still be seen today in Felicianus Church.
1727 Both bells are recast using their predecessors. Only the larger bell will survive the centuries until the church's anniversary in 2013.
1776 A major fire rages around the church. Among other things, the sexton's house and rectory are destroyed. Valuable files and all church records are lost.
1840 Extensive repairs to the church tower. The old roof tiles are replaced with "red slate" (sandstone).
1858 March 13: Felicianus Church is closed by the police due to dilapidation.
1861 Spring: Construction work on the new nave begins under the supervision of Bremen architect Simon Loschen.
1863 January 4: Inauguration of the new building
1865/66: Closure of the cemetery next to the church and construction of a new burial ground on the edge of the Kirchweyher Geestfeld.
1877 August 11: Tower damaged by lightning. The spire is re-roofed with slate, as the sandstone slabs used in 1840 have not stood the test of time.
1908 Painting of the nave by Leonhard Gunkel, teacher at the Gewerbemuseum in Bremen
1923 Easter: Consecration of the new small bell, donated by American emigrants. The congregation had to hand over the previous bell during the First World War.
1927 The tower is given a copper roof.
1934 The helmets of the four stair towers are also covered with copper.
1945 April: The church building is damaged by tank and artillery fire. Eight buildings in the neighborhood are destroyed.
1954 Consecration of the new small bell. Its predecessor, donated in 1923, was conscripted for armaments during the Second World War.
1971 16 May: Rededication of the church, which has been renovated since the early
1960s.
2006 Inauguration of the new organ
The name "Felicianuskirche" goes back to its medieval patron saint, St. Felicianus from Folignio in Umbria. He is said to have worked as a bishop there, not far from Assisi. According to legend, he fell victim to the persecution of Christians in 249 at the ripe old age of 94. It is unclear when the martyr, whose name means "the little happy one", became the patron saint of the church in Kirchweyhe. What is certain, however, is this: After Weyhe was captured by the Reformation around 1530, the patron saint fell into oblivion.
In 1662, the Sudweyhe landowner Dietrich Frese commissioned the construction of an organ - "in honor of God" - and donated it to Felicianus Church. The instrument had 15 stops and was probably the first organ in the history of the village's sacred building.
In 1858, the nave had to be closed "due to the threat of the vaults collapsing". A temporary wooden church was built opposite the vicarage, where services were held for five years. The pastor at the time, Superintendent Arnemann, described the church as an "old, beautiful monumental building" and admitted that it was "capable of repair", but in view of the rapidly growing congregation, the decision was made to build a larger new church.
The Bremen building inspector Simon Loschen was commissioned to plan "a monumental vaulted church in Gothic style". The architect had made a name for himself with projects in Bremerhaven and was an outstanding representative of neo-Gothic architecture. Work began in 1861, most of which was carried out by local craftsmen. The topping-out ceremony was due to take place on November 23, 1861, but at around ten o'clock in the morning, scaffolding collapsed in the choir. Three construction workers died and fourteen others were injured. The serious accident triggered a wave of willingness to help in Weyhe and the surrounding area.
The vaults were closed on June 27, 1862, and the new nave was completed in December, providing space for 1,200 people. The consecration ceremony took place on January 4, 1863 with a large turnout from the population.
With the construction of the new nave, which was added to the old, massive tower, the church council also made the decision to build a new and larger organ. The contract was awarded to organ builder J.H. Rohdenburg from Lilienthal, who created an instrument with 19 stops and two manuals. Like the nave itself, the organ façade was designed in Gothic style. The instrument was installed in the summer of 1864.
In the final days of the Second World War, the church was affected by ground fighting between British and German troops. In view of the difficult economic situation in the post-war period, the necessary repair work could only be carried out in a makeshift manner. Since 1960, a comprehensive renovation has been carried out step by step, starting with the tower clock and the weathercock. Among other things, the galleries were removed, the tower roof, which had been patched over and over, was re-roofed, the choir room was redesigned and the organ was repaired. The Felicianus Church was rededicated on May 16, 1971. Since then, further measures have been taken to secure the building.
In the mid-1990s, the church council decided to equip the Loschen building with a larger organ. Benefit concerts, campaigns and donations made it possible to commission the Swiss company Kuhn with the construction. The new instrument was inaugurated in April 2006. Since then, the excellent Kuhn organ, which is known far beyond the borders of Weyhe, has been resounding in the Felicianus Church, its façade fitting perfectly into the neo-Gothic nave.
A brief history
772-804 Charlemagne subdues the Saxons. The Christianization of our region begins.
Around 860 First written mention of the settlement areas of Kirchweyhe and Sudweyhe - as "Wege villa publica".
Around 1250 Two villages Weyhe ("due ville Weye") are mentioned in the Bremen Weser bridge list, Kirchweyhe ("Kerckweyge") for the first time in another source. The late Romanesque building of Felicianus Church is also said to have been erected in the mid-13th century.
1527 August 1: A document names Saint Felicianus as the patron saint of "Kerken tho Weyge". Johann Dörgeloh acts as parish priest. The reformation of the parish is not yet complete.
1621 The oldest surviving altarpieces are created. They were created by Georg (Jürgen) Berger, court painter to Bishop Philipp Sigismund of Osnabrück and Verden. It is possible that the original seven oil paintings were donated by the Sudweyher landowner Johann Frese.
1650 The vault of the nave shows deep cracks. Pillars are installed to prevent it from collapsing.
1662 The Weyhe landowner Dietrich Frese donates what is probably the first organ.
1675 Pastor Andreas Pflug dies on December 5 after 37 years in Weyhe. His portrait can still be seen today in Felicianus Church.
1727 Both bells are recast using their predecessors. Only the larger bell will survive the centuries until the church's anniversary in 2013.
1776 A major fire rages around the church. Among other things, the sexton's house and rectory are destroyed. Valuable files and all church records are lost.
1840 Extensive repairs to the church tower. The old roof tiles are replaced with "red slate" (sandstone).
1858 March 13: Felicianus Church is closed by the police due to dilapidation.
1861 Spring: Construction work on the new nave begins under the supervision of Bremen architect Simon Loschen.
1863 January 4: Inauguration of the new building
1865/66: Closure of the cemetery next to the church and construction of a new burial ground on the edge of the Kirchweyher Geestfeld.
1877 August 11: Tower damaged by lightning. The spire is re-roofed with slate, as the sandstone slabs used in 1840 have not stood the test of time.
1908 Painting of the nave by Leonhard Gunkel, teacher at the Gewerbemuseum in Bremen
1923 Easter: Consecration of the new small bell, donated by American emigrants. The congregation had to hand over the previous bell during the First World War.
1927 The tower is given a copper roof.
1934 The helmets of the four stair towers are also covered with copper.
1945 April: The church building is damaged by tank and artillery fire. Eight buildings in the neighborhood are destroyed.
1954 Consecration of the new small bell. Its predecessor, donated in 1923, was conscripted for armaments during the Second World War.
1971 16 May: Rededication of the church, which has been renovated since the early
1960s.
2006 Inauguration of the new organ
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