The city of Mönchengladbach, Germany, is still today sometimes called Vitusstadt (city of Vitus). It is said that Vitus was a Pagan child in Sicilia, Italy and was converted to Christianity. Already as a small child, he is said to have worked wonders as a miracle healer. His father and also the Roman emperor Diocletian tried to punish and kill him – but they all failed. Torture didn’t work, boiling oil couldn’t kill him, lions wouldn’t eat him. He became one of the fourteen holy helpers and relics from his remains were considered really powerful.
What has this to do with Mönchengladbach? In 974 the archbishop Gero von Köln founded a monastery on an unused hill later called the Abteiberg. It is said that while searching for the perfect location he found relics of Vitus and four other saints hidden in a hollow stone. The monastery became the germ cell of the city of Mönchengladbach and you can still today visit it on the hill next to the city. The Mönchengladbacher Münster St. Vitus is a nice church with beautiful windows – it is not a cathedral, but because of its historical importance, you should get here while visiting the city.
Mönchengladbacher Münster St. Vitus
Abteistraße 41
41061 Mönchengladbach
Germany
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