Vienna, Austria: Cathedral of St. Stephen & Our Lady of Mariapocs
About the Cathedral of Saint Stephen:
The most popular attraction in Vienna is the Cathedral of Saint Stephen, receiving several million visitors each year. The current building is the most recent of a series of churches on this site. In 1945 German troops set the surrounding houses on fire and the fire spread to the roof of Saint Stephens which resulted in over half the church being destroyed. Restoration of the church began later that year and by 1952 the church had been completely rebuilt.
It is one of Europe’s most beautiful Cathedrals. Although many of the stained glass windows were destroyed, some of them have survived and add additional beauty to the Cathedral. Where the windows did not survive, plain colored glass has been put in place rather than attempt to duplicate the original stained glass.
About the image of Our Lady of Mariapocs:
Of special interest to Catholics in the church is the miraculous image known as Our Lady of Mariapocs. The image of a weeping Madonna in the village of Mariapocs in Hungary shed tears in 1696 while hundreds of people witnessed the event. Upon hearing of this event the Emperor Leopold I had the image brought to Vienna and had it enshrined in the Cathedral.
The famous Vienna Boy’s Choir performs in the Hofburg Palace Chapel nearby.
The Cathedral is located in the heart of the city and is open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The Cathedral draws hundreds of visitors each day but if you want to just pray and meditate try St. Elgius Chapel inside the Cathedral.
There is an English-language Mass on Saturday evenings and Mass in Latin on Sundays. Check their website for details.
Traveling to St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna:
Address: Stephansplatz 3, 1010 Vienna
GPS coordinates: 48° 12′ 30.5784” N, 16° 22′ 23.3616” E
Tel: (+431) 51552-3054 Fax: (+43 1) 51552 – 3526
email: kirchenmeisteramt@stephanskirche.at (guided tours)
Click here for the official website of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna.
