the The origins of the Mariastein pilgrimage site date back to the late 14th century. According to legend, a child fell from the rocks and was miraculously saved by the Virgin Mary. A natural cave was then converted into a chapel, which was cared for by a priest.
The pilgrims came in such numbers that the parish priest of Metzerlen was unable to cope with the task. The Bishop of Basel responded by sending pilgrimage priests and later Augustinian hermits from Basel. They built a chapel above ground, the Chapel of the Seven Sorrows.
Benedictine monks from Beinwil have looked after the place of pilgrimage since 1636 and in 1648 they moved permanently to Mariastein.
In 1874, the monastery was closed as part of the so-called Kulturkampf (cultural struggle) between the state and the Catholic Church. Only two priests were permitted to continue overseeing the pilgrimage as cantonal officials.
In 1941, the monks, who had since settled in Bregenz, were expelled by the Nazis and were granted ‘asylum’ in Mariastein at the request of Abbot Basilius Niederberger.
Following a referendum in 1970, the monastery was restored under state law the following year. The entire monastery complex was professionally restored.
A detailed documentation of the restoration can be found in the publication Die Restaurierungsgeschichte des Klosters Mariastein (external link).
See also the 2021 commemorative year publication “Welcome home”.
