Volume four of the Mariasteiner Schriften series has been published with the title “Schön bist du, Maria”. The main part of the book contains two major articles: One by Father Lukas Schenker on the historical depictions of the image of Our Lady from around 1500 to the present day. The art historian and textile restorer Regula Schorta, director of the Abegg-Stiftung, Riggisberg, documents and describes the 33 garments of the image. Further articles present the crowns and the decoration of the miraculous image and introduce the special year 2026. It will then be 100 years since the monastery church of Mariastein was elevated to a papal basilica minor and the image of grace was crowned in the rock grotto.

The book will be presented on December 8 at 3.30 pm in the Esso Hall of the monastery. Ines Schaberger will talk about “Mary Magdalene and her (legendary) connection to pilgrimage”. The event is open to the public. Registration is necessary: sekretariat@kloster-mariastein.ch.

Image © Lorena La Spada for Fadegrad Podcast

Ines Schaberger (1993) studied religious education and theology in Vienna, Fribourg and Chur. Since her school days at Stiftsgymnasium Melk (Austria), she has felt connected to the Benedictine way of life “ora et labora et lege”. In 2022-2024 she spoke the ” Word for Sunday” on the SRF. Since August, she has been a pilgrim pastor for the city and region of St.Gallen.