Father Martin Werlen
Small Chapel with
Big Impact
Father Martin Werlen
Small Chapel with
Big Impact
On the Etzel Pass in the canton of Schwyz, just three kilometers from Schindellegi, the headquarters of the Kühne Foundation, stands the small Chapel of St. Meinrad. The frescoes on its ceiling and the altarpiece, depicting Saint Meinrad with Mary and the Christ Child in a forest clearing, tell the story of the hermit’s life. For seven years, Meinrad offered advice and comfort to those seeking help before withdrawing further into the forest as a hermit and being murdered by two robbers in 861. Seventy years later, Einsiedeln Abbey was built on this site.
On January 21, 2011, in commemoration of the 1,150th anniversary of Meinrad’s death, the Baroque chapel was reopened after being restored to its former glory thanks to the financial support of the Kühne Foundation. “The weather conditions and the dampness at the mountain pass were particularly problematic. Now there’s a heating system in the walls,” explains Father Martin Werlen, the former abbot of Einsiedeln Abbey. “The chapel holds great significance for the monastic community: the patron saint of the area lived as a hermit on the Etzel mountain, and his heart is buried there. Furthermore, St. Meinrad’s Chapel is modeled after the original Chapel of Grace with the Black Madonna by Caspar Moosbrugger, which was destroyed in the abbey church in 1798.”
Today, the chapel has a far-reaching appeal, extending well beyond the region. Not only do pilgrims stop here on their journey to Santiago de Compostela, but “many weddings and baptisms are also celebrated here,” reports the Benedictine monk. People often stop at the adjacent inn, which continues the tradition of the hospitable St. Meinrad of Einsiedeln, and whose renovation was also part of the Kühne Foundation’s project.
St. Meinrad’s Chapel is a popular stop in the region. A plaque in the chapel commemorates the extensive renovation carried out by the Kühne Foundation. Father Martin, who has headed the St. Gerold Provostry in Austria since 2020, still fondly recalls the festive opening on Meinrad’s name day. Following the tradition of previous centuries, he dedicated the first entry in his newly published chronicle to Klaus-Michael and Christine Kühne, thanking the founding couple “for their steadfast neighborly ties.”
“The chapel holds great significance for the monastic community: the patron saint of the area lived as a hermit on the Etzel mountain, and his heart is buried there.”
Father Martin Werlen
St. Meinrad Chapel
First documented in the 13th century, St. Meinrad Chapel was rebuilt in 1698 according to the plans of the architect Caspar Moosbrugger from Vorarlberg, Austria. The frescoes and stucco work are by local artists Francesco Antonio Giorgioli and Pietro Neuroni. The pilgrims’ inn next to the chapel dates back to the 14th century but was rebuilt after a fire in 1759. The two-year renovation of the chapel and inn was the Kühne Foundation’s first project for the preservation of cultural heritage; the grant amounted to one million Swiss francs. Furthermore, the Kühne Foundation has supported projects at Einsiedeln Abbey for many years – thus also honoring the region where it has been present for 50 years.
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