Interesting 1814 ex votos in Abbey of Einseideln

[JimZ]

I was visiting the abbey of Einsiedeln (Switzerland) as I was doing the tourist guide thing last week. I've been there a few times and its truly beautiful. Despite its austere outside, it is highly baroque on the inside and just breathtaking, superceding even the Monastery of Melk in Austria with its beauty!

[JimZ]

Inside are a number of ex votos to the Black Madonna of Einseideln......

[JimZ]

But upon looking closer two of the caught my eye..... I mean... why was the sky raining grenades and why did these ex votos carry the year 1814.

First up:

[JimZ]

Second up:

[JimZ]

I cannot make out the German on these 2 ex votos and the first one was higher up than the second one. I was rather intrigued by them.... and I thought some of you gents here could help me out with the German as well as any other info that you could throw my way! Next time I am there.... I will try to get a better pic if required!

Thanks!

[Jacky]

well,

all I can tell you is that ex voto is latin for "as promised"

This means that a christian offers the church something as a way to say thank you to the Lord for having helped him.

This present isn't necessarily valuable, it might even be a doll from a woman who had struggled for many years with

her inability to get pregnant and at last got pregnant, then she would give the church a doll as way to say thank you for my baby.

In this case the ex voto is clearly pictured with the black madonna, and the year 1814....

What then happened? You should as Ed as he's teaching history;)

The last explanation says that "by advocacy of our lady of mercy, our house had been spared from the bullets/grenades"

This explains why the pictures have been given to the church, quid pro quo, just to reward the lady for her help

Kind regards,

Jacky

Edited March 27, 2007 by Jacky

[JimZ]

I think that 1814 is probably part of the Napoleonic wars but I do not think that Switzerland or cantons thereof were involved in them? Or were they?

Of course, if I was a Swiss guy living in a war stricken area I might have sufficient devotion to the miraculous ladyback home to promise her an ex voto. I am really curious to find out if these came from within the neighbourhood or possibly from further afar.

Thanks for the help

Jim