500 Years of the Breisach High Altar - City Patron Saint's Day

**Ecumenical celebration with a procession.** Stops at the market square and the war memorial Sermon: Lukas Wehrle, pastor of St. Alban Parish **Sunday, June 21, 8:30 a.m.** **The High Altar in Breisach Cathedral Art and Faith in Harmony** The high altar in Breisach is one of the most significant works of art in the Upper Rhine region. It is not only a masterpiece of late Gothic woodcarving, but also an impressive testimony of faith. It combines artistic mastery, theological depth, and spiritual expressiveness. The altar was likely created between 1523 and 1526; the completion of the work is almost certainly dated to the year 1526. It is signed with the initials H. L.. Who lies behind them has not yet been conclusively determined. Its special significance lies in its theological iconography: At the center is the Coronation of Mary, with God the Father on the right and God the Son on the left. Thus, the high altar unfolds the history of salvation in striking images and points to Christ, Mary, and the saints as witnesses of the faith. The altar thus becomes a “readable proclamation”— a work that is not only meant to be viewed but also to be spiritually interpreted. At the same time, the high altar is connected to the entire interior of the cathedral, particularly to the famous Schongauer Last Judgment. Together, these works form a unique spiritual and artistic visual space. The Breisach High Altar is thus far more than a monument to a bygone era: it is a work that continues to make faith visible to this day and invites people to marvel.