The new special exhibition in Merseburg Imperial Cathedral
The Merseburg Imperial Cathedral was the favourite place of the only canonised imperial couple, Henry II and Cunegonde. 1,000 years ago, on 13 July 1024, Emperor Henry II died in the Palatinate of Grone. Henry II stayed in Merseburg a total of 28 times.
After a disputed election, Henry II was crowned in Mainz, but appeared shortly afterwards in Merseburg in Saxony. This is where the so-called "by-election" by the Saxon Greats took place. Henry II promised to respect their rights and received the Holy Lance, one of the most important insignia of the empire, from the hands of Duke Bernhard of Saxony. In 1004, on Candlemas Day (2 February), Henry II re-established the diocese of Merseburg and subsequently provided it with extensive new facilities. Among other things, he transferred a forest near Zwenkau, the Merseburg royal court, the courts of the merchants and the market and customs revenues of Merseburg.
Bishop Thietmar of Merseburg regarded him as a ruler who had brought peace and justice back to the kingdom, but he particularly praised his role as the re-founder of the Bishopric of Merseburg.
Emperor Henry II was personally present when the cathedral was consecrated on 1 October 1021. Afterwards, he gave the cathedral and the then Bishop Bruno four deeds of donation for places and farms in the wider Merseburg area.
Henry II had already richly endowed the young diocese and had manuscripts from all parts of the empire collected for the liturgy.
Numerous sources from the time of Henry II exist in the cathedral city, as well as evidence of his veneration, which lasted until the 16th century. Henry II was canonised in 1146 and his wife Kunigunde in 1200.
Merseburg Cathedral was thus the foundation of a holy emperor. Not only the anniversary of his death, 13 July, but also his birthday, 6 May, was celebrated here. From the middle of the 15th century onwards, the veneration of the holy emperor and empress in Merseburg intensified considerably. The highlight was the Henry Altar for the burial chapel of the Merseburg bishop Sigismund von Lindenau, who died in 1544.
In recent years, new sources have come to light on the work and veneration of Henry II in Merseburg. These are to be displayed in the manuscript vault of Merseburg Cathedral from 7 August 2024 to mark the 1000th anniversary of his death.
The exhibits include a copy of the Merseburg chalice of Henry in the Bamberg Heiltumsbuch from 1509, Bishop Sigismund von Lindenau's document on the transfer of the Virgin Mary's altar to Henry's altar, the treasure register of Merseburg Cathedral from 1480, the missal with a fragment of a prayer to Henry II and a fragment of a Verden breviary with a text on the re-establishment of the diocese of Merseburg by King Henry II.
As part of the commemorative year, two further lectures will illustrate the work of Henry II and take a closer look at the "new" sources:
14 August 2024, 6 p.m., Hofstube in Merseburg Castle
Lecture by Thomas Taugnitz, Leuna
"A Merseburg penny for Emperor Henry?"
- October, 6 pm Hofstube in Merseburg Castle
Lecture by Markus Cottin
"Newly discovered sources on the life and veneration of Henry II."
