Obermaßfeld-Grimmenthal is a municipality in the district

Schmalkalden-Meiningen Schmalkalden-Meiningen is a ''Landkreis'' in the southwest of Thuringia, Germany. Its neighboring districts are (from the northwest clockwise) the districts Wartburgkreis, Gotha, Ilm-Kreis, the district-free city Suhl, the district Hildburghausen, ...

, in

Thuringia Thuringia (; german: Thüringen ), officially the Free State of Thuringia ( ), is a state of central Germany, covering , the sixth smallest of the sixteen German states. It has a population of about 2.1 million. Erfurt is the capital and larg ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

History

Since 1498, it has been a place of pilgrimage. An early picture of Mary was said to have been miraculous. 1498 a chapel was inaugurated. From the revenue the Obermaßfelder Werra bridge was built. In 1536, after the Reformation, the pilgrimage ended. Immediately thereafter, a hospital for the poor was created. After 1945, it was a retirement home, which existed until 1990. Obermaßfeld-Thüringen-2005-07-16.jpg, Aerial photo of Obermaßfeld Obermassfeld-Werrabruecke.jpg, Werra bridge of 1534

Martin Luther criticism of pilgrimages to Grimmenthal

A chapel at Grimmenthal was erected by a

Würzburg Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is a city in the region of Franconia in the north of the German state of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the ''Regierungsbezirk'' Lower Franconia. It spans the banks of the Main River. Würzburg is ...

Captain which was dedicated by the

Suffragan bishop A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Anglican Communion, a suffragan bishop is a bishop who is subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop (bishop ordinary) and so is not normally jurisdiction ...

of Würzburg Prince-bishop

Lorenz von Bibra Lorenz von Bibra, Duke in Franconia (1459, Mellrichstadt – 6 February 1519, Würzburg) was Prince-Bishop of the Bishopric of Würzburg from 1495 to 1519. His life paralleled that of Maximilian I (1459–1519), who ruled the Holy Roman ...

, Georg von Bipolis, on August 24, 1498. The number of pilgrims grew so much and the money came in so abundantly that a bigger church had to be built by the chapel which was inaugurated on May 1, 1502.

Martin Luther Martin Luther (; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor, and Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. He is the seminal figure of the Reformation, Protestant Refo ...

was critical about this:

References

*DR. JOHANNES BAIER, ''Dr. Martin Luther’s Aufenthalt in Würzburg'', 1895, Chapter 5 ''Bischof Lorenz von Bibra und Dr. Martin Luther.'' VERLAG UND DRUCK DER STAHEL’SCHEN K. HOF- UND UNIVERSITÄTS- BUCH- UND KUNSTHANDLUNG. Municipalities in Thuringia Schmalkalden-Meiningen Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen {{SchmalkaldenMeiningen-geo-stub