Sveti Duh na Ostrem Vrhu

The Church of the Holy Spirit on Osterberg (Slovene: Sveti Duh na Ostrem vrhu ) located in the municipality Selnica ob Dravi (Slovenia ) near the state border to the Austrian province of Styria.

The name Osterberg is based on the pointed shape of the hill on which the settlement is and is for, sharp, pointed derived from the Slovenian word Easter '. Therefore, the word stands for Sharp Mountain, Spitzerberg and has nothing to do with Easter.

History

Already many centuries it was on the Osterberg at Leutschach a wooden church. At the beginning of the 17th century the mountain was the meeting place of members of a sect, because of their ritual dances and religious ceremonies " Springer " ( " Springer and pitcher ", " Springer - sect ", " founder and Springer " ) was called. They held there from their regular religious gatherings. Her cult was created before 1570, he had followers from the Slovenian and German culture, mainly from lower social classes. As part of the religious gatherings " ecstatic states of consciousness with visions " were dances sought and tried to call the " Holy Spirit ". The sect members were among others from the area of Swan Mountain, that was the last Protestant area of ​​southwestern Styria time, distributed and had retired to the area between Soboth and Windische Büheln where they usually held their meetings on hilltops. The ecclesiastical authorities of the Counter-Reformation watching the meetings only for some time and then let forcibly disperse the sect members.

Whether these attempts were successful mid-17th century in the not always easily accessible area in the east of the Drauwaldes the long run is open. A cult building of the Springer had existed before 1600, and in 1618 had his followers a chapel at the site of the present church, which was then placed by the authorities on fire, but was rebuilt in 1622. The authorization of the construction of church buildings at the former places of worship of the sect is regarded as a contribution to their final pacification.

The church was rebuilt in 1667 by Anna Crescentia of Stubenberg and 1709 dedicated to the Holy Spirit. Around the church of the Holy Spirit was vicarage. The place of worship was originally a chapel of the parish Leutschach, 1789, she became the Localie ( branch church ) of Leutschach, 1892 for independent parish.

The Holy Spirit parish included not only large parts of today's Austrian municipality Schlossberg also now part of Slovenia areas around the place Holy Spirit.

In 1919, after the First World War and the Peace of St. Germain, the border between the Republic of Austria and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia was drawn. Thus the Holy Spirit parish was divided - one part remained on the Austrian side and came to the parish Leutschach, the other part was assigned to Yugoslavia.

The church is a place of pilgrimage and popular tourist destination. On Pentecost Sunday takes place every year the great pilgrimage festival with a Slovenian- German and a church service. The church was renovated with the help of dedicated Styrian citizens and businesses.