The history of Christkindl.

A miracle cure and the extraordinary courage of one the most prominent abbots at the time, from Garsten abbey in Upper Austria, led to the building of the pilgrimage church “Zum gnadenreichen Christkindl“(Blessed Holy Child) at “Baum unterm Himmel (Tree under the Heavens). The church was consecrated in 1725, and in 1787 Christkindl became a parish in its own right. When in 1959 Österreichische Post AG set up the ”Christkindl” seasonal post office, it contributed to making this jewel of baroque architecture known all around the world.
But all of this traces its origins back to the story of one Ferdinand Sertl. In the 17th century, Sertl, choirmaster and head of the fire watch, lived in Steyr, a town in Upper Austria. As he suffered from epilepsy, he shied away from the company of others. In a small forest at the edge of the rocky outcrop forming the bank of the river Steyr, near a hamlet called “Himmel” (Heaven), he found the solitude he was looking for. Being a religious man, he affixed a picture of the Holy Family to one of the fir trees in the forest. Kneeling in front of this picture he would often pray for relief from his affliction.

In 1695 or 1696, no one knows for sure today, he bought a small wax statue of the Infant Jesus, a ”Christkindl”, and placed it in a niche he had cut into the same tree. From that time on, Sertl would make the pilgrimage there several times a week - and, what a blessing - his fits became less and less frequent and finally ceased completely. The pious man attributed this fact to his prayers in front of the “Christkindl”. As the story became known in the village, a wooden chapel was erected around the tree in 1699.

In the same year, abbot Anselm Angerer of Garsten abbey (1683 - 1715) informed the bishop of Passau that a growing number of pilgrims were coming from near and far to worship in front of the “Christkindl” and that it would be necessary for this reason to build a church there. The abbot being a man of action, he launched the building project as early as 1702, based on plans by Giovanni Battista, even before a permit had been granted. In 1703, however, his endeavors were stopped.

It took the abbot until 16 April 1708 to get the long-awaited permit for continuing the project. This, however, came too late for Carlone, who had died in the same year. Nevertheless, the building of the church at the original place of pilgrimage had been decided, and the project was completed by Jacob Prandtauer. In 1725, the church was consecrated.

The original tree trunk forms the core of the freestanding high altar, which was designed by Prandtauer and carved by Leonhard Sattler in 1720, a unique piece of Austrian Baroque art. The tree is surrounded by clouds in an open sky and figures of angels. It is also worth noting that the altar’s tabernacle is shaped like a globe, with the continents embossed on it.

The only time pilgrimages to Christkindl stopped was during the ban on pilgrimages issued by Emperor Joseph II. In 1787, Christkindl became a parish in its own right. The restoration of both the vicarage and the church were started upon the initiative of parish priest Professor Alois Dinböck. The restoration work on the outside was finished in 1979, while the most comprehensive renovation of the interior so far was completed in 1985.