11.04.2011

Lower Saxony Minister, Professor Johanna Wanka visits the shrine of Godehard

Hildesheim (bph) One of the most valuable treasures of Hildesheim Cathedral and a scientific jewel: the Godehard Shrine which contains the relics of the Holy Bishop Godehard. On Monday morning, the Minister for Science and Culture of Lower Saxony, Professor Johanna Wanka, paid a visit to the historical gem in Hildesheim, where it is currently undergoing extensive tests.

The Minister has a close look at the shrine, alongside master goldsmith and restorer Uwe Schuchardt; Photo: bph

The Minister was impressed by the efforts of the restorers who are examining and documenting the shrine in terms of material, technique and historical context until the Cathedral re-opens in 2014. ‘The Godehard Shrine is one of the most valuable testimonies of the Middle Ages in Lower Saxony,’ said the Minister in Hildesheim, ‘the restoration and scientific examination enables us to preserve this priceless work of art for future generations.’

The Godehard Shrine in Hildesheim is one of the oldest reliquaries decorated with gold work, and has remained largely in its original state. It contains the relics of the Holy Bishop Godehard, who ruled the diocese from1022 to 1038. The bishop was canonized in 1131, and he was soon venerated all over Europe. The St. Gotthard Mountain in the Alps, for example, was named after Bishop Godehard. The wooden core of the shrine was probably created soon after the canonization. It was elaborately fashioned by highly-skilled goldsmiths and is encrusted with many jewels. When the shrine was opened in 2010, the relics were removed. The precious cloths, in which the relics had been wrapped, were discovered at the same time and are presently being restored by the Abegg Foundation in Switzerland.

The shrine is 1.22 m long, 51 centimetres wide and 65 centimetres high. A Latin inscription encircles the lower rim; twelve three-dimensional apostle figures are attached to the long sides. One of the narrow sides depicts Christ between Mary and John the Baptist and the other shows the Holy Godehard flanked by Bishop Bernhard and another bishop. In 1538, the Godehard shrine fell victim to thieves who forcibly removed valuable gemstones and damaged the work of art. It was only in 1787, that the Chapter had the damage repaired. The last time the entire work of art was cleaned and restored was in 1971/1972.

Last year, the Godehard Shrine was taken to the workshop of the Cathedral museum as part of the restoration of the Cathedral, where it is currently being examined by art historian Dr Dorothee Kemper and restorer Uwe Schuchardt. The work of art is being analysed and documented in terms of material, technique and historical context as part of the research project under the leadership of Professor Michael Brandt, director of the Cathedral museum, in collaboration with art historians Dr Claudia Höhl and Dr Gerhard Lutz as well as partner institutions and professional colleagues at home and abroad. The aim of the tests which were carried out using the latest scientific methods is to provide information on the condition of the shrine and to serve as a basis for any necessary restoration work. In addition, the diocese also hopes to discover new evidence on the history of the origins of this valuable shrine.

The Ministry for Science and Culture of Lower Saxony is subsidising the scientific investigation and study of the shrine to the tune of 160,000 Euro.