The Former House of the Vincentians (today the Capuchin Monastery) with St. Joseph's Church

Ob izvirkih 5

Johann Nepomuk Fuchs (sacristy)

1726-1728, 1764

 

The original church of St. Joseph in Studenci, on the right riverbank of the Drava River, was built in 1675, while the current larger building was constructed between 1726 and 1728. The sacristy with an oratory, which is placed on the southern side of the presbytery, is documented as the work of Johann Nepomuk Fuchs and was made in 1764. The church is shaped like a Latin cross; the presbytery has a rectangular conclusion. Because of the mistakes made during the construction of the bell tower, which stands before the façade, the bell tower leans considerably. The exterior is articulated by pilasters, rectangular and lunette windows, while the interior is divided by pilasters of the Tuscan order and rich entablatures. The vault is groined.

The Secular Clergy managed the church until 1897, when the Vincentians (Congregation of the Mission) took over it and built their house beside it. The Vincentians stayed in Maribor only briefly, since they left the town as early as 1911. As before, the Secular Clergy took care of the church for quite some years. Since 1920 the church has been managed by the Capuchins, who built a new monastery in the vicinity in 1985.

Despite the Vincentian's short-lived stay and work at St. Joseph's, they had a great impact on the appearance of the church in Studenci. Even though there were no changes to the architecture itself, all three Baroque altars (the high altar was especially important, the work of Josef Straub from 1750; the side altars were made by Josef Holzinger) were replaced with new, Neo-Renaissance ones. The only piece of the Baroque furnishings that is preserved is the pulpit, which was made by Josef Holzinger in 1764. Even though the altars were worn out, the main reason for their replacement was a change in taste, which was not fond of Baroque. The high altar from 1899 was made by Maribor stonemason Karel Kocijančič; it was adorned with statues of the patron St. Joseph, St. Anne and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. They were made by Janez Vurnik Jnr, a sculptor from Radovljica. In 1904, the church attained a side altar, depicting Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, a typical patronage for the Vincentians. Besides St. Mary, the altar was adorned with statues of St. Vincent de Paul (the founder of the Vincentians) and St. Francis Xavier (the patron of missionaries), as well as with a relief depicting the Presentation of the Virgin (i.e. titular of the removed Baroque altar). Stonemason Ignacij Čamernik from Celje made the structure of the altar, while sculptor Josip Grošelj from Selce near Škofja Loka provided the statues. The youngest is the altar of the Sacred Heart, erected in 1910, which was made by Karel Kocijančič, the author of the high altar. The statues of the Sacred Heart, St. John Gabriel Perboyre and St. Francis Regis Clet (both were Vincentians, Chinese martyrs), and the relief of the Saviour with the Souls in Purgatory and St. Andrew (patron of the removed Baroque altar) were made by sculptor Eduard Kupowsky from Graz.

In 1972, the high altar was removed for no reason, and the presbytery designed according to the plans by Ciril Zazula. At that time, Ida Brišnik Remec's tapestry depicting the patron saint hung on the wall behind the altar. Ida Brišnik Remec is also the author of the stained glass window in the presbytery.

The preserved side altars are not of the same quality as their Baroque predecessors, however, they still remain solid pieces of work and present typical examples of Late Historicist sculpture and altars. They also attest to the presence of Vincentians in Maribor.

 

Franci Lazarini

(19 December 2012)