Church Guide

St. Ansgar Relic

Embedded in the altar is a relic of St. Ansgar – part of his right forearm (the ulna). It was gifted to the church in 1865 by the Bishop of Osnabrück.

Relics are the bodily remains of people venerated as saints. Already in the early Church, the Eucharist was often celebrated at the graves of martyrs, giving rise to the tradition of placing relics within altars.

Ansgar was born around 800 in northern France. He was a monk, first in Corbie near Amiens, later in Corvey in Westphalia. From 826 onward, he served as a missionary in northern Germany and Scandinavia. Since he resided for some time – likely from 831 to 848 – in Hamburg, he is considered the city’s first bishop. Because of his long, dedicated, and laborious mission, even if not permanently successful in Scandinavia, he is often called the “Apostle of the North.” Ansgar died in 865 in Bremen.