Maria Stein, Ohio
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Maria Stein, in Marion Township, Mercer County, Ohio in Mercer County, Ohio is in the heart of the portion of southern Mercer and Auglaize county that has been named the "land of the cross-tipped churches"[1]. In this region each town has a substantial church, most commonly contructed in the mid to late 19th century and characterized by a steeple with a cross atop. These are beautiful churches created by immigrant German craftsmen. The churches in Minster, St. Henry, and Maria Stein[2] are the grandest examples, but the churches in St. Rose, Casella, St. Sebastian, Osgood, St. Henry and other towns have their own charm. Visiting these churches is to take a trip to an earlier time in history strongly influenced by the german heritage of the region.
A second notable feature of Maria Stein is the Shrine of the Holy Relics. The history of the "Shrine of the Holy Relics"[3] is fascinating. Relics include body parts (usually bones) from saints or objects that belonged to a saint. They are held in high respect because they represent individuals who have led exemplary lives. Father Francis de Sales Brunner, the missionary who led the "Precious Blood" order of priests, was a collector of relics. He was responsible for the first collection of relics in Maria Stein. Over the 19th century other relics were added to the core collection as a way of protecting them from the continuous strife of 19th century Italy. In 1892 a separate "relic chapel" was established in which Sisters of the Precious Blood conducted a continous (24 h each day) vigil. The collection of relics is the second largest in the United States. The Sacred Heart Relic Chapel[4] is a kaleidoscope of color, 18th and 19th century German carving, and relics distributed throughout the chapel. The "relic chapel" is connected to a larger chapel that is the central feature of an interesting 19th century brick convent. The Shrine was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and there is currently the Heritage Museum [5] on the second floor of the convent describing life during the early years. Even today southern Mercer County is predominantly Catholic, a reflection of 19th century immigration patterns.[6] A "healing field" consisting of flags and a Twin Towers monument depicting the World Trade Center was on display on September 11,2006 in an open field adjacent to the Shrine and Spiritual Center to commemmorate the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
The architecture of Marion Township and the surrounding region is also distinctive. The region is characterized by 80-160 acre farms laid out in the characteristic one-mile grid divided by four in which the house and barn characteristically sit somewhere in the middle of each eighth or quarter mile section. The farmhouses demonstrate several unique styles that show their germanic roots. Farms are neat and orderly and indicative of the organization and prosperity of the largely german-derived population. A German dialect, traced by linguist Professor Wolfgang Fleischauer of Ohio State University to northwest Germany (almost Dutch), is still spoken by many members of the community. Although the cuisine of the region, once solidly german, has succumbed to the homogenization of modern America, it is still possible to find german sausages, potato salad, beets and pickles and other delicacies if one searches diligently.
