Mayor Georg Djundja (SPÖ) sits personally in the municipality of Oberndorf at the keys of the venerable organ and is already looking forward to the renovation of the Ludwig Moser organ. “The exciting thing about organ renovations like this is that you want to restore the historical condition of the instrument and it needs to be researched, what were the organ builder’s thoughts at the time?” says Mayor and organist Djundja.

The municipality of Oberndorf is contributing 180,000 euros to the renovation of the Maria Bühel pilgrimage church. A little more comes from the Archdiocese of Salzburg, the state and the Federal Monuments Office are involved with smaller sums. Those responsible are hoping for a further 100,000 euros from donations.

Renovating a church is not an anachronism for Rector Jäger

The rector of the pilgrimage church, Heribert Jäger, denies the question of whether a church renovation in times of high numbers of people leaving is not an anachronism: “People always have something for the community, for the church. Man cannot live without community. He cannot live without God, just as he cannot live without air, and so we need this togetherness,” says Jäger.

The entire church, including all statues and pictures, is to be renovated. “The church is being painted. The indoor climate is our biggest problem. The church is cold and there will be heating here,” adds Jäger.

Popular pilgrimage church at a special “place of power”

The Oberndorf dean and pastor Nikolaus Erber is also convinced that the Maria Bühel pilgrimage church stands on a special place of power. The renovation of the pilgrimage church, which is exactly 300 years old, will take around two years.