Hochkirchlicher Apostolat St. Ansgar (HAStA) (High Church Apostolate St. Ansgar) is one of the smaller GermanLutheran High Church societies.
The background of theApostolate St Ansgar was in late 1960s. At that time the understanding of the ordained ministry and Eucharist in general were in decline in theEvangelical Church in Germany, and ordinations without laying on of hands and strange communion services were held. In this situation a trade school pastor Karl August Hahne fromGelsenkirchen decided to found a religious brotherhood, which could retain among other things also the right understanding of the office and the Eucharist within it. Hahne was re-ordained in August 1971 by BishopHelmut Echternach fromSt. Athanasius-Bruderschaft and consecrated asauxiliary bishop for HAStA inapostolic succession on 11 December 1971 by Hans Heuer, bishop ofOrdo Militiae Crucis Templi Jerusalem, with recommendation of Bishop Echternach.
In order to form the intended high church brotherhood, somewhat more loosely organizedApostolate StAnsgar was formed in the beginning on the way to a religious brotherhood. However, when Hahne died, the brotherhood had not established itself well enough to survive the founder's death and thus the group in Gelsenkirchen dispersed. Hahne'scoadjutor, professor Helmut Tramnitz actively continued to lead the apostolate and its work inDetmold.
The apostolate has remained a small fellowship and loosely organised as a society. Theologically it is Lutheran and faithful to Bible. It has published several books by Karsten Bürgener. In celebration ofMass, HAStA uses its ownmissal, "Die St.Ansgar-Messe".
From the activity of HAStA has even born “Kommunität St. Michael”, a small High Church community inCottbus.
Apostolic succession in HAStA is as follows:[1]
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