| Heilig Kreuz – Zentrum für christliche Meditation und Spiritualität Holy Cross – Centre for Christian Meditation and Spirituality | |
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 Heilig Kreuz – Zentrum für christliche Meditation und Spiritualität Holy Cross – Centre for Christian Meditation and Spirituality | |
| Location | Frankfurt-Bornheim,Hesse |
| Country | Germany |
| Language | German |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Website | https://meditationszentrum.bistumlimburg.de/ |
| History | |
| Status | Meditation church |
| Founded | 1 July 2007 (2007-07-01) |
| Founder | Franz Kamphaus |
| Architecture | |
| Closed | 20 December 2025 (2025-12-20) |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Roman Catholic Diocese of Limburg |
| Clergy | |
| Priest | Olaf Lindenberg |
| Minister | Kristina Wolf MMS |
TheHoly Cross – Centre for Christian Meditation and Spirituality (German:Heilig Kreuz – Zentrum für christliche Meditation und Spiritualität) is an institution of theRoman Catholic Diocese of Limburg, Germany. It is based at theHoly Cross Church inFrankfurt-Bornheim and is dedicated to services, contemplation, meditation,retreats,counseling, and other events such as concerts.
At the end of August 2025, the closure of themeditation centre of theRoman Catholic Diocese of Limburg founded in 2007 and this location was announced for the 4thAdvent on December 20, 2025. The future use of the premises in Heilig Kreuz was not yet determined at that time.[1]
WhenFranz Kamphaus, then bishop of Limburg, visited theparishes of Frankfurt in 2004, he met people who were open to spiritual experiences but not within the traditional churches.[2] He founded the centre in 2007. On 15 January he signed the charter of foundation for the theme church Holy Cross – Centre for Christian Meditation and Spirituality in Frankfurt-Bornheim. The charter of foundation came into effect on 1 July 2007.[3]
The Holy Cross Church accommodates one of five profile churches of the Diocese of Limburg. The others are the Centre for Mourning Counselling in St. Michael inFrankfurt-Nordend and the three youth churches: Crossover in St. Hildegard inLimburg an der Lahn, Jona in St. Bonifatius inFrankfurt-Sachsenhausen, and Kana in Maria-Hilf inWiesbaden-Nordost. Like the church St. Michael, the Holy Cross Church was from 2007 to 2015 a branch church of the parish St. Josef Frankfurt. The centre is a pastoral institution of the diocese under the responsibility of the Pastoral Care and Education Division, Pastoral Care and Development Department (as of 9/2025).[4] It was directed from 2007 until July 2018 by the FranciscanHelmut SchlegelOFM,[5] where he worked until June 2019 as a retreat and meditation leader and priestly co-worker. Since November 2018 the centre is directed by the theologist Samuel Stricker guide. In August 2019 Olaf Lindenberg took over the role as priestly co-worker.[6] They work with a team of contributors, for example from the order ofMedical Mission Sisters.[7]
In March 2020, the Center's program had to be suspended because all worship services in Germany and thus all other events had to be cancelled due to theCOVID 19 pandemic in Germany.[8] However, at certain times the church is open for meditation for a limited number of people.[9] In May services were resumed on Saturdays under special conditions.[10]
In December 2020, aProtestantvicar of theProtestant Church in Hesse and Nassau was employed for the first time in a six-month special vicariate in the center.[11]
On 20 August 20 2025, it was announced that the meditation center of the Diocese of Limburg would be closing on the fourth Sunday ofAdvent, December 20, 2025, after more than 18 years. The future use of the premises in Heilig Kreuz had not yet been decided at that time.[1] This is determined jointly by the Diocese of Limburg; the parish of St. Josef Frankfurt, in whose parish territory the Holy Cross Church is located; and the Association of Catholic Parishes in Frankfurt.[12]
On 20 May 2025, a team from the diocese decided to establish a centre for spirituality in place of the meditation centre,[13] whose location, venues and programme were not yet known at that time.[14] The Missionary Medical Sisters continue to work in this facility.[15] Provided that future use of Holy Cross Church is compatible with specific offerings from the Spirituality Center, the Center may continue to use the church premises if necessary.[12]
Although the offerings of the centre reflect the tenets of Christianity, the target audience includes people of all religious denominations, worldviews, and cultures. The team[6] currently publishes a new program annual.[16] The center offers different kinds of church services, such asexpressionist dance, meditation courses,contemplative prayer,Zen-meditation courses, days of reflection,spiritual exercises,retreats, special events like for example lectures by guest speakers such asAnselm Grün,[17] meditations with theSōtō-Zen-priest and veteran of theVietnam WarClaude AnShin Thomas,[18] external events like retreats on the North Sea islandWangerooge orsailing retreats and many other kinds of events. The Meditation Center also participates in the virtual Ecumenical Church Congress (Ökumenischer Kirchentag) in May 2021 in Frankfurt am Main. Since 2020, online offerings have supplemented the face-to-face events during the Corona period. In addition, the church is open every day from 5 to 7 p.m. for free meditation. Depending on staff availability, this offer was maintained until 2025.
Event series include or have included days of exercises ofChristian mysticism,meditative singing, meditativearchery, seminars concerning thebible a male conversation group, spiritual guided city tours in which topics by Frankfurt tourist guides are joined with spiritual topics orpilgrim hikes with a picnic anddevotions. One-time events are also part of the program, for example, theTram of Silencetram rides on an historic railcar of theFrankfurt tramway system, including elements such as silence with short, thought-provoking impulses to the senses of seeing, hearing, feeling, and smelling.[19]
The dialogue between the cultures and major religious groups concerning meditation and spirituality is another important aspect of the work of the centre. These includepanel discussions with representatives ofBuddhism,Hinduism,Islam, and Christianity about meditation, with personal field reports from the different religions. Other examples are or were courses inQi Gong,Yoga andYoga nidra, or dance performances of an IndianJesuit padre who figures elements of traditional meditative dances such asBharatanatyam from Hinduism as a kind of prayer to God.[20]
For the last few years since 2011, aCretan-stylelabyrinth consisting of 2,500tealights has been formed on one of the Saturdays ofAdvent. This labyrinth is part of the service and can be walked through by visitors.[21][22] In Advent 2020, four theme weeks were held with a special light show, the Advent Labyrinth, the Peace Light and about light figures.[23]
During the FrankfurtLuminale [de] festival of light in 2014 the team members of the centre offered a meditation consisting of light, words, music, and sound in cooperation with the Jona youth church in theFrankfurt Cathedral.[24]
Concert performances at the center have included for exampleA German Requiem byJohannes Brahms and meditative music from theMiddle Ages byHildegard of Bingen,Peter Abelard, andRabanus Maurus.[25]
In 2021, a pilgrimage guide was published for a 5.5 km citypilgrimage route with 11 stops inInnenstadt (Frankfurt's city centre) andAltstadt (old town) from theLiebfrauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) viaHauptwache (Main Guard),Börse (Stock Exchange),Willy-Brandt-Platz,Paulskirche (St Paul's Church),Römer (Roman),Kaiserdom St Bartholomäus (St Bartholomew's Cathedral),Jüdischer Friedhof Börneplatz at the Battonnstraße (Old Jewish Cemetery at Battonnstraße) and Börneplatz (Börne Square),Alter Brücke (Old Bridge),Eiserner Steg (Iron Footbridge) to theChurch of St Leonhard.[26]
The interior of the church was modified for the new purpose, completed in 2010. The fixed pews were removed and replaced by folding chairs which enabled a more flexible use. While the former mainaltar is normally not used, a smaller wooden altar has been added, typically surrounded by circles of folding chairs. Stairlifts and ramps for wheelchairs were installed. The formercrypt and the rooms of the formerclergy house were transformed to be used for meditation. In the crypt, the floor was changed to wood, and the meditation area was enclosed by textile panels made from linen.[27]
The Centre of Christian Meditation and Spirituality is located in the parish area of theCatholic parish St. Josef Frankfurt am Main, which was founded as a "parish of a new type" on 1 January 2015. In the new greater parish area there are four churches located as "church places" and two churches as "theme churches". One of the two theme churches is the Holy Cross Church, which headquarters the meditation centre and is used for church services and centre events. The buildings are administrated by the Catholic Church of the city of Frankfurt am Main. There is an active collaboration with the parish of St. Josef Frankfurt am Main.
Since the beginning of the restoration of the interior ofSt. Leonhard inFrankfurt-Altstadt, the services of the localSt. Leonhard's International English-Speaking Catholic Parish have been held in the Holy Cross Church since 7 May 2011.[28] This remains the home of the Holy Cross Church even after the end of the work.[29]
TheHoly-Cross-Church could easily be reached by walk in one minute from thetram stopErnst-May-Platz of the tramline 14 of theFrankfurt tramway and theStadtbahn stationEissporthalle/Festplatz of the lineU7 of the Frankfurtlight rail system (German:Frankfurt U-Bahn).Bus line 38 connects the Panoramabad and the settlement with the district center and the neighboring district ofSeckbach. Also not far away is the motorway exitFrankfurt-Ost of the Federal Motorway 661 (German:Bundesautobahn 661).
Beneath the Bornheim slope to the east of the meditation centre runs a branch of the GermanCamino de Santiago (Way of St. James).[30] The route is based on the ancient trade route from Leipzig to Frankfurt am Main (Des Reiches Straße). The way starts in the bishop cityFulda and continues throughSchlüchtern,Steinau an der Straße,Bad Soden-Salmünster,Gelnhausen,Langenselbold,Erlensee, andBruchköbel. It belongs to the network of main pilgrimage routes to the grave ofSt. James in theCathedral of Santiago de Compostela. This branch, which is 116 km long, passes the Holy Cross Church and leads through the Ostpark, and then passes theSeat of the European Central Bank at the formerGroßmarkthalle (Wholesale Market Hall) on its route to theMain River and theinner city of Frankfurt am Main. It also passes theEiserner Steg (an iron footbridge) and continues toMainz andTrier.[31]
50°07′37″N08°43′06″E / 50.12694°N 8.71833°E /50.12694; 8.71833
