Heart Jesu Festival in Virgen: Father Oliver celebrates for 25 years!

Heart Jesu Festival in Virgen: Father Oliver celebrates for 25 years!

On July 3, 2025, the Herz-Jesu festival in Virgen became a very special occasion, because Father Oliver Ruggenthaler celebrated his 25th anniversary on that day. The celebrations began on Saturday evening with a thanksgiving in the parish church of Virgen, which was led by Father Oliver himself. Numerous believers and brothers were present to appreciate this solemn moment.

festival service and vow

After the festival service, those present solemnly renewed the Herz-Jesu-Runn at the village square. A sacrament procession led through the town and was accompanied by the rifle company Virgen, which Father Oliver honored with honorary salvos. At a touching moment, parish councilor Franz Berger Pater Oliver presented an artistically designed cross created by Mario Berger. Mayor Dietmar Ruggenthaler honored him with a crystal from the collection of Prof. Josef Ruggenthaler.

In addition, Pastor Siegmund Bichler was also recognized for his 10th anniversary. The music band Virgen and the band "Die Virgentaler" provided musical entertainment and contributed to the festive atmosphere. Father Oliver expressed his joy about the celebrations in his home community and thanked for the numerous congratulations.

meaning of the heart-jesu festival

The Herz-Jesu festival is traditionally celebrated on Pentecost on the third Friday and is of particular importance for the Austrian Cistercians. The Austrian Cistercian Congregation is consecrated to the heart of Jesus and celebrates its name day on this day. Abbot Reinhold Desssl has written a diploma thesis that focuses on the Herz-Jesu worship in Upper Austria in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The deeper root of this worship goes back to the early Christian church. It drives the idea that the church and the sacraments emerged from the heart of Jesus, as described in the Gospel of John (Jn 19, 33–34). A pronounced veneration of the holiest heart of Jesus began in the early Middle Ages and was funded by important mystics like Gertrud von Helfta and Franz of Assisi.

The fact that the Herz-Jesu festival still has a permanent place in the liturgical calendar is also Pope Pius IX. owe to which it introduced it to the entire church in 1856. To date, many Roman Catholic religious communities are dedicated to this festival and the heart of Jesus, including the Herz-Jesu missionaries, which among others operate a private high school in Salzburg.

The celebrations in Virgen and the associated honor of Father Oliver are therefore not only an expression of a personal life performance, but also part of a deeply rooted tradition that combines believers over generations. For the municipality of Virgen, the Herz-Jesu festival remains a moment of faith, community and gratitude.