St. Valentins, Kiedrich
The parish church was mainly built at the end of the 15th century in Gothic style. The church is dedicated to St. Valentine, the patron saint of people with epilepsy (Fallende Krankheit) and lovers, housing relics which came in 1350 from Eberbach Abbey to Kiedrich. Income from the pilgrimage enabled the building of the church. The main entrance in the west front is topped by a tympanum which shows both the Annunciation and the Coronation of Mary. Many people with epilepsy made the pilgrimage to the church. It was therefore furbished with unique carved laity stalls for the congregation; congregants in Gothic times normally attended service standing. The pews are decorated with carvings of ornaments, flowers, vines and inscriptions in Gothic alphabet. One front shows the elaborate "Gerechtigkeitsspirale" (Spiral of justice), an inscription in the form of a spiral. The Kiedrich Madonna in the choir is a wooden gilded sculpture dating from 1330. Influenced by French style, it shows a young woman who turns smiling to her child. The cemetery around the church is surrounded by a wall and includes the funeral chapel, the Michaelskapelle (St. Michael's Chapel). The church is a Basilica minor as of 29 June 2010. The choir, altar and stained-glass windows were completed and the organ restored in 2014.
The parish is part of the Pastoraler Raum Eltville, together with St. Peter und Paul, Eltville , St. Markus, Erbach, and St. Vincentius, Hattenheim.
