Two Liturgical Responses to the Protestant Reformation at the Collegiate Church of Saint Mary in Aachen, 1570–1580

Abstract

The identity of Aachen’s “royal basilica” was dominated by Charlemagne, it founder, but was also bound up with a septennial pilgrimage and thus personal devotion. The church became an important center for the articulation of the Holy Roman Empire’s struggle against Protestantism, prompting liturgical changes during the last third of the sixteenth century. This article discusses two such changes between 1570 and 1580: the clear presentation of centuries-old plainchant melodies for the Feast of Charlemagne in up-to-date polyphonic settings by Johannes Mangon (ca. 1525–1578) and the construction of a new pulpit for vernacular preaching in close proximity to the former location of an ancient one. Each of these modifications updates an old or existing practice in a way that renews its relevance in light of the increase of Protestantism in the area. Such updates resonate with the Counter-Reformation goal of preserving and renewing the Catholic faith.