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Welcome to
Luxemburg, Minnesota!
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Luxemburg, MN, is located in Stearns
County, just a few miles south of St. Cloud in the central part of the state. Once
the site of Indian settlements, this area saw an influx of German and Luxembourg
immigrants beginning in the mid-1850s. St. Wendelin's Parish was founded in 1859.
It is dedicated to the Catholic saint of Scottish blood who was once a shepherd and
who later founded the Benedictine Abbey of Tholey. St. Wendelin is the patron saint
of "country folk and herdsmen," according to the History of St. Wendelin's
Parish (1934). Each summer, the parish of St. Wendelin's hosts a bazaar to
celebrate the parish's heritage. A large number of Luxembourger families settled
here in the mid-1800s. Today, the town has residents whose ancestors were of varied
ethnic origins. |
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Here we see a front view of the church of
St. Wendelin in Luxemburg, MN. The school and cemetery are adjacent to the church.
Construction on its predecessor, the first church in Luxemburg, began in 1859, when
a number of settlers donated money toward the effort. Once that structure proved too
small, construction on the present church commenced in 1872. It is built from
granite and is a Gothic structure 50 x 114 feet. Its main walls are 1.5 feet thick
and 28 feet high. The completed structure was dedicated on July 3, 1875 by
Bishop Seidenbusch. In 1881, the Sisters of St. Benedict from St. Joseph, MN, took
over the teaching at the local school. |
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To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the
liberation of Luxembourg during World War II, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg sent three
copies of this memorial sculpture to the towns of Luxemburg in Minnesota, Iowa, and
Wisconsin. The sculpture commemorates the contributions of the U.S. soldiers who
liberated Luxembourg. This copy of the commemorative sculpture is proudly displayed
on the grounds of St. Wendelin's Parish in Luxemburg, Minnesota. |
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