On September 24th Hermann Leicht, a young shepherd, driving his sheep home, saw a crying child in a field belonging to the nearby Cistercian monastery. When he tried to pick it up it disappeared abruptly. A short time later the child reappeared in the same spot. Two candles were burning next to it.
Nearly one year later, on June 28th, 1446, this child appeared again. It bore a red cross on its chest. It was surrounded by 14 smaller children. The child said to the shepherd: "We are the 14 helpers and wish to have a chapel where we can rest graciously. If you will be our servant, we will be yours!" Soon the shepherd and a woman who passed by chance saw two burning candles descending from heaven to this spot. 18 days later a woman who was hopelessly ill was healed by the intercession of the 14 helpers. For this the abbey gave in and erected a chapel for the pilgrimage starting immediately. In 1448 the altar was already consecrated.
The pilgrimage blossomed out quickly, promoted by indulgences. Every year crowds of pilgrims came from Thuringia, Saxony, from all parts of Franconia, Bavaria etc. At Vierzehnheiligen even high dignities went for a prayer to this holy spot: electors, Emperor Friedrich III and Ferdinand I, also Albrecht Duerer and his wife. During the Peasants Revolt (1525) and during the 30-years-War the buildings burnt down. But again and again larger buildings were erected. The Holy Spot was protected by churches looking rather like castles.
