Würzburg Bishops' Conference

The hastily called meeting began on 21 October 1848, just three weeks after the Cologne Archbishop Johannes von Geissel had issued the invitations.

It was hosted by the Bishop of Würzburg Georg Anton von Stahl [de; fr].

The liturgical high point was a Pontifical Mass in the Würzburg Cathedral under the direction of the Primate Germaniae of Archbishop Cardinal Friedrich Johannes Jacob Celestin von Schwarzenberg.

The shortness of the advance notice, the high number of participants and the long duration of the meeting are evidence of the urgency of the issues at hand.

Since 18 May 1848, in the Frankfurt Parliament there was a controversial discussion about the future government and constitutional order in Germany and the bishops didn't want to be bystanders only.

Contemporary memorial picture of the conference with portraits of the bishops and their cathedrals