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History
The Mostviertler village Vestenthal is situated between the city of Haag and Steyr . The main territory of this young parish former belonged to the parish Haidershofen, parts to Haag, Weistrach and Behamberg.
Because Haidershofen and its parish church are lying straight on the border between lower- and upperaustria, it was a wish of the faithful from the region around Vestenthal to have a church for their one. Moreover the town hall is found in Stampf which adjoins immediately to Vestenthal. Therefore after the World War II reflections were started about the building of a house of God in Vestenthal.
Build with Granit from Mauthausen
Much voluntary assistance was achieved by the people of the future new parish church. From Mauthausen they brought the granit blocks for the 36 m high steeple and the masonry with relatively small tractors. At September 9th, 1962 the church was consecrated and received as patron the swiss saint Nikolaus von Flüe. With date of September 1st, 1967 Vestenthal was erected as a parish church, Today around 1500 catholics ar belonging to this institution. The former parish priest Alois Pfaffenbichler remembers how the new church got a Fatima pilgrimige church: "In October 1968 I travelled with six companions to Fatima, with us we took a statue of our Lady sculped by the south tyrolean artist Joseph Rifesser, which we intended to get blessed, she should stay in the center of our May month devotions." At the blessing of the statue the auxiliary bishop of Leiria/Fatima accentuated that the 13th of May and the 13th of October which are the first and last days of the apparitions of our Lady in Fatima should be celebrated with special solemn. This stimulation was accepted from the small group of Vestenthal. Since then on every 13th of the month from May until October are holded Fatima celebrations, The first and last however in a special way with sacramental procession in the afternoon and candle light procession in the evening. The people mainly come from the Haag-ian decanate but also from Steyr and the region of Bad Hall.
