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St. Donatus Parish Museum
Hours of operation are by appointment only.
Please contact the Parish Office at 563-583-0092 to schedule a tour.
The museum is handicapped accessible.
St. Donatus, IA 52071
Sites and Annual Events
St. Donatus Parish Museum, St. Donatus, Iowa 
The St. Donatus Parish Museum was founded in 1985 by a group of interested parish members. The mission of the museum is to preserve the history of St. Donatus Parish and the heritage of Luxembourgers who settled in the St. Donatus area. The museum is housed in the St. Donatus School building located next to the rectory and parish church. The school, which closed in 1980, was built in 1965 to replace the former, stone academy building.
Displays in the St. Donatus Parish Museum include historic artifacts and  photographs from the parish and community. Banners and vestments in the collection date back to the 1850s. The original 1866 wooden grave marker of Nicholas Kirchen, a Luxembourg immigrant to St. Donatus, is a treasured artifact along with the scale model replica of the Outdoor Way of the Cross and Pieta Chapel located in St. Donatus.
The St. Donatus Parish Museum also houses genealogical books, family histories, family trees, and commemorative books from other churches and communities. These resources can be viewed by visitors to the museum.
The hours of operation of the St. Donatus Parish Museum are by appointment only. Please contact the Parish Office at 563-583-0092 to schedule a tour. The museum is handicapped accessible.
Outdoor Way of the Cross and Pieta Chapel, St. Donatus, Iowa 
Visitors and spiritual pilgrims are invited to experience the Outdoor Way of the Cross and Pieta Chapel located on Calvary Mound, the breathtaking backdrop of St. Donatus Church. The Outdoor Way of the Cross is believed to be the first of its kind in America. It was built in 1861 under the direction of Fr. J. Michael Flammang, the pastor of St. Donatus Church. Fr. Flammang was an immigrant from Koerich, Luxembourg to Iowa.
The Outdoor Way of the Cross consists of 14 red-brick alcoves situation along the winding path leading up the mound. Each alcove contains an original lithographic print detailing Christ’s journey to his crucifixion. The winding path takes you through the quiet serenity of touring trees and ancient rock formations.
Don’t be surprised if you see a group of friendly sheep roaming the way of the cross grounds. They serve in  providing old-fashioned lawn care!
The culmination of the trek up the mound is the Pieta Chapel. Perched atop the mound, the Pieta Chapel can be
seen from the village below and it also offers spectacular views
of the St. Donatus countryside. 
The Pieta Chapel was built in 1885 with funds left by Fr. Flammang and was dedicated to his memory. The chapel is modeled after the Chapel du Bildchen in Vianden, Luxembourg. Inside the chapel is a simply altar with a statue of the Pieta.
The Outdoor Way of the Cross and Pieta Chapel are self-guided tours that continue the great spiritual tradition of the Luxembourgers in St. Donatus.
St. Donatus Parish Sausage and Pancake Breakfast, St. Donatus, Iowa
This annual breakfast is held at St. Donatus on the first Sunday in November from 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. The breakfast is served in the parish school building and features all-you-can-eat homemade sausage, pancakes, sweet rolls and apple sauce. This event also includes prizes, country store, and baked goods. Everyone is invited to attend.
Annual Mass in Honor of St. Donatus, St. Donatus, Iowa
The parishioners of St. Donatus Church cordially invite you to celebrate with them the feast of their patron, St. Donatus. The Annual Mass in Honor of St. Donatus is celebrated on the second Sunday of July at 8:30 a.m. with refreshments following.
St. Donatus, one of Luxembourg’s favorite patron saints, was born a Christian in Rome in 140 AD. At the age of 17 he became a soldier in the Roman Army. In 166 AD, Donatus and his Christian legion were responsible for saving the Emperor and his Army through prayer. In thanksgiving, Donatus promised to serve God more faithfully and he took a vow of virginity. In 180 AD, the Emperor condemned St. Donatus to a martyr’s death after he refused to marry the Emperor’s granddaughter and to adore pagan gods.
In 1646, the relics of St. Donatus were placed in the altar of St. Martin’s Church in Euskirchen, Germany. Tradition has it that during a Mass at the church, a terrible storm broke out. As the Jesuit pastor, Fr. Heerde, turned to give the final blessing, lightening struck the church. The altar, altar cloth and Fr. Heerde’s vestments immediately caught fire. The priest prayed for the intercession of St. Donatus and at once the fire was extinguished and the priest’s wounds were miraculously healed. As a result of this incident, St. Donatus is invoked as a special patron of protection against lightening and thunder storms.
Images of St. Donatus, like the statue found in St. Donatus Church, depict him in Roman military garb with a lightening bolt in his hand.
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