Two hundred and fifty-three years ago, Henry William Stiegel envisioned a future for both Manheim and its Lutheran congregation. Together with his second wife, Elizabeth Holtz Stiegel, he gifted a parcel of land at the corner of Wolf and East High streets to fellow Lutherans for the purpose of building their first church.

The deed, dated Dec. 4, 1772, reads in part, "for and in consideration of the sum of five shillings yielding and paying unto the said Henry William Stiegel, his heirs or assigns at the said town of Manheim in the month of June yearly forever hereafter the Rent of One Red Rose if the same shall be lawfully demanded."

On Sunday, June 8, Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, located at 2 S. Hazel St., Manheim, will host the 133rd annual Festival of the Red Rose, and the public is invited. The celebration will begin with worship at 10:30 a.m., featuring special music by the church choir and spiritual readings by pastor Kathryn Warn. Prior to the service, refreshments will be served in the church's Rose Parlor, courtesy of the Manheim Historical Society.

"Individuals can expect a warm, friendly welcome from the congregation as well as the Stiegel heirs as the church celebrates its legacy," said Linda Keiffer, chair of the festival committee.

Henry William Stiegel was affectionately dubbed "Baron" by townsfolk due to his grand lifestyle. Though skilled in various trades, he is most fondly remembered as a devoted Christian churchman. Stiegel is believed to have personally received the red rose in 1773 and 1774. However, the tradition faded after he suffered severe financial setbacks and spent time in Philadelphia's debtor's prison. Following his release in December 1774, he never returned to Manheim, and the symbolic "rent" was eventually forgotten.

Local physician J.H. Sieling, a member of the congregation, revived the tradition after learning of Baron Stiegel and the curious tale of the red rose. In 1891, while a new church was under construction, Sieling unearthed the original deed and proposed an annual celebration if a Stiegel descendant could be found.

On June 4, 1892, John Calvin Stiegel of Harrisonburg, Va., great-great-grandson of Henry William and Elizabeth Holtz Stiegel, traveled with his wife, Maggie, to Manheim to receive the first rose in more than a century.

Each year on the second Sunday in June, the Lutheran congregation honors this legacy by presenting "the rent of one red rose" to a chosen Stiegel heir.

This year, Andrew Robertson Black of Chatham, Mass., a ninth-generation descendant of Henry William and Elizabeth Huber Stiegel, will accept the ceremonial rose.

Born in 1943 at the Philadelphia Naval Hospital, Andrew was raised in Sewickley, near Pittsburgh. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and later received a doctorate in history from Boston University. During his career with Mars, Inc., he and his wife, Peggy, spent five years in Dusseldorf, Germany, and both are fluent in German. Andrew has authored two books: a biography of John Pendleton Kennedy and a detailed chronicle of the Hoosac Tunnel's construction in western Massachusetts. Today, the couple resides on Cape Cod, enjoying gardening, sailing and the charm of coastal New England.

Attorney J.D. Young Jr. of the Manheim law firm Young & Young will serve as Zion's legal representative to witness Andrew's signature in the historic rent book. A graduate of Manheim Central High School, Gettysburg College, and the Delaware Law School of Widener University, Young is affiliated with both the Pennsylvania and Lancaster bar associations and actively participates on several community boards.

"I would encourage individuals to attend the Festival of the Red Rose to experience a unique, time-honored celebration and to learn about the history of Zion Lutheran Church," Keiffer said. "Attendees will see a church decorated with red roses based on the deed of Henry William Stiegel to honor his heirs."

To learn more about the Festival of the Red Rose, visit http://www.zionmanheim.com or call the church office at 717-665-5880.