St Cyriak's Church

There are no reliable sources about the first church in Furtwangen. However, the history of the parish of St. Cyriak can be traced back to 1179, when the pastoral care, property and rights were confirmed to the monastery of St. Georgen.

The parish church, which had become too small, was rebuilt in 1733-34. Equipped with a baroque high altar.

January 1743: Fire caused by a severe winter storm (tower and 4 bells destroyed). 1747 Completion and consecration of the rebuilt church

23 June 1857 Destruction of the church due to a severe fire disaster. 1859 to 1861 Complete rebuilding in neo-Romanesque style, based on a three-aisled basilica - with a tower height of 52 metres.

Renovation from 1968 to 1972 with the addition of a weekday chapel and a new sacristy. In the course of the liturgical renewal following the Second Vatican Council, some important pieces (e.g. the high altar) were removed from the church and the interior was kept very simple.

It was not until the last renovation in 1997 that the interior was brought back to its former glory, with (faithful) restoration and integration of the old artefacts and new works of art remaining in the parish.

2015/16 Renovation: During this period, the problems with the falling paint and the inefficient heating system were primarily rectified.

St Cyriacus

According to legend, Cyriacus, ordained a deacon by Pope Marcellinus in Rome around 300, was condemned by Emperor Maximian to work as a forced labourer on the construction of a thermal bath complex, carrying earth in the process. Many fellow Christians and fellow sufferers were killed after being tortured. When a devil cried out from Arthemia, the possessed daughter of Emperor Diocletian, saying that only Cyriacus could drive him away, the latter was summoned and he healed Arthemia. The outgoing devil prophesied that he would force Cyriacus to go to Babylon - today's Han-al-Mahawil in Iraq. Soon afterwards, Cyriacus was indeed summoned by the Persian king Sapor to heal his possessed daughter == Jobia. Cyriacus healed her too and baptised her with her parents and many people.

Cyriacus returned to Rome. Diocletian had given him a house, but after his abdication in 305, Maximian had him seized again, tortured, doused with boiling pitch and beheaded together with Smaragdus, Largus, Sisinius and 18 other Christians. A governor took possession of Cyriacus' house, bathed in it at the place where Cyriacus used to baptise and held a feast with 19 friends, all of whom died suddenly. The baths were closed and the pagans began to fear the Christians and hold them in honour.

Source: Dictionary of Saints