Church of Neumunster
Domerpfarrgasse 10, 97070 Wurzburg, Germany (Deutschland)
Description:
The collegial church of Neumunster is located in close proximity to the Cathedral of St. Kilian. Its foundation is also associated with the name of St. Cylian, the Apostle of Franconia.
It is believed that it was on the site of the present church that Saint Cylian and his two companions were martyred. Therefore, in the eighth century, the Bishop of Würzburg Megingard ordered the erection of a Martyrion here in memory of the holy martyrs.
During the Second World War, the Collegiate Church of Neumünster was badly damaged, with the fire killing sculptures by the outstanding German master of the late Gothic era Tilman Riemenschneider. After the church was completely restored, the baroque decoration of its main nave diversified the panels of modern artists.
Every year on St. Kilian’s Day on July 8, a procession is held, during which seminarians carry the skulls of martyrs in a transparent box to the cathedral, where they are exhibited for public display.