240 Sacred room

The sacred room is designed like a cabinet of curiosities and contains many historical pieces whose surprising use is probably only known to older believers and which is strongly anchored in the customs of the Durbach valley. In addition, some valuable treasures are also on display here. …
In the upper display case are various old prayer books and Bibles, a framed death wreath and wicks for oil candles that were used during the vigil at the deathbed.
A medallion of the image girls can be seen. Picture girls carried statues on church occasions and processions and dressed in traditional costume with a white embroidered scarf and a small crown on their heads. Richly embroidered flags were also part of their décor.
Until the beginning of 1960, the grave wreath with beads was laid out on a small tripod at the grave or attached directly to the wooden cross, especially on All Saints’ Day. An incense burner with a shuttle is on display, as well as death bells as used by altar boys during the passing of the priest. During the service, the altar bell was used; in the past, there was the wooden clamper for this purpose, which was used instead of the bell during Holy Week. A very rare picture with reverse painting on glass is also one of the treasures of this room.
Until the 1930s, the bride’s wedding wreath was usually kept behind a glass frame in the family’s corner of the church.
Finally, a special treasure is the large Strasbourg Bible from 1734. It is dedicated to Armandogaston of Rohan, then prince-bishop of Strasbourg.
The lower display case shows, among other things, wax sticks with the Child Jesus as a motif. Until about the mid-1950s, it was customary for women to be blessed by the priest after giving birth before they went out in public with their child. Such wax sticks were used in this ceremony.
Baptismal accessories can be seen here, such as the baptismal robe and a cup for the baptismal water.
Patene were used at Holy Communion. They were held under by the altar boys at the communion rail so that no crumbs of the host fell on the floor.
The house altar , made from cigar boxes around 1900, is modelled on the high altar in Strasbourg Cathedral.
On Holy Saturday, the Easter fire was lit at the church in Durbach. The altar boys and young men brought long logs which they lit in the Easter fire and which were then waved in a circle. Such an Easter log is on display here.
Some church flags can be seen, such as the flags of the “Marian Congregation of Virgins”. The black flag was worn at funerals, and the priest and altar boys also had special clothes for funerals.
On 15 August, on the Feast of the Assumption, bunches of herbs like the one shown here were usually decorated with gladioli and bulbs, were consecrated and kept at home for protection against harm.