Würzburg saints - Relics of the Apostles of the Franks come to Ireland
The skulls of the so-called Frankenapostles are supposed to return to their homeland Ireland in the autumn. The relics of the three saints Kilian, Kolonat and Totnan are to be transported to the Diocese of Kilmore with a lorry, and not by airplane - "as there would be no permanent control otherwise", as Wolfgang Schneider, the Würzburg Diocesan Conservator and deputy art referent, told the Würzburger Catholic Sunday Paper.
From 2nd to 6th October, Bishop Franz Jung of Würzburg and General Vicar Jürgen Vorndran plan to travel to the Irish diocese with a pilgrimage group. The relics are supposed to be already there upon their arrival. The Frankenapostles, named missionaries Kilian, Kolonat and Totnan, are said to have set out from Ireland to Würzburg in the seventh century. They are venerated as patrons of the Diocese of Würzburg because they are believed to have suffered the Martyr's death there over 1300 years ago.
- The Frankenapostles, who had originated from Ireland, had initially spread Christianity in the city of Würzburg, which is located in the German state of Bavaria.
- It's interesting to note that even after their martyrdom in Würzburg over a thousand years ago, the Frankenapostles continue to have a significant presence in their homeland, as evidenced by the upcoming return of their relics to Ireland.
- The Church in Würzburg, being home to the relics of Kilian, Kolonat, and Totnan for so long, has a rich history associating it with these venerated missionaries, who have close ties to both Ireland and Bavaria.
