Research Paper On St. Cyriakus

St. Cyriakus is a medieval church in Gernrode, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. One of the few surviving and best preserved examples of Ottonian architecture, it was built in 969/960-965 by margrave Gero, and it was restored in the 19th century. It is a three-aisled cruciform basilica with simple alternation of pillars, side gallery and east crypt. Originally, the church was likely dedicated to St. Mary and St. Peter, but after the arrival of St. Cyriakus' relics obtained by Gero himself in Rome; changed its name to the present one. In the 11th and 12th century’s additions to the church included the west crypt, side galleries, the enlargement of the westwork, the towers and the two-story cloisters. The vault of the transept was added in the Gothic period.

The interior has kept most of the original Ottonian appearance and the exterior was partly changed. A chapel from about the 12th century in the southern aisle houses and a late 11th century copy of the grave of Christ, which is a representation of the Holy Sepulchre found in Jerusalem. Gernrode’s Holy Grave, which was probably built in the place of an older arched grave in several stages at the end of the 11th century, has an anteroom and a main chamber just like its original. The insides as well as the outside are decorated with stucco reliefs of an exceptional quality. They show the Easter story from the walk of the disciples to the grave, through the meeting of Christ and Mary Magdalene in the garden, to the three ladies at the grave and the risen Christ. The once rich sculptural works on the Holy Sepulchre in the former convent church of St Cyriakus in Gernrode were of high quality, as is shown by what has been saved. The west wall of the chambers built in between the two eastern bays of the southern transept is extensively decorated. The central area with three niches is framed by a double frieze. In the central niche a plaster tablet with the figure of Mary Magdalen is set in flanked by two columns standing in

1120-30. Its interior is decorated with designs of ancient Roman decoration. The Church of San Clemente has been described to be like a “layered cake” of archeological wonder. The upper level which is the present basilica is from the 12th century, below it is the 5th century basilica and below that are a first century house, warehouse, and Mithraic temple, which is an ancient temple of worship. It was excavated in the 19th century under the direction of an Irish Dominican priest, Fr. Mullooly. There are three layers and each represent different historical features of Christianity as it changed from the early third century to today. The artifacts show how religious belief in Rome has grown and changed. Each layer symbolizes the characteristics of religion at the time they were built. Through the art of frescos the stories of Jesus are depicted. The frescoes are depicting martyrs, saints, popes and the passion of Jesus Christ. It has the oldest known tabernacle-style altar and it is adorned by an anchor. Saint Clement, who was the fourth pope, was honored by early Christians who dedicating the church to him and it is said to be built over the house which belonged to his family. He died by having an anchor tied to his leg and was thrown into the Black Sea by the Romans. Fourth-century accounts report of his forced labor in the mines during exile to the Crimea while the emperor Trajan was in power