I visited a church today

 The Church in Herzebrock, East Westphalia, is dedicated to St. Christina. 

The young lady lived in the 3rd century and refused to pray to the old gods. She was christian, convinced by a lady of her father's household. Christina destroyed the statues or gave them to the poor. When her father, who still believed in the old gods, was aware of his daughter's faith, he went mad and started to torture her. 

In the very end, when Christina suffered many different tortures (each single would have led to death), they shot two arrows in her heart. She died in the early 4th century (maybe 307) without betraying her faith.

Today, there are only two churches in Germany dedicated to the young saint: Herzebrock and Ravensburg (yes, it's the city where the Ravensburger jigsaw puzzles are made). Herzebrock owns an important relic of the saint since the 10th century

A view to the high altar

 a view to the ceiling on the way to the altar: it dates back to the gothic era (1474) 

and is decorated with fine floral paintings

The high altar with a masterpiece of german sacral art. It was made in the early 20th c. and shows scenes from the life of Jesus Christ: Nativity, wedding feast at Canaa, last supper and resurrection. During the Passion, just before Easter, the wings are closed.

The Rosary-Altar (early 20th c.) with Mary, Queen of the Rosary and 15 medals.

Below Mary and her child is a scene of the Battle of Lepanto

update: okay, I really wondered about the relationship of the rosary and the Battle of Lepanto. Today I searched for the rosary and found some very interesting news:

>> On 7th Oct. 1571 the roman-catholic marine forces led by Juan of Austria defeated the turkish armada at the Gulf of Lepanto. It is said that the victory was refered to a storm of prayers whilst rosaries were prayed all over Europe shortly before the battle began. In 1573 Pope Gregory XIII. founded the feast of the rosary Beatae Mariae Virginis a Rosario to commemorate 'our lady of the victory'. <<

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The pulpit (early 20th c.) shows carvings of the four evangelists. The traditional symbols of the Evangelists are often included, or used instead of an evangelist portrait. The symbols are

 St. John - the eagle

 St. Luke - the ox

St. Mark - the lion

St. Matthew - the angel

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A skulpture of St. Francis of Assisi with a cross, the rope with knots and the rosary

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The oldest and most valuable statue of Virgin Mary dates back to the year 1330.

A typical figure of the gothic era. She will not leave this place due to temperature and 

humidity - other circumstances would destroy the stone she's made of.

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A Pieta, Virgin Mary with her dead son Jesus Christ.

This wooden skulpture was made 1960 to commemorate the victims of WWII.

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A (handpainted) copy of a byzantine icon of the Virgin of immaculate Passion, set inside an altarpiece with a hymn in german language:

"Mother of the eternal word, don't disdain my words, but listen to me mercyful and answer 

to my prayers. You, Mother of the goodd counsel, comfort of the grieving, 

help of the christians, pray for us,"

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 The relic of St. Christina: a piece of her skull (1700 years old!), set in a reliquary head of pure silver and gemstones and hidden behind an iron bar. On her nameday (24th July), the relic is taken off from the reliquary and believers receive blessings from the skull which is held above their head!

Details of the altar of St. Christina, made in 1902+1960 

The show scenes from the martydom:

St. Christina was left on a boat on a sea and bent to a millstone. 

She was pushed out of the boat , but angels kept her from sinking

St. Christina gives away the silver and golden statues of the old gods

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A last view to the west-portal with the stained glass door of Archangel Michael 

and an orgue of the early 18th c. (baroque era) as well as this wonderful, breathtaking vault.