Churches

Parish Church of St. Sylvester

The parish church of St. Sylvester is situated in the centre of Kanfanar village. It was built in 1696, at the very place where once stood a small church from the 13th century.  The church is a nave building with a side chapel and a sacristy, with its interior distinguished by many cultural, historical and religious values. Some of the church furniture was brought from Dvigrad, such as the stone pulpit from 13th century with a mixture of Romanesque and Gothic style, as well as one part of the baluster baptistery, which is situated at the entrance of the church. At the main altar, there is a picture of the Mother of Lord with a child, and of St. Silvester and St. Sofia. The side altar with a pale represents St. Anthony of Padua, and on the other side of the church there is a chapel with a large altar dedicated to the Lady of the Holy Rosary. The altar holds a statue of the Virgin. During the celebrations of Rosary, which is the greaatest feast of the parish, the statue is carried from the altar in solemn procession through the streets of Kanfanar.

In 2012, the church was enriched with a copy of one of the most important relics in the Christian tradition – the Shroud of Turin. That same year the copy of the Shroud of Turin in its original size was donated to the parish of Kanfanar. There are only a few in the world, one of them being in Croatia. The Shroud of Turin (the Holy Turin) is considered the most important evidence of the resurrection of Jesus. It is the Shroud that holds, in a scientifically inexplicable way, a stamped photographic negative of a human body (the front and the back side), which was severely scourged, crowned with a crown of thorns, crucified and stabbed with a spear after death. All the previously conducted researches on the Turin supported the belief that it was the Turin in which Jesus Christ was wrapped after his death on the cross, and that the imprint of His body on the Turin appeared during the resurrection. Next to the church there is also a belfry dating from 1739.

The Church of Saint Agatha  

Saint Agatha church, founded in the 10th century, is located on the road between Kanfanar and Vidulini. It is a single-nave building with polygonal apse, which is a typical Byzantine element. There is a visible fishbone pattern throughout apsid walls, which is typical of medieval architecture in Istria. Moreover, the church contains fresco paintings belonging to the Romanesque murals of Benedictine art dating from the Ottonian period. Apse frescoes are showing the salt of the Earth: Christ on the throne surrounded by angels, St. Agatha and St. Lucia, and the eleven apostles. A triumphal arch contains two victims: Abraham on the left and Cain on the right. It is assumed that they were painted by one of the painters who used to run Istrian painting workshops. In 1760 the church was erected and got new altar equipment, a Baroque altar painting and the antependium.

Virgin Mary of the Snow Church in Maružini

This church is believed to be dating from the 12th century. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary of Snow, and is located at the old road near Maružini village. The church is a nave building with a bell tower. The altar painting shows the Virgin with the Child surrounded by two martyrs. One of them holds a chalice and wafer in his hand, as a symbol of priests, and the other holds forceps and tooth, so it is assumed that it could be St. Apollonia. The stone used for building the church is decorated with wicker, which is typical of the 8th and 9th century. Therefore, it is believed that it was built from the remains of some nearby church.

Saint Valentine Church

The votive church of St. Valentine was built in 18th century by a canon Bartolomeus Francaz (according to the quote written on the panel to the right of the entrance): “Amazing grace he received from God upon the glory of St. Valentine whom he honoured.” The church was built opposite the canon’s house and has the odour of sanctity. The upper part of the altar shows the Virgin and the Child, and the lower St. Valentine and St. Apollonia. The wooden statue stands to the right of the altar and the church also contains reliquary with the powers of St. Valentine.