Turulung - The Roman Catholic Church of “The Assumption of the Holy Virgin”

The Mediaeval parish church of the village was used by the Calvinists during the 16th century. After the return to Catholicism of the owners, the Perényi family, the church was returned to the Roman Catholic community in 1744. The building was in bad condition, and, meanwhile, the number of Roman Catholic believers had increased because of the colonizing of the Schwab families, therefore, it was necessary to build a new church. The construction was started in 1814, and it lasted until 1827, when the tower was built. The gallery was built, when the bishop promised to transfer the old organ of the cathedral of Satu Mare to the church of Turulung. The present church was built on the site of the former medieval church, it was made in baroque style, combined with classic elements. The tower is on the façade, and it has a steeple with lantern. The main façade has three axes and, together with the walls of the nave, it is decorated with Ionic pillars. The corners of the nave are rounded; the windows are set in niches, resembling the Calvinist church of Mintiu. The nave and the altar has a spherical vault. The main altar and the pulpit are in accordance with the style of the church. The original painting of the main altar represents The Assumption of the Holy Virgin, painted by József Pesky in 1829. It was, unfortunately, replaced in 1941. The side altars dedicated to St John Nepomuk and to St Joseph were made in Budapest, in 1911, by the company of Rétay& Benedek. The church suffered war-damage in 1944, and it was restored only in 1957. After the renovation, the church was re-painted by Gyula Tóth. During the reparation work in 1980, the benches were also replaced. It is worth mentioning that the baptismal fountain, made in 1772, is the only remnant of the old church’s furniture. Among the three bells, the biggest and the smallest were made in 1991, and the middle one, in 1923. (TSz).