Savior`s / Passion of Christ Chapel

There are three chapels on the mountain Şumuleu Mic, among which the most valuable is without a doubt the one dedicated to the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ, the medieval Savior’s Chapel. Dated back to the second half of the 15^th century, the chapel was built on commemorating the Siege of Belgrade in 1456, as the battle was won thanks to the invocation of the name Saviour on the 6th of August, when the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ is celebrated (in Latin Transfiguratio Salvatoris – Salvator, for short).

The chapel was rebuilt in the 17^th century, becoming a one nave building with a square shrine, a lobby on a wooden structure with a Hussar tower on top. This extension was replaced with a stone lobby in the 19^th century.

On the facade of the chapel, on the west side, above the only arch-shaped entrance in the building, one can read this inscription in Latin: „DOMUS SALVATORIS ET IANUA IUSTIFICATIONIS POENITENTIBUS" (The place of God and the door to the purification of penitents). The inscription also includes the dating 1684. A little higher there is an inscription in Hungarian: „Through the transfiguration the Saviour’s chapel was glorified, after 200 years it was largely restored” („A szinében elváltozva megdicsöült Salvator ezen kápolnája 200 év után nagyrészt újra javitatott"). On the pediment there is another dating: 1878.

The interior of the chapel looks mostly as in the 17^th century. Entering the cylindrical vaulted lobby, decorated with stars, the visitor will be greeted by another inscription, found under the wooden triumphal arch that is sustained by a pair of pillars left from the west facade of the medieval chapel: „Divine Saviour! This camp fights a holy war. May he who worships you with all his heart earn his heavenly home!” („Isteni Salvator! Szent harcot harcol e tábor. Hogy ki szívébül imád vivja ki égi honát!").

The balustrade with five cassettes that was placed in the lobby is dated in the 17^th century. Towards its ends, it is decorated with paintings of floral arrangements, while in the middle there is a representation of the Madonna with Baby Jesus along with the inscription „Patrona Hungariae”. Near the Madonna, there is the image of Saint Stephen and Saint Ladislaus. Entering the nave, on the south side, one can notice the traces of the original medieval entrance, which was walled in, a simple door with a beam and an ogive, bearing the inscription "Renov Salvator 1678" above.

The cylindrical vault of the nave is decorated with 16 painted cassettes, with putto ends. Inside the oval frames, decorated with Baroque style vegetal patterns, there are pairs of Apostles, Franciscans, Jesuits and hermits. Four cassettes are completed with floral arrangements. On the cylindrical vault, one can see the coat of arms and monograms of Mikes Kelemen, head of Trei-Scaune (an ancient department), and of his wife, Kálnoki Zsuzsanna, which were placed there in honour of those who supported the restoration of the chapel in the 17^th century. In the northern part of the nave there is a small winged altarpiece. It bears a representation of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ in the centre and the figures of Saint Joseph, Saint Paul, Saint Francis and Saint Anthony on the wings.

The rectangular sanctuary with a cylindrical vault is separated from the nave by an ogive. The main altarpiece was made in 1679 thanks to Haller János and Kornis Katalin. It bears the distinctive signs of Medieval and Baroque styles. The central image represents Jesus grieving, while on the sides there are half-length portraits of Saint John and Saint Catherine.

The altar near the triumphal arch was made in 1673 thanks to Petki Katalin. This is illustrated by the Petkis’ coat of arms, placed on the pediment. In the center there is the representation of Ecce Homo. Baroque features can be observed in the construction of the altarpiece. The side altar bears a representation of Virgin Mary in Loreto dressed as a queen holding Baby Jesus in one arm. The structure and decorative painting of the altar are in Renaissance style, but the shrine is older than the painting.

The Saviour’s Chapel is an important station in the pilgrimage on the Şumuleu-Ciuc route.