The first church and the foundation of the parish of Nonnweiler date back to the 9th century. The fortified west tower, with its high slate spire and corner turrets, is characteristic of the local landscape and houses four bells. The main portal is decorated with various types of nails from the former local nail smithy.
Inside the church are the unique Nonnweiler Hubertus insignia, such as the silver-plated “Hubertus horn”, made from the horn of an Irish ox. According to legend, St Hubertus lost the horn while hunting in the Hochwald (high forest) in the 12th century. Around 1500 AD, it was turned into a drinking horn, which every new parish priest who comes to Nonnweiler since then uses once on taking office.
Another relic is the so-called Hubertus key, also from the 12th century. It is an iron rod with a wooden handle and a ring with a cross welded into it. This rod was once red-hot and used to treat rabid animals, mostly cows and cattle, but also humans. Infected bite wounds were cauterised with the red-hot iron, which, although painful, resulted in successful healing. Nonnweiler owes its reputation as a place of pilgrimage to this decisive “key experience”, which lasted four centuries and reached its peak in the early 19th century. Up to 4,000 people a year made the pilgrimage to the Hochwald to have themselves and their beloved animals
“burned healthy”. Until 1820, rabies patients could be treated in Nonnweiler with the glowing Hubertus key. Then the bishop’s administration banned the use of the Hubertus key and pilgrimages to Nonnweiler.
To this day, a special church service is held in November on the first Sunday after St Hubertus’ Day. A festively decorated Hochwalddom and hunting horns are sounded in honour of the saint.
