Wolowiec

Introduction

Wolowiec is an ancient royal village of Biecki land, founded at the end of the 16th century. It is located about 10 km from the Polish-Slovak border.

The main monument of Wolowiec is the church of the Covering Veil of Mary the Thetokos. The church is a subsidiary of the Orthodox parish of Saints Cosma and Damian in Bartne, belongs to the Gorlict Dean of Przemysl – Gorlice Orthodox diocese. The church is located on a hill 300 meters from the center of Wolowiec. It is hidden among the trees, so it is hard to notice it from the road. Directly near the church is an old cemetery with ancient stone tombstones.

History

Historical sources of 1675 mention the Orthodox church in nearby Bartne, but there is no information of this period about the Orthodox church in Wolowiec. The present church was built as a Uniate temple, probably in 1766, as evidenced by the inscription in the Ecclesiastical Slavic language “The Year of the Lord 1766”, which is visible on the gable at the entrance to the nave. In 1880, which some historians consider the year of its construction, the church was renovated, the next renovation took place in 1907.

In 1928, when all the inhabitants of Wolowiec (except two families) returned to the bosom of Holy Orthodoxy, the church of the Covering Veil of the Theotokos remained in the possessions of Greco – Catholic church. Then it was closed and gradually destroyed.

After the tragic action of “Wisla” in 1947, the local PGR (state farm) replaced the temple with a sheepdog and barn. nly in 1958 the authorities agreed to give the building to a group of Orthodox lemks who returned to their homeland after forced resettlement. Reconstruction to the building, which saved it from total destruction, was carried out in 1964. But the complete, general renovation of the church took place only in 1990 – 1991. Over the next 16 years, its condition deteriorated so much that water poured from the roof on the polychromy of the 18th and 19th centuries, and the throne had to be protected with construction film.

In 1987, the temple was listed on the register of architectural monuments.

In 2009, the church in Wolowiec became the full property of the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church, and a year later managed to raise funds for its general renovation. The church has regained its former splendor, which remains to this day.

In 2020, thanks to the European Union funds, the general repair of the temple fence was carried out.

Architecture

Architecturally, it represents the West-lemkowski style. It is an orientated building, trigeminal with an altar, a square nave and a large double porch of log structure. The walls outside, as well as the tent broken roofs are covered with shingles. The roof of the nave and the altar are topped with eight-sided drums, on which there are bulbous domes with wrought iron crosses.

Above the porch is a pillar tower, with sloping walls and a tier, covered with a tent roof, topped with a ball-shaped helmet and a pseudo-drum.

Interior

The church in Wolowiec is distinguished by choirs with carved balustrade surrounding the whole vestibule and partly the wall of the nave.

The inner walls of the temple are decorated with a rich figurative – ornamental painting. Located in the nave, it was created in 1810, but includes older elements dating back to the period of the church’s construction, but part of the porch was painted in the early 20th century.

A special attention in the church in Wolowiec draws on the iconostasis of the 18th century, created from fragments of four others, although the original iconostasis disappeared. Its hallmark is the additional fifth row of icons between the festive and Deesis rows, representing the chosen Sundays of Pentecost. This atypical, fifth row of icons is often found in other churches of Lemkowszczyzna.