Bialowieza

Introduction

Since the 14th century, there has been a permanent hunting residence of Lithuanian princes in Bialowieza. The first historical references to settlements date back to 1639, when there was a farm and a royal residence. Local historical sources claim that as early as the 17th century there was a small church in Bialowieza, located at the Brovsky Road, which was burned along with the village in 1710 during the raging plague epidemic. Reminds of it the only bell that has survived since 1661, located in the cemetery church.

In 1795, after the third partition of Poland, Bialowieza found itself in the territory of the Russian Empire. A hundred years later, on the site of the residence of Polish kings, on the order of Emperor Alexander 3, a hunting royal palace was built, around which was a park of English style. A railway line was also built, as well as railway stations – the Palace of Bialowieza and Towarowa. In 1944 the palace burned down and until today was not restored. In its place is now the directorate of the Bialowieza National Park and the museum.
Together with the royal palace, from the same building material, red brick, The Orthodox Church of St. Nicholaus was built in Bialowieza. Its exceptional feature is the iconostasis transferred from St. Petersburg, decorated with Chinese porcelain, i.e. majolica. It is an absolute unique, zero-class monument. In the world there are only three such porcelain iconostasis.

Not far from the main Bialowieza church is an Orthodox cemetery, founded in the 2nd half of the 18th century. There are many ancient tombstones – the oldest date back to the 60s of the 19th century. The well-known personalities associated with Bialowieza foud their eternal peace here.

The uniqueness of the Orthodox Necropolis of Bialowieza lies in its ecumenical character. All the inhabitants of Bialowieza, not only Orthodox, but also belonging to other faiths, even non-believers, found their rest here. without dividing into sites. People both lived next to each other and were buried. o there are Orthodox and Catholic crosses nearby, and inscriptions in different languages can be seen on the tombstones.

History of the church

In the cemetery there is an ancient wooden Orthodox chapel of Saints Cyril and Methodius, which belongs to the parish of St. Nicholas in Bialowieza.

The first cemetery chapel, like the necropolis itself, was founded in the 2nd half of the 18th century near the royal hunting residence, for the needs of the king and his entourage. For the inhabitanta of that time, the church was not available. The first description of the chapel can be found in the Inventory Book of 1780. As well as the cemetery, it is marked on the map of 1784.

Existing to this day, the chapel of Saints Cyril and Methodius was built in 1873 with funds collected by parishioners. In the same year, icons were purchased for it.

In 1912, this church was robbed of the Evangelium and other utensils. fter the bombing of the main parish church on September 1, 1939, all services were moved here for four years. In 1943, a porch was built to the church in the cemetery.

Architecture

In 1977, the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Bialowieza was entered in the Register of monuments.

It is a wooden, oriented temple of log structure, covered with wood. The nave, built on a square plan, is covered with a four-rolled tent roof, topped with a light drum with an bulbous dome. On the east side is an altar smaller than a nave, closed on three sides, with a sacristy on the south side. On the west side is the porch.

Its architecture uses a unique design solution. An annex was added to the porch, which seems to hang over the main entrance. There are three bells in it, the eldest of which dates back to 1661.

Attention

Unique is the porch with an annexe, as if hanging over the entrance, where there are three old bells, as well as the oldest since 1661.

Inside the temple is a one-row iconostasis with icons of the 19th century, some of which deserve special attention. There are seven of them in this temple. These are the so-called monthly icons, that is, saints from all over the month are depicted on one icon.