Church of St. Luke Apostle in Kunkowa
Lemko style
The architecture of the temple is typical of the Western Lemko sacral style. This church is traditionally oriented and consists of three correct parts. The walls are covered with wooden panels, and the roof – tin sheets …
Virtual tour
We have prepared some practical multimedia materials, which we hope will bring closer to these beautiful historic Polish Orthodox churches. Watching an introductory video with comments from the guide and spiritual guardian of the temple, decorated with moody Church chants, you can emphasize with its atmosphere. Going on a virtual tour, which includes 360 panoramic photos, you can quite imagine yourself inside the temple. For active tourists we have prepared a proposal for a cycling route. We invite you to a virtual tour of the orthodox church, and in the future to visit it in person.
Introduction
The parish church of St. Luke Apostle in Kunkowa belongs to the Gorlice dean of Przemysl – Gorlice Orthodox diocese.
This is a temple of rare beauty, picturesquely located on a hill in the valley of the river Przyslup, majestically towering over the village. This building is typical of the Western-Lemko sacred style.
History
The church was built in 1868. The time of its construction is evidenced by the date written above the gate of the porch. Part of its ancient decoration is much older, for example, the icon of St. Nicholaus, or the icon of St. Luke, and comes from the previous temple of the 17th century, and maybe more early. ccording to local history, Kunkowa began its existence in 1391, but the first written mention of this village dates back to 1512.
In 1904 – 1905, it was created a rich painting in the church, the author of which is Jan Jakubowski – Sas. lso in the church the icononostasis in the style of neo-Baroque was placed , the same author, instead of the beautiful of the previous temple. It is now on the walls of the nave.
In 1947, during the tragic “Wisla” action, the indigenous people of Kunkowa were forcibly resettled on “returned lands”. Thus, the liturgical life was frozen.
After 1956, the lemks began to return to the village and attempts to revive the Orthodox parish began. Delegations of local residents visited both the Orthodox Metropolitan in Warsaw and representatives of the secular authorities. Finally, in the late 50s of the last century, the church in Kunkowa was revived by prayer.
In 1987, the church was included in the register of monuments of architecture.
Architecture
The orthodox church of St. Luke Apostle in Kunkowa is traditionally oriented and consists of three correct parts. The sacristy was completed to the northern part of the altar, slightly disrupting the symmetry of the entire building.
It is wooden building of log structure with walls lined with wooden panels on the outside.
The roofs are covered with tin sheets. Their lower parts have step-by-step kinks. As well as the tent of the tower, and the roofs of the nave and the althar are finished with bulbous turrets with deaf drums, which are placed iron, wrought crosses.
The logs, like the triple division of the temple, are clearly visible inside. The altar is hidden behind the iconostasis. There are benches in the wide nave. Above the narrow part of the nave are choirs.
Special attention
- icons of St. Luke and St. Nicholaus, dating back to 1666, as well as earlier icons of the 17th century, produced in Muszyna’s workshops, that is, relating to the period before the union, when the temple was part of the Przemysl Orthodox diocese;
- Baroque details dating back to the 18th century, which are an interesting example of the penetration of Western culture in the traditions of Eastern Christianity:
– altar with canopy
– the side altar in the nave with the fresco of the Crucifixion
– placed on the walls of the ancient iconostasis in the Baroque style; - the rich polychromy of the early 20th century, representing the Holy Trinity and the Covering Veil of the Theotokos.
Virtual tour
Cycling route
Here is a proposal of a cycling route for active tourists. To use it, download the file to your computer by clicking the button on the left, unzip it, upload the .gpx file to any GPS device for navigation… and on the road. We wish you a successful and fruitful journey.
Renovation
After 1956, when the lemks returned to their native side, the church was repeatedly renovated in 1969-70, and at the end of the 20th century.
In the last decade, the parish annually receives funds for the preservation and repair of the most destroyed parts of the church and its decoration.
In 2019, thanks to funds from the European Union, the general renovation of, which returned its original beauty, was completed.
Thanks to all this, the church in Kunkowa pleases the eye of not only parishioners, but also tourists.