Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

Przemyśl, Poland

The Greek Catholic Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Przemyśl serves as the mother church of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Peremyshl-Warsaw.

The church was built in the 17th century by the Jesuit order and dedicated to St. Ignatius. After Przemyśl fell under Austrian rule and the suppression of the order in 1773 it slowly fell into ruins and in 1820 was closed by Austrians and turned into a storehouse. With the gradual democratization of region in the second half of the 19th century plans appeared to restore the church, finally carried out in 1903 and in 1904 the former Jesuit church was reconsecrated in 1904 as Sacred Heart of Jesus. After World War II it served as a garrison church and also offered a weekly Mass in the Byzantine Rite for Ukrainian Catholics whose church had been closed by the communist government.

In 1991 the church was subject of a controversy, when the Roman Catholic Church (with personal oversight by pope John Paul II) decided to donate the building to the Greek Catholic population in Przemyśl, to serve as the cathedral of the Archeparchy of Peremyshl-Warsaw in place of the Carmelite Church, which after World War II has returned to the Carmelites. After this decision, local Polish nationalists blockaded the entrance to the Greek Catholics and organized a hunger strike. After several weeks of debate and negotiation they desisted.

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Details

Founded: 17th century
Category: Religious sites in Poland

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

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4.8/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Michał Adamiec (3 years ago)
Greek Catholic Cathedral - the church previously belonged to the Order of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is a temple dedicated to St. Ignacy Loyola. Built in the years 1626-1632.
Yankyell (3 years ago)
Well that's a lot to say. Another must-see on the map of Przemyśl. It is surprising that three temples of three different confessions stand and continue next to each other. It only shows that we were once people who did not live side by side.
Halyna Myroslava (3 years ago)
For several days, passing by, we admired the building of the Cathedral, majestic, but at the same time gentle, sculptures on the stairs, bells, dreamed of visiting, but got to the church on Sunday, for the morning service. Very cozy church, without excess, without oversaturation. Eyes lingered at the chronological table at the entrance with the history of the Ukrainian (Ruthenian) church, to the memorial tables on both sides of the entrance to the church with the hall, the heart repeatedly stopped from contemplating the iconostasis, the saints on the columns. The presence of nuns in the front rows forced to be as attentive as possible. New Year's lights were lit and it was believed that if the church in this area lasted more than a thousand years, almost 1030 years, under conditions of strong pressure and its eradication from this area, it is very necessary.
Nazar Kamets (4 years ago)
Beautiful architecture. I recommend to visit. Opened during worship services.
Wasyl Semen (4 years ago)
To try to understand, you have to listen and feel - literally with a smell :). Beautiful architecture, but the service after a dozen or so minutes is already indigestible for me.
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