Historical outline

The parish was established between 1373 and 1379 by Michal Avdaniec of Buchach, the then owner of the village. It was then that the first stone church was built. In the following centuries, the building was rebuilt several times. In 1761, the owner of Buczacz, Mikolaj Bazyli Potocki, founded a brand new church, which still exists today. The building was constructed in 1761-1763. On 14 August 1763, the church with all five altars inside was consecrated by the Archbishop of Lviv, Waclaw Hieronim Sierakowski.

Numerous historical turbulences had no significant impact on the functioning of the parish. Among the most frequently mentioned facts is a tragic accident that occurred in 1890. A statue of an angel fell on the head of a parishioner, who soon died as a result of her injuries. In 1930, a commemorative plaque was unveiled in honour of pupils killed in the First World War and the war of 1920.

It was not until the Second World War, the consequences of which led to many changes on the map of Europe, that the Polish population was expelled from the eastern lands. The Soviets then liquidated the church as a religious building and converted it into a warehouse. The bones of members of the Potocki family, which lay in the crypt, were profaned and thrown away so that a boiler room could be set up there. During the decades of communist rule, the building declined.

When Ukraine regained its independence in the early 1990s, the church was returned to Catholics. In August 1991, it was rededicated. In the following years, it underwent a major renovation, initiated by the Polish parish priest of Buczacz, Father Ludwik Rutyna.

Architecture

The church is located at the foot of the castle ruins, west of the town square, with the presbytery facing west. The author of the design is unknown, although some theories can be found in the most important sources. The most common trail leads to Bernard Meretyn or (more likely) his pupil Marcin Urbanik from Zamość. Professor Jan Ostrowski in his work "Kościoły i klasztory rzskokatolickie dawnego województwa ruskiego. Volume 1' clearly emphasises that a final determination of authorship is impossible at the present stage of research.

The building was erected on a cruciform plan. The basic material is brick and the façade was plastered. An inscription above the main entrance reads:

"Wanting Potocki Pilawa to have three crosses whole

Cross House for Divine Glory built

A.D. 1763"

Inside there are five altars. The main one reaches under the presbytery vault and its focal point is a painting depicting the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The author of the main altarpiece has not been established. Professor Adam Bochnak attributed the work to Piotr Polejowski. Professor Jan Juliusz Ostrowski, on the other hand, believes that woodcarvers from Pinsel's workshop were responsible for the altarpiece. This is indicated, among other things, by the similarities with some elements of the decoration of the church in Hodovica.

Other important elements related to the decoration and furnishings of the church include:

- The altar of St. Thaddeus together with the statue of Archangel Michael located in the finial,

- The altar of St. Nicholas with the statue of St. John of Nepomuk in the finial,

- Altar of Our Lady of the Scapular with some preserved sculptures (including figures of angels and personifications of Wisdom and Love),

- The pulpit next to the altar of St. Thaddeus,

- Altar mensa in the Passion Chapel,

- Baptismal font.

Many pieces of the church furnishings have disappeared. Some of them are now in museums and other religious buildings, including those in our country. Thanks to meticulous documentation from the inter-war period, it is possible to imagine a more detailed interior design of the building from before the Second World War. Through the turmoil of

Through the turmoil of history, several important and precious works of art were lost, such as the bas-reliefs with historical and hagiographical scenes.