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Parish Church of the Finding of the Holy Cross in Rychcice
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ID: POL-002072-P

Parish Church of the Finding of the Holy Cross in Rychcice

Rychcice | Ukraine
ukr. Рихтичі
ID: POL-002072-P

Parish Church of the Finding of the Holy Cross in Rychcice

Rychcice | Ukraine
ukr. Рихтичі
Variants of the name:
Cerkiew greckokatolicka pw. Przemienienia Pańskiego

Historical outline
The village of Rychtice lies 8 km north-east of Drohobych. Records of this village date back to the 15th century. At that time it belonged to the Korytek family (coat of arms Jelita), who, in agreement with Michal Korava, founded the first parish church dedicated to the Holy Cross, St. Michael the Archangel and St. Nicholas. The parish was established in 1434. In the following centuries, the owners of Rychcice changed quite often. This fluctuation took place until the second half of the 18th century, when it passed into the hands of the Bielskis. They owned the village until the Second World War. When Rychcice was taken over by the Bielskis, the parish included the following villages: Bojary, Delawa, Gaje Wyżne i Niżne, Lipowiec, Michałowice, Poczajowice, Rolów, Rychcice, Słońsko, Śniatynka, Wacowice, Wola Jakubowa and Wróblewice.

In the 19th century its range was extended to other settlements and the previously functioning church was consecrated under a new name. Some sources say that in the meantime the church bore the name of Our Lady of the Rosary. With the development of some villages, the influence of the Rychcice parish diminished, but its importance in itself was sealed by the completion of the brick church. Along the way, numerous attempts were made to repair the old wooden one, rebuilding, strengthening and saving it from decay, but by the beginning of the 20th century its condition was so bad that the decision was taken to build an entirely new building, and this was done. The project was completed in 1909, with the consecration taking place a year later.

The church survived both world wars in relatively good condition. During the first one, only the bells were requisitioned for military purposes. During the Second World War, there were three major lootings. Among other things, furnishings and clothes were looted from the vicarage, as well as tablecloths and candles from the side altars.

In 1945, the church was turned into a Greek Catholic church. Later the building was handed over to the Orthodox. Between 1960 and 1990, the Soviets arranged a warehouse in the building. The church has been in the hands of Greek Catholics again since 1990.

Architecture
Stylistically, this is a gentle synthesis of Neo-Romanesque and Neo-Gothic styles. Such ideas were characteristic of the studio of the Lviv architect Julian Zacharewicz. There is therefore a fairly reasonable speculation that the design must have come out of his milieu. Perhaps the author was one of the master's pupils.

The church was erected on a hill at the edge of the village. The chancel faced north-east. The building was built of brick and plastered and set on a stone plinth. Built on a cruciform ground plan, the church consists of a three-span basilica-like body, a single-span chancel that is slightly narrower and lower than the nave, and a transept that slightly extends beyond the body. To the sides of the chancel are a sacristy and a rectangular-shaped vault.

The façade is the most striking feature of the building, consisting of a triangular nave finial with a round window in the centre and two square towers symmetrically positioned on either side. Both towers are three-storeyed and extend beyond the frame of the main body. They are erected on high plinths and topped with tented roofs. It is worth noting that their massing changes with height. At the bottom, they are square in plan. From mid-height, they have prominent chamfered corners. The subsequent parts are divided by a cornice. Above the axis of the towers are tiny arcades which are a very interesting decoration. The first storeys have rectangular windows topped with round arches.

In the ground floor there is a staircase leading to the music choir. The entrance opening is built into a round-arched recess. The side aisles are divided by a lisette, topped with an arcaded frieze and a profiled cornice. This is very similar to that which crowns the narrow strip of the nave elevation. The transept is consistent with the central part of the façade.

The roofs over the nave and transept are gabled. Similarly over the chancel, but when it transitions to the apse the roof becomes multi-pitched. Above the side aisles they are pulpit, and above the sacristy and vault they are conical. All covered with sheet metal and tile. Above the crossing of the aisles is a turret for a bell. It is square in plan, covered with sheet metal and has round-arched openings. It is surmounted by a cornice supported by a marquee roof topped by a cross on a sphere.

Inside, it is worth noting the unusual painting decoration. The walls and the vault are covered with floral motifs. The paintings date from the 1930s. On the vaults of the naves and the presbytery and in the arcades between the naves, there are arabesque-like compositions. The inter-nave pillars are decorated with rocaille elements, i.e. Rococo ornaments.

Other important elements related to the decoration, furnishings and surroundings of the church include:
. - The ensemble of three wooden altars, by Jan Wojtowicz, 1930s,
. - The statue of Christ the King, 1936, located in the close vicinity of the church,
. - Classicist brick chapel located in the cemetery (19th century),
. - Bell, 1929, with inscriptions: THIS BELL, A GIFT OF THE PARISH IN LIEU OF THOSE TAKEN AWAY FOR THE WORLD WAR 1914-1918, TOLLED IN 1929| UNDER THE RULE OF POPE PIUS XI| PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC IGNACY MOŚCICKI - the bishop of the diocese of transgression, anatoly novak, for the pastor, priest ludwik paluch, for the mayor, jozef matała, for the efforts of doctor mejusz targowski, and for the most holy heart of jesus, have mercy on us.

Related persons:
Time of origin:
1909
Creator:
Jan Wojtowicz (rzeźbiarz)
Bibliography:
  • Światosław Lenartowicz „Kościół parafialny pw. Znalezienia Krzyża Świętego w Rychcicach”. W: „Materiały do dziejów sztuki sakralnej na ziemiach wschodnich dawnej Rzeczypospolitej. Cz. 1: Kościoły i klasztory rzymskokatolickie dawnego województwa ruskiego” T. 6. Kraków: Międzynarodowe Centrum Kultury w Krakowie, 1998, s. 155-1666.
Supplementary bibliography:
Publikacja:
20.07.2024
Ostatnia aktualizacja:
20.07.2024
Author:
Michał Dziadosz
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