The former Dominican Church of Lviv (now the Greek-Catholic Church of the Most Holy Eucharist) is one of the most beautiful domed churches in the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It was built from the foundation of the Potocki family in 1744-1769 according to a design by the architect Jan de Witte, a military engineer.

Particularly noteworthy is the temple's crowning cupola and monumental western façade, with a vivid rhythm of concave-convex planes divided by two pairs of massive columns supporting a broken beam and a wavy pediment topped with an image of a chalice and a radiant host - the symbol of the Eucharist. The richness of the façade's decoration is complemented by stone statues of Dominican saints: St Thomas Aquinas, St Dominic, St Jack Odrowaz and St Vincent Ferreus. On the finials of the porches flanking the front elevation of the body are statues of St Catherine of Siena and St Rose of Lima.

In 2020. Polonica Institute carried out the conservation of four statues of Dominican saints, including Thomas Aquinas, Dominic, Jack Odrowąż and Vincent Ferrerius, as well as a centrally placed plinth with angels and a gilded chalice - a monstrance from the façade of the church, by Jan Obrocki from 1793-1794.

The figures were cleaned, strengthened and desalted. Significant sculptural defects were reconstructed, and minor defects were restored with mineral mortars coloured to the colour of the stone and textured to match the original. The entire sculptural ensemble was subjected to a hydrophobisation process to protect it from the harmful effects of atmospheric conditions.

The attributes of the saints were reproduced according to the iconography and then, together with the Monstrance placed in the centre, subjected to gilding.

Executor: ZKR Sp. z o.o.

In 2021. Polonika Institute began conservation work on the limestone statues of St Catherine of Siena and St Rose of Lima, which are located on the finials of the porches flanking the front façade of the body of the former Dominican Church in Lviv, now the Greek Catholic Church of the Holy Eucharist.

The statues were created around 1777. Their authorship has not been established to this day. However, it is certain that they represent the current of Lviv rococo sculpture. Its characteristic features include the dynamic expression of the figures depicted in dance-like movement, dressed in robes with geometrised forms, creating smooth surfaces broken by sharp fold lines.

Examination of the figures revealed progressive deterioration due to air pollution, weathering, microbial attacks and improper repairs carried out in the past. Cracks, defragmentation of both sculptures and structural weakening of significant parts of the stone were detected. There was also erosion and washing out of its surface, heavy growth of lichens and mosses, loss of mould and secondary cement restorations. The attributes of the saints have also been destroyed.

The aim of the conservation work that has begun is to halt the rapidly progressing destruction of the stone material and copper sheet elements and to minimise the effects of destructive atmospheric factors on the condition of the stone. The key is to restore the sculptures to aesthetic qualities consistent with their original appearance, while preserving the features that testify to their centuries-old history.

Executor: ZKR Sp. z o.o. under the direction of Paweł Jędrzejczyk.

Laser scanning of the site was carried out. This is the most effective and precise method of inventorying, which allows a large amount of data to be obtained with high accuracy.

Conservation works carried out in 2020-2021, Conservation Programme, Polonica Institute