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ID: POL-002248-P

Parish Church of St Michael the Archangel in Chocimierz

ID: POL-002248-P

Parish Church of St Michael the Archangel in Chocimierz

Historical outline
Chocimierz, formerly also known as "Chocimirz", is located about 13 km south-east of Translate and 7 km north of Obertyn. The village was first mentioned as early as the 14th century, although the unwritten history of civilisation in the area is much older. Indeed, traces of Paleolithic settlement were found near the village.

Initially, the village belonged to the Chocimirskis, who ruled it until the 17th century. Later owners include: Cebrowski, Spendowski, Gruszecki, Tyszkowski, Koziebrodzki, Łukasiewicz and Jełowicki.

The parish in Chocimierz was established as early as the 15th century, but the fate of the first church is not fully known. It is known that at the end of the 16th century, the wooden church, which had existed for some time, collapsed from old age. The next religious building was already made of brick. It was erected in 1598 with the foundation of Wojciech Chocimirski. Unfortunately, the 17th century historical turmoil again deprived the village of its church. It was rebuilt in the following century and bore the name of Assumption of Virgin Mary and All Saints.

However, in modern terms, the church quickly became obsolete and there was a need for a new one. In 1815, another church building was erected in Chocimierz. However, the project was not entirely successful. Consideration was given to improving the condition of the building for quite a long time. It was not consecrated for a long time. During the First World War, the church burned down, so the inhabitants decided to rebuild it. They only succeeded in doing so in 1925.

World War II was another unlucky moment in history. The church was damaged and partially demolished by the Germans in 1944. During the domination of the USSR, what was left of the former church was turned into a kolkhoz warehouse. Fortunately, some of the furnishings were saved by being taken to Poland.

There were four chapels in the parish: in Bohorodyczyn (1882), in Zywaczow (1897), in Puzhniki (1912) and in Igrzyski (1931). The last three did not live to see the rank of churches being the central unit of independent parishes. It must be stressed, however, that they were surrounded by extraordinary care, and the inhabitants made considerable efforts to maintain the validity of their small local "temples", which, in time, were solidly equipped and were fully ready to hold official services in them.

Architecture
The building is situated by the road, at the northern end of the village. It was built of rubble stone and brick. It was fully plastered in its time. It was built on a rectangular plan. It consists of a three-bay nave and a narrower chancel closed straight, but enclosed on two sides by chapels. Behind the altar section is a rectangular sacristy.

The exterior elevations are built on a plinth. Note the massive buttresses reinforcing the corners of the body and the much smaller ones articulating the nave.

The façade is two-storey. The lower tier is three-paneled. It was formerly capped from above by a profiled cornice with an attic. The upper storey was topped by a triangular abutment with a pedestal and cross. On the sides are triangular half-peaks enclosed by a cornice. In the past, vases rested on pedestals in their corners. Today, only the general shape remains, which allows a theoretical reconstruction of the unpreserved details, with the help of old photographs.

The former signature turret also no longer exists. In the late 1930s, it was a typical hexagonal structure, covered by a high onion-shaped cupola with a knop and cross. The roof over the nave is gabled and covered with shingles.

The interior has no clear articulation. The walls are capped from above with a profiled cornice. There is a ceiling at the top.

The windows in the building are mainly rectangular and circularly closed, except in the sacristy (rectangular window, closed with a segment) and the front (circular window in a bifold). The music choir is supported by two pillars and enclosed by a balustrade.

As Kinga Blaschke writes in her study of the building, it is in a state of disrepair today (as of 2010). Most elements of the façade, vaults and roof are missing, and the windows have been partially bricked up. So is the passage from the chancel to the sacristy.

Related persons:
Time of origin:
1815, restoration and extension 1925
Creator:
Eugeniusz Nahirny (architekt; Ukraina)(preview)
Bibliography:
  • Kinga Blaschke, „Kościół parafialny pw. św. Michała Archanioła w Chocimierzu”, w: „Materiały do dziejów sztuki sakralnej na ziemiach wschodnich dawnej Rzeczypospolitej”, cz. 1: „Kościoły i klasztory rzymskokatolickie dawnego województwa ruskiego”, Kraków: Międzynarodowe Centrum Kultury w Krakowie, 2010, ISBN 978-83-89273-79-6, t. 18, s. 37-51.
Publikacja:
11.10.2024
Ostatnia aktualizacja:
11.10.2024
Author:
Michał Dziadosz
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