Catholic Church of St. Roch (Minsk) is called the Catholic Cathedral, which is located in the historic district of the city of Zolotaya Gorka. It is also known as the Church of the Holy Trinity. It has a long and interesting story, which will be discussed in more detail.
Cathedral History
The Church of St. Roch, also called the Holy Trinity, located in Minsk, was founded by the Lithuanian prince Jagiello in the 14th century. This is the oldest surviving Catholic cathedral in the city, and the one about which there is documented historical information. It is known that the church of St. Roch was erected at the expense of Prince Jagiello and under his leadership.
However, shortly after construction was completed, a wooden church in 1409 completely destroyed a terrible fire. Over time, work began on the reconstruction of the church, which were successfully completed. By a mysterious coincidence, exactly 400 years later, the newly rebuilt temple was again completely destroyed by a strong fire.
Church restoration
Various plans for the reconstruction of the temple were developed, but they were not destined to come true due to lack of sufficient funding. In 1796, at the Zolotogorsk cemetery, where Catholics were buried, a wooden chapel of St. Roja, which since 1832 has become a parish church. In the middle of the XIX century, the building, formerly a chapel, was quite dilapidated and gradually began to deteriorate. Bishop A. Voitkevich, after several persistent attempts, nevertheless managed to obtain permission to erect the church of St. Roch from stone in the place of an old chapel.
Stone church
The construction of the stone temple began in 1861 and after only three years was completed. The project of the church was created by a famous architect of that time, an academician from St. Petersburg, M. Sivitsky. The church was rebuilt in a neo-Gothic style and was immediately struck by its beauty and grandeur. The church was built exclusively for donations, which is interesting, not only Catholics gave funds, but also believers of other faiths, as well as religions. This was due to the fact that, according to believers, St. Roch saved the city from a deadly cholera epidemic.
In early November 1864, the newly rebuilt stone church was consecrated under two titles - the Assumption of St. Virgin Mary and St. Rocha. Nevertheless, the people preserved and used the third, historical name of the temple - the Holy Trinity. In one of the altars of the church at that time a statue of St. Roja, which was moved by grateful believers from an old wooden chapel. Believers treated the statue of the saint with great respect. In mid-August on the feast of St. Roha annually gathered several thousand pilgrims at the church.
Church of St. Roch in the 20th century
The church is built of stone and has a Gothic architecture with a dozen elongated windows, the roof is lined with iron sheets. The temple building has a two-story tower, in which the bells are located, bearing the names "Bronislava", "Stefan" and "Leonard". Above the main altar there is an icon of the Mother of God with a baby, next to St. Trinity. One of the side altars was consecrated in the name of St. Roch, and the other in the name of St. Anthony. This is how the temple was described in documents of the 20th century.
Sculpture of st. Roha, standing near the side altar, was considered among the believers miraculous and healing various ailments. In 1920, various values were requisitioned from the temple, as well as utensils for worship. A few years later, the schedule of services of the Church of St. Roch changed significantly, and later, in the 30s, the church was completely closed. During the war with fascist Germany, the church was badly damaged by enemy shells. When the Nazi troops occupied Minsk, secretly began to conduct services in the temple. After the war ended, the church was no longer used for its intended purpose, and its building was transferred to a book depository.
Temple revival
In the postwar years, the city gradually revived after the horrors of the war, and over time the church was restored. After restoration, the cathedral building was taken under state protection in 1983, and then converted into an organ music hall under the authority of the State Philharmonic of the Belarusian SSR. A year later, an electric organ made in Czechoslovakia was installed in the apse, and Gothic windows were decorated with multi-colored stained-glass windows.
Since mid-1991 in the church of St. In the free time from musical events, Roha divine services are resumed. Seven years later, a copy of the lost statue of St. appears in the side altar. Rocha, which is made of metal. In 2006, the organ music hall was closed, and the building was returned to the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic parish, consecrated in the name of the Holy Trinity. At present, everyone can visit this beautiful building, which has not only cultural and church value, but also magnificent architecture and rich history.
Schedule of services in the Church of St. Roch (Minsk):
- From Monday to Saturday, they take place at 8-00 and at 18-00.
- On Sunday morning services are at 9, 11 hours, and also at 12-30.
- In the evening, the services are at 17 and 19 hours.
St. Rocha is celebrated on August 16 every year.