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Vitebsk region, Postavy District, Pastavy, 10, Naberezhnaya street
The Church of St Anthony of Padua and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Catholic church in the town of Pastavy, Republic of Belarus. It belongs to the Postavy deanery of the Vitebsk diocese. It is a monument of architecture in the neo-Gothic style.
History
The Catholic community in Pastavy was formed in 1516 with the construction of a wooden church in honour of the Mother of God. In 1640, the royal secretary Stanislaw Beganski initiated the establishment of a Franciscan monastery in the town, which included the church. In 1760 the church was destroyed by fire.
In 1784 a new wooden church with two towers was built in its place, but after the rebellion of 1830 the monastery was closed and its church was dismantled. In 1898-1904, a neo-Gothic red brick church building designed by architect Arthur Goibel was erected on the site of the old church.
The church was severely damaged during World War I, and after World War II it was used as a warehouse and workshops. In 1988, the church was returned to the Catholic congregation, after which it was renovated and began to host religious services again.
The Church of Saint Anthony of Padua Today
The Church of Saint Anthony of Padua is an object of historical and cultural heritage of Belarus and an important symbol of the religious culture of the region.
It attracts both locals and tourists with its majestic neo-Gothic architectural style and rich history that has survived many historical events.