Date :
Friday, May 26, 2023
Lyskovo is an agricultural town in the Brest region with a population just under three hundred. In ancient times, this territory belonged to noble magnate and szlachta families. There used to be a grand ducal castle here, which was later destroyed. At present, several interesting historical landmarks remain in the settlement, bearing witness to Lyskovo's rich cultural and religious life. Among them are the Holy Trinity Church, the building of the 18th-century missionary monastery, a 19th-century Catholic chapel, and the Church of the Blessed Virgin Nativity - a unique example of folk wooden architecture, with no counterparts in Belarus.
The construction of the church began in 1930 and was completed in 1933. During this period, Lyskovo was part of the Polish Republic. A wooden temple previously stood on the site of the church. It was dismantled in the 19th century as it was on the brink of collapse from age.
The Church of the Blessed Virgin Nativity is unique as its composition does not entirely adhere to Orthodox architectural traditions. The appearance of the building clearly shows features of Art Nouveau and influences of Transcarpathian architectural traditions. Religious buildings of this kind were common in western Ukraine at the time. The author of the project is not definitively known. There is a theory that it was the Polish architect Stanislaw Piotrovsky, who was inspired by the unique style of Transcarpathian religious architecture, complementing it with features of Art Nouveau. Other researchers suggest that it could have been Ukrainian architect Evgeny Nagorny.
Pine timber was used as the material for the construction of the building. The structure has a cross-dome composition. Attached to the main room, which is topped by a large onion dome, is a three-tier bell tower, covered by an onion dome of a smaller size. Window openings of various geometric shapes are decorated with dentil moldings. Inside the temple is a large wooden iconostasis.
Throughout its existence, the church has never been rebuilt or closed. It welcomed Orthodox parishioners even during the USSR times.
Current state of the church
Today, the Church of the Blessed Virgin Nativity remains the center of Orthodox life in Lyskovo. It is an active church where services are held, and the rites of baptism, communion, wedding, and Christian holidays are observed. A Sunday school operates at the church, as does a sisterhood in honor of the holy myrrh-bearing women. The building is in good condition, with the walls both inside and outside painted blue.
The church is visited not only by local parishioners. Tourists also come here. The building attracts travelers with its uniqueness and the beauty of its architectural forms.
Inside, the church is decorated with icons painted in various historical periods. There are images relating to the Tsarist era, the times of Uniatism, and the beginning of the 20th century. There are over 150 icons within the walls of the church. Among the particularly valuable and revered relics stored here is the image of the "Mother of God Hodegetria" from the 18th century. Every year on September 21st, the church widely celebrates the feast of the Blessed Virgin Nativity.
Inside the church, there is no grand decor or large amount of gilded decorations. Here, there is a special, homely calm atmosphere. Images covered with embroidered towels, and light pouring through lancet windows, create a sense of tranquility and spiritual cleansing. To see this unique example of religious wooden architecture with your own eyes, come to the agricultural town of Lyskovo, located 40 kilometers from Pruzhany. From Brest and Grodno, you can get here by direct buses. Minibuses also run to the settlement from Pruzhany.