Church of Pokrovskaya in Chizhevichi

Chizhevichi Protection Church is a wooden Orthodox church built in 1795 in the village of Chizhevichi, Soligorsk District. It is a valuable monument of Belarusian wooden architecture from the late 18th to early 19th century and is included in the list of historical and cultural values of national significance.

History

Until the late 18th century, the local community was part of the parish of the St. George Church in the village of Izdrashevo, which was burned in 1678. In 1795, a church dedicated to the Protection of the Holy Virgin was built in Chizhevichi. It was destroyed by fire in 1807, but in 1808 it was restored by the parishioners.

In 1861, a 27-meter tall tent bell tower with 12 bells was added to the church. In 1913, Father Ioann Pankratovich became the priest, later canonized as a local saint. In 1937, the church was closed, and the priest was repressed. The building was used as a grain storage until 1942, when services were resumed.

In 1989, the church was restored according to the project "Belspetsproektrestavratsiya." In the early 1990s, a baptismal church dedicated to St. John the Baptist was added, along with an administrative building, a Sunday school, and a library.

Architecture

The church is made of wood, following the traditions of Russian and Belarusian wooden church architecture. The rectangular five-nave structure is topped with a refectory and an eight-meter bell tower, built separately.

The facades are decorated with wooden shingles, pointed openings, and tented roofs, typical of churches of that time. Inside, the original layout has been preserved, including the altar, vestibule, and refectory. The bell tower stands out with carvings and stylistic unity with the main building.

Cultural and Religious Significance

The church reflects the stages of Orthodox life in the region and is a place of memory for the period of repression: Father Ioann Pankratovich became a symbol of faithfulness to faith. The building serves as the center of the parish, which unites more than 20 villages, as well as a place of spiritual and cultural revival.

On the premises, there is the Church Historical Museum of the Slutsk Diocese, dedicated to the history of the church, the community, and Belarusian Orthodoxy in the 20th century.

Excursions and Visiting

The church is open for visits and welcomes individual tourists and pilgrimage groups. It is included in tourist routes focusing on Orthodox and memorial heritage of the Soligorsk District, and attracts both pilgrims and enthusiasts of wooden architecture.

The church grounds feature a Sunday school, library, and museum. You can book a guided tour with a visit to Chizhevichi Protection Church, as well as other spiritual and historical landmarks in the Minsk region.