Farny Church in Grodno Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier photo history schedule of services. Farny Church in Grodno Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier photo history schedule of services Red Church in Grodno schedule of services

On the central square of the regional center of Prinemanye, for more than three centuries, one of the most beautiful Catholic churches in Belarus has stood - the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier, widely known as the Farny Church. This temple was founded by the Jesuits in the second half of the 17th century, and was part of the monastery complex of this order, and therefore for a long time it was called the Jesuit church.

Today the cathedral is one of the most valuable monuments of Baroque architecture in our country, and one of the most important tourist sites in the city on the Neman. Visible from many points in the historical center, it amazes with its grandeur and monumentality. And it’s not surprising, because this church was built for about a hundred years.

The Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier in Grodno (Farny Church) is one of the visiting cards of Grodno and the most beautiful Catholic church of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The name "Farny" comes from the word parafia - the main temple, its doors are open from early morning until late evening. Therefore, there are not only many parishioners here, but also tourists.

The church has seen almost everything in its lifetime, although it hasn’t changed a bit in three hundred years. And the history of the temple itself dates back even earlier. The idea of ​​its construction was cherished back in the 16th century by the Polish king Stefan Batory, who chose Grodno as one of his favorite residences. He donated ten thousand zlotys for the construction of the church. But due to the sudden death of the monarch, his idea was realized only a century later.

In 1622, the then powerful Jesuit order settled in Grodno, through whose efforts the wooden Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul was first erected. And in 1678, the first stone was laid for the construction of a stone temple in honor of the French missionary Francois Xaveri, a real historical figure who initiated many African peoples into Christianity.

The building was erected over a quarter of a century, and only in 1705, as documented sources testify, the church was consecrated. This great celebration in itself was marked by a serious political event. Russian Tsar Peter I and Polish King Augustus II timed their visits to Grodno to coincide with it. The consecration of the temple became the occasion for a meeting between the two autocrats.

Farny, i.e. The church became a parish church in 1783. Farny Church and Monastery are truly outstanding architectural monuments of Belarus. At one time, the ensemble of houses of the church and monastery occupied an entire block in the very center of Grodno, with all this the church was the most luxurious in the entire Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The building ensemble included a college, a pharmacy (the first in Belarus, operating in the same place), a library and a large number of utility rooms. Together with a pharmacy, library and other premises, the church was part of the Jesuit monastery complex, which occupied an entire block in Grodno.

The height of the church is approximately 50 meters, making it the dominant feature of the region. “Farny” is in the very center of the city, it’s like the Eiffel Tower in Paris - visible from everywhere. It would not be amiss to note that previously the towers were completely open, but at the moment they are covered with shutters that protect them from rain and wind.

At the beginning, the main façade was quite simple; its two towers were devoid of the plasticity inherent in the developed Baroque. Currently, the facade consists of a three-tier composition with 2 bell towers rising on the sides. The facade is rich in order, there are many complex profiles, arched and rectangular niches and openings, the towers are very openwork with pronounced silhouettes. Architectural plastics, statues and paintings were widely used in the interior decoration.

One of the main attractions of the church is a wooden altar as tall as a seven-story building; it is decorated with more than 20 rare figures of apostles, philanthropists, and saints. The 20-meter high central altar was created in 1736 from wood and then tinted to resemble marble. The developed multi-figure composition in the altar and supporting pillars, beautifully decorated with decorative iconostasis columns made entirely of wood, give special beauty to the interior decoration. Its decoration still amazes with imagination: amazing wood carvings, frescoes, beautiful statues - the Jesuits spared neither effort nor gold to decorate the main temple of the Grodno region. The fresco painting of 1752 consists of several subject compositions located in arched niches and vaults.

Part of the unique wooden altar of the church was destroyed in July 2006 in a fire caused by a short circuit. The relief columns, part of the balustrade, decor, and four sculptures were lost: the philanthropist Lozovoy, the apostles James and Thomas, and Saint Ambrosius.

Wood carvers from the village managed to restore all four sculptures from photographs. Voronovo to Kazimir Misyura and his son Igor. The craftsmen cut out the figures as required by the original - from solid linden.

As restoration work progressed, previously lost elements (parts of decor, etc.) were restored. For example, the figure of the Apostle Andrew, as it turned out, was missing the left arm to the hand. Its absence was hidden by the wooden folds of the clothing to which the brush was attached. As a result, the position of the figure was greatly changed, but restorers corrected this defect.

Gilding was carried out by craftsmen from Vilnius. The color scheme was determined after conducting research into the shades of the part that survived the fire and the four side altars, since the central altar, although the main one, was painted last and stood unpainted for almost 50 years. Thus, his artistic decision was determined by the spirit of another era.

When making the decision, the influence of the stained glass window, located in the upper part of the 21-meter altar and depicting a dove in the rays of the sun, was also taken into account, since it is the center of the artistic design of the entire church. By the way, the color scheme of the stained glass window is based on an analogue from the Roman Basilica of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.

One of the towers houses a unique pendulum clock. For a long time it was believed that they were made in the 17th century, although not so long ago, after a thorough examination, historians established that the city clock in Grodno is significantly older than the clock in Prague, which was previously recognized as the oldest.

Prague, proud of its famous chimes with moving figures, did not preserve the ancient clock mechanism; it was completely replaced by a modern one, but in Grodno it survived.

It was believed that the clock mechanism was made at the end of the 15th century. But the fact is that the first mention of the tower clock was recorded in the acts of “Grodno privileges” for 1496. But even then the clocks were characterized as “antediluvian”, i.e. vintage.

During the restoration of the watch in 1995, it turned out that such a unique mechanism dates back to the 12th - 14th centuries. The fact is that the clock mechanism contains a very important artifact - a double-wedge connection dating back to the 12th century and considered lost.

Initially, they decorated the wooden tower of the Jesuit college, built in the middle of the 17th century. Then it became dilapidated and the clock was moved. It is difficult to say exactly when this happened, but in the painting of the Congregational Chapel of the church, made in the second quarter of the 18th century, the image of a clock is already present.

It is interesting that in the 19th - early 20th centuries the clock was officially considered the town hall clock, that is, the entire city used it to check the time, and its maintenance was paid for from the funds of the magistrate. The clock ticked until the start of the First World War. During the war, German troops took the ancient clock bells to Germany; later the Polish authorities decided to change the antediluvian mechanism to a progressive one, although they did not have time.

After this, the clock stood for many years, until it was possible to restore it in post-Soviet times. And then, after many years of silence, in April 1989, the townspeople heard the ringing of the clock bell. And now, despite its venerable age, this tower clock ticks second by second.

Curious details: the mechanism of the ancient clock operates under the weight of a load - a 70-kilogram weight, which is lowered from a 15-meter height over the course of 36 hours. The weight responsible for the fight, and all 150. The mechanism seems to be alive - everything is open here, every detail is in sight, everything is spinning, ticking. A two-meter pendulum swings regally.

Until recently, not only the movement of the clock, but also the striking of the clock was manually wound. Now the hammers that strike time are disconnected from the clock mechanism - they are controlled by a computer. This simplifies the work, but, unfortunately, the clock strike has become more artificial and has lost its melody.

The watch dials are more than two meters in diameter. The hour hand on the watch dial is one meter long, and the minute hand is 115 centimeters long. To get to the clock and bells, you need to climb 132 steep stone steps. As soon as the minute hand shows a quarter of an hour, one strike of the bell is heard throughout the entire area, 30 minutes - two strikes, 45 - three, and at exactly one hour - four.

Bells

The temple bells, cast in 1665, were of artistic and historical value. Three of the four, including the large sentry, were taken to Germany during the First World War. New bells appeared in 1938.

Legends

Over the centuries, Farny has become overgrown with legends and stories. Thus, Grodno old-timers remember that during the Great Patriotic War a German shell hit the temple. It flew next to one of the icons and did not explode. Grodno residents said that it was this icon that preserved the ancient church.

And later, in the sixties of the twentieth century, the townspeople themselves preserved it.

During Soviet times, the church was constantly under threat of demolition. This is exactly the sad fate that befell the famous Fara Vytautas located next door, which during the period of the Russian Empire became the Orthodox St. Sophia Cathedral, later a garrison church, and blown up in 1961.

Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier in Grodno (Farny Church)- this is one of the calling cards of Grodno. The church stands on the main square of the city, the doors are open from early morning until late evening. Therefore, there are not only many parishioners here, but also tourists. The church has seen almost everything in its lifetime, although it hasn’t changed a bit in three hundred years. And the history of the temple itself dates back even earlier. The idea of ​​its construction was cherished back in the 16th century by the Polish king Stefan Batory, who chose Grodno as one of his favorite residences. He donated ten thousand zlotys for the construction of the church.

However, the ruler’s plan began to be implemented only many years later, after his death. In 1622, the then powerful Jesuit order settled in Grodno, through whose efforts the wooden Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul was first erected. And in 1678, the first stone was laid for the construction of a stone temple in honor of the French missionary Francois Xaveri, a real historical figure who initiated many African peoples into Christianity.

The building was erected over a quarter of a century, and only in 1705, as documented sources testify, the church was consecrated. This great celebration in itself was marked by a serious political event. Russian Tsar Peter I and Polish King Augustus II timed their visits to Grodno to coincide with it. The consecration of the temple became the occasion for a meeting between the two autocrats.

Farny, i.e. The church became a parish church in 1783. Farny Church and Monastery are truly outstanding architectural monuments of Belarus. At one time, the ensemble of houses of the church and monastery occupied an entire block in the very center of Grodno, with all this the church was the most luxurious in the entire Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The building ensemble included a college, a pharmacy (the first in Belarus, operating in the same place), a library and a large number of utility rooms. The height of the church is approximately 50 meters, making it the dominant feature of the region. "Farny" is in the very center of the city, it's like the Eiffel Tower in Paris - visible from everywhere. It would not be amiss to note that previously the towers were completely open, but at the moment they are covered with shutters that protect them from rain and wind.

At the beginning, the main façade was quite simple; its two towers were devoid of the plasticity inherent in the developed Baroque. Currently, the facade consists of a three-tier composition with 2 bell towers rising on the sides. The facade is rich in order, there are many complex profiles, arched and rectangular niches and openings, the towers are openwork and silhouette. Architectural plastics, statues and paintings were widely used in the interior decoration.

One of the main attractions of the church is the wooden altar the height of a seven-story building, it is decorated with more than 20 rare figures of apostles, philanthropists, and saints. The 20-meter high central altar was created in 1736 from wood and then tinted to resemble marble. The developed multi-figure composition in the altar and supporting pillars, beautifully decorated with decorative iconostasis columns made entirely of wood, give special beauty to the interior decoration. Its decoration still amazes with imagination: amazing wood carvings, frescoes, beautiful statues - the Jesuits spared neither effort nor gold to decorate the main temple of the Grodno region. The fresco painting of 1752 consists of multi-subject compositions located in arched niches and vaults. Part of the unique wooden altar of the church was destroyed in July 2006 in a fire that occurred due to a short circuit. The relief columns, part of the balustrade, decor, and four sculptures were lost: the philanthropist Lozovoy, the apostles James and Thomas, and Saint Ambrosius. Wood carvers from the village managed to restore all four sculptures from photographs. Voronovo to Kazimir Misyura and his son Igor. The craftsmen cut out the figures as required by the original - from solid linden. As restoration work progressed, previously lost elements (parts of decor, etc.) were restored. For example, the figure of the Apostle Andrew, as it turned out, was missing the left arm to the hand. Its absence was hidden by the wooden folds of the clothing to which the brush was attached. As a result, the position of the figure was greatly changed, but restorers corrected this defect.

Gilding was carried out by craftsmen from Vilnius. The color scheme was determined after conducting research into the shades of the part that survived the fire and the four side altars, since the central altar, although the main one, was painted last and stood unpainted for almost 50 years. Thus, his artistic decision was determined by the spirit of another era. When making the decision, the influence of the stained glass window, located in the upper part of the 21-meter altar and depicting a dove in the rays of the sun, was also taken into account, since it is the center of the artistic design of the entire church. By the way, the stained glass color scheme is based on an analogue from the Roman Basilica of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.

One of the towers houses a unique pendulum clock. For a long time it was believed that they were made in the 17th century, although not so long ago, after a thorough examination, historians established that the city clock in Grodno is significantly older than the clock in Prague, which was previously recognized as the oldest. In Prague, proud of its famous chimes with moving figures, the ancient clock mechanism was not preserved; it was completely replaced by a modern one, but in Grodno it survived. It was believed that the clock mechanism was made at the end of the 15th century. But the fact is that the first mention of the tower clock was recorded in the acts of “Grodno privileges” for 1496. But even then the clocks were characterized as “antediluvian”, i.e. vintage During the restoration of the watch in 1995, it turned out that such a unique mechanism dates back to the 12th - 14th centuries. The fact is that the clock mechanism contains a very important artifact - a double-wedge connection dating back to the 12th century and considered lost. You can read more about watch restoration in the article by Alexander Nalivaiko.
Initially, they decorated the wooden tower of the Jesuit college, built in the middle of the 17th century. Then it became dilapidated and the clock was moved. It is difficult to say exactly when this happened, but in the painting of the Congregational Chapel of the church, made in the second quarter of the 18th century, the image of a clock is already present. It is interesting that in the 19th - early 20th centuries the clock was officially considered the town hall clock, that is, the entire city used it to check the time, and its maintenance was paid for from the funds of the magistrate. The clock ticked until the start of the First World War. During the war, German troops took the ancient clock bells to Germany; later the Polish authorities decided to change the antediluvian mechanism to a progressive one, although they did not have time. After this, the clock stood for many years, until it was possible to restore it in post-Soviet times. And now, after many years of silence April 1989 The townspeople heard the ringing of the hour bell. And now, despite its venerable age, this tower clock ticks second by second.
Curious details: The mechanism of the ancient clock operates under the weight of a load - a 70-kilogram weight, which is lowered from a 15-meter height over the course of 36 hours. The weight responsible for the fight, and all 150. The mechanism seems to be alive - everything is open here, every detail is in sight, everything is spinning, ticking. A two-meter pendulum swings regally. Until recently, not only the movement of the clock, but also the striking of the clock was manually wound. Now the hammers that strike time are disconnected from the clock mechanism - they are controlled by a computer. This simplifies the work, but, unfortunately, the clock strike has become more artificial and has lost its melody.
The watch dials are more than two meters in diameter. The hour hand on the watch dial is one meter long, and the minute hand is 115 centimeters long. To get to the clock and bells, you need to climb 132 steep stone steps. As soon as the minute hand shows a quarter of an hour, one strike of the bell is heard throughout the entire area, 30 minutes - two strikes, 45 - three, and at exactly one hour - four.

The temple bells, cast in 1665, were of artistic and historical value. Three of the four, including the large sentry, were taken to Germany during the First World War. New bells appeared in 1938.

Over the centuries, Farny has become overgrown with legends and stories. Thus, Grodno old-timers remember that during the Great Patriotic War a German shell hit the temple. It flew next to one of the icons and did not explode. Grodno residents said that it was this icon that preserved the ancient church. And later, in the sixties of the twentieth century, the townspeople themselves preserved it. The total fight against religion, as is known, was accompanied by the destruction of Christian values, and Farny was also included in this blacklist. However, having learned about the impending explosion, the parishioners held a siege here for many days, not leaving the building for days on end. And they defended their Fara. Thanks to them, the Cathedral today still adorns the central square of Grodno.