Cerkiew Narodzenia NMP

Kiev YT: Monique

Until 1945, Landsberg was an almost ethnically uniform city. The few national minorities of that time were mainly Jews, Poles and Czechs. After the war, the situation changed radically. A significant number of displaced people from the east came to Gorzów. Among them new ethnic groups appeared in the city: Tatars, Roma, Lemkos, Boykos, Belarusians, and Ukrainians. As part of the "Wisła" campaign, another group of thousands of Lemkos came to the Lubusz Land. Several hundred Orthodox believers settled in Gorzów alone then. For many years they didn't even have their own temple. They met and prayed in the villa of the priest. Finally, mainly thanks to the persistence of priest Bazyli Michalczuk assisted by a faithful flock, we managed to build a new church and presbytery. The complex was built at Osiedle Słoneczne. He was put up for six years (1989-1995). In many places (e.g. Brzoza, Ługi) old churches were adapted for the purposes of Orthodox worship, while the Gorzów church - although small - is unique. Why? Because it is the first Orthodox temple built from scratch in the western territories after the war. Bishop Basil himself consecrated it in 1995. The building is very symmetrical. It was built on the plan of a Greek cross, each shoulder is 25 m long. The height of the church is also the same. The roof was covered with five domes. Central and largest symbolizes Christ, four smaller - four evangelists. The arms of the cross correspond to geographical directions. The faithful enter from the west and pray eastwards, according to the symbolism that salvation came from the east. A belfry with three bells stands next to the church. The largest of them - funded by parishioners - weighs 300 kg. They are often started because the priest of Basil Michalczuk says that "the nature near the bells is developing much more beautifully". Because according to the tradition of icons, you don't paint, but "write", the beautiful Gorzów iconostasis is decorated with contemporary icons written at the iconic school in Bielsk Podlaski. In addition to them there are two more nineteenth-century, coming from Kievan region of Kiev. They represent Christ Panktokrator (Lord of the World) and the Holy Trinity. There are no organs in any church, and the church music is written for a unique and unique instrument - the human voice. Only singing rises under the domes of Orthodox temples. In 2005, at the Orthodox Parish Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was created the church choir "Sotiria". Aleksander Lewczyszyn, a young man from the region of Rivne in Ukraine, is its founder and conductor. Eighteen ladies sing in a choir. They are of different ages and denominations - they are Catholic and Orthodox, there are Polish, Bulgarian, Belarusian, Lemkin and Ukrainian. "Sotiria" sings not only during services (every Sunday, and rehearsals take place on Thursdays at 18.00 and Sundays at 11.30). Repeatedly gave concerts in various Polish cities and beyond. She took part in the International Festival of Church Choirs in Hajnówka. She released a beautiful CD with carols. Gorzowians crowds and extremely willingly visit the church during the annual concerts of carols and Easter songs. These concerts are already a tradition

kargia

Cathedral

The only Orthodox church in Gorzow