Church
of the Repose of Holy Virgin Mary, Bialystok
Before the Second World War
Starosielce was a small village, situated not far from Bialystok. The Orthodox
parish have been there since 1900. The first Orthodox Church was built in 1900.
It was under the invocation of St. St. Cyril and Methodius. In 1900, there was
a little brick chapel at the cemetery under the invocation of The Holy Virgin
and the presbytery. The first priest of this new Orthodox Church and parish was
Piotr Tyczynin. The Catholics took over the orthodox church under the
invocation of Sts. Cyril and Methodius and parish house from the Orthodox.
A little chapel at the cemetery entered into the parish under the invocation of
St. Nicola in Bialystok.
In 1928, a little chapel
extended into a church thanks efforts of the next priest W. Lopatinski and his
parishioniers. The Catholics tried to take it from the Orthodox once
again.
During the Second World War
the church was damaged. In 1961 it was undergoing repairs. The parish and the
priests wanted to build the new building, but it was very difficult to get
permission to do it. The priest Michal Chomczyk who has worked and lived here
since 1966, initiaded a new stage in the history of the church in Starosielce.
After three years of striving and requesting in the Ministry of Religion, he
obteined a permission to rebuild the orthodox church under the invocation of
The Holy Virgin Mary in Starosielce. On 27th of August 1972 the corner stone
for building the new church was put and consecrated by the late His Eminence
Archbishop Nikanor. Two years later the new church was built around the old
one. The consecrating of a new church in Starosielce took place on 27th of May
1979.
This services take place
every Saturday an Sunday. However the services assume the most solemn character
on the day of the Repose of Holy Virgin Mary, and on its eve. It is celebrated
on 28th (15th Old Style) of August.
Schedule of Services in the Church of
the Repose of Holy Virgin Mary (Bialystok-Starosielce):
Saturday and before holiday: 1700
- All-night Vigil
Sunday and holiday: 1000
- Divine Liturgy
