St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Grodno
St. Francis Xavier Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Grodno, Belarus. Originally a Jesuit church, it became a cathedral in 1991, when the new diocese of Grodno was erected.
| St. Francis Xavier Cathedral | |
|---|---|
| The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis Xavier | |
Катэдральны касцёл Святога Францішка Ксавэрыя | |
 A view of the cathedral | |
| |
| Location | Grodno |
| Country | Belarus |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 1687 |
| Consecrated | 1705 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Cathedral |
| Style | Baroque architecture |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Roman Catholic Diocese of Grodno |
| Clergy | |
| Bishop(s) | Aleksander Kaszkiewicz |
History
The construction of the church started in 1687, when the city was part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The completed building in Baroque style was consecrated in 1705 to St. Francis Xavier. The monastery was dissolved in 1773 and the church became a parish one. The church survived World War II with no serious damage.
In 1960 it was officially closed for a public religious services (for 27 years). The Soviet authorities tried to convert the building into a museum or a concert hall. Despite this the people attended the church every Sunday for a common prayer, songs and rosary. The religious services were restored in 1987. In 1990 the church was granted the title of minor basilica, and a year later it became a cathedral for a diocese of Grodno.
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Sources
- А.А. Ярашэвіч, В.Дз. Бажэнава. Гродзенскі кафедральны касцёл святога Францыска Ксаверыя — Мінск: Беларусь, 2005. (In Belarusian)
External links
- History of S. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Grodno (text in Polish language)
- Cathedral of Grodno - Photos on Radzima.org website