Greek-Catholic Tserkva of Nativity of the Mother of God

The wooden Greek-Catholic Tserkva of Nativity of the Mother of God in Wojtkowa, built in 1910, represents the style of Ukrainian historicism. It was intended for use by both Greek-Catholics and Roman-Catholics, and was erected at a location of an older church from 1752.

After WWII the tserkva was transformed into a storehouse, and devastated as a result. The furnishings burnt down. In 1963 the local Roman Catholics tried to take over the church – the first holy mass was held on the porch of the tserkva. The authorities, however, did not accept that and the church was enclosed within wire fencing. Then the liturgical rites were held on the small bridge leading towards the tserkva. In 1973 the building was officially acquired by the Roman Catholic Church but the parish had to purchase 70 tonnes of fertilisers stored in the premises. The church was refurbished in 1973−1974, in 1994 and in 2002. Since the acquisition, it has functioned as the parish church of St. Maximilian.

The log church, oriented eastward, has a floor plan of the Greek Cross. The walls are clad with vertical wood planks. The chancel, with semi-hexagonal outer walls, is adjoined by two sacristies. The narthex and the side naves are covered with gable roofs, and over the chancel there is a multi-pitched roof. Above the nave there is a dome on an octagonal drum with windows. The porch, leading into the narthex, is covered with a mono-pitched roof supported on pillars. The gallery is supported on two profiled poles. The tserkva represents the so-called Nahirny style.

Inside we can see four altars: the high altar from the 1600s, a sobor altar and two side altars, all from the 1800s. 

The zvonnitsa-type belfry holds two bells, named Maria and Maximilian.

Photo: Krystian Kłysewicz

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