Greek-Catholic Tserkva of Nativity of the Mother of God

A reference to the first tserkva of Nativity of the Mother of God in Żłobek dates from the 1500s. The next one, according to historical records, existed in 1782 and was dismantled before 1830. That church was located in the middle of the village and in 1914 was commemorated with a cast iron cross.

The currently existing Greek Catholic tserkva of Nativity of the Mother of God was built in 1830. After the population of the village was resettled to Ukraine in 1951, the tserkva was emptied, and the building was used by the State Forests for storage of conifer cones. Nevertheless, conservation works were conducted here in the 1960s. Subsequently, in 1976, the building was acquired by the Roman Catholic parish in Czarna, and following restoration works in 1977 it was transformed into the filial church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. This is when the original iconostasis framing, altar and tabernacle were removed and replaced with the altar brought from the dismantled tserkva in Lutowiska.

The two-part log church is oriented eastwards and clad with shingles. The rectangular chancel adjoins a sacristy on the northern side. A post-and-frame porch leads into the nave. The main body of the building is covered with gable roofs, clad with shingles. Over the sacristy there is a mono-pitched roof. A wooden zvonnitsa-type belfry, once standing near the tserkva, was dismantled after 1951. Later it was replaced with a frame belfry supporting a small bell.

Inside there is a flat ceiling, and an overhanging gallery. No original furnishings can be seen here. However, the Castle Museum in Łańcut in its holding has some artefacts from Żłobek; these include four procession banners, candlesticks and an icon of the Holy Mother from the 1800s. 

Photo: Krystian Kłysewicz

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