The discovery was made in the attic of “St John the Theologian” Orthodox Church in Nowoberezowo by Dr. Zbigniew Michalczyk, Piotr Jamski, and Jan Nowicki, during a project entitled “Consolidation of heritage. Inventory and documentation of monuments on the western border of the eastern lands of the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth”.

17 fragments in various states of preservation have been found. “We have absolutely no doubt that this is a unique discovery,” declared researcher Jan Nowicki for the Polish News Agency PAP.

Dr. Zbigniew Michalczyk said there was almost nothing similar to the recently-discovered iconostasis, except for the 17th-century icons from the Supraśl Monastery, found a few years ago in the chapel of the Topilec cemetery.

Historians also emphasized at the event that the Nowoberezowo iconostasis is the oldest such object in the region and that almost all religious objects of this type from the region were destroyed in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The project “Consolidation of Heritage. Inventory and documentation of monuments on the western border of the eastern lands of the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth” is coordinated by researchers from the Art Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences.

Photo credit: Polish Press Agency (PAP)
Source: basilica.ro

“We were deeply concerned and moved by the current situation in the Holy Land from the very first moments of this tragic armed conflict,” he said in the statement.

He added: “We pray to Almighty God for grace in this Holy Place. We ask the Lord to grant peace to the land where our Savior Jesus Christ was born. We hope that God bestows peace and mutual respect upon all the inhabitants of the region.”

“We recall what the Apostle Paul said: ‘live at peace with everyone’ (Rom 12:18). Therefore, we appeal to all those who exert influence in the region to stop such destructive acts. As disciples of Christ, we are against all conflicts that result in people dying; We strongly condemn hostilities,” the Metropolitan stressed.

Finally, he concluded: “We express solidarity with the victims of the conflict in the Holy Land and join the pain of the families of those killed. Lord Almighty, bestow Your grace upon the Holy Land and accept the souls of the deceased into Your Kingdom.”

In an anouncement the Orthodox Church of Poland called on the faithful and all people who are close to the Metropolitan to pray for a speedy recovery.

After more than ten years of efforts to obtain a permit for the construction of an Orthodox church in Warsaw and less than eight years after the laying of the foundation stone, “the consecration of the church of Hagia Sophia in Warsaw is a fact, thanks to the loving help of the Creator as well as to the titanic efforts of Metropolitan Savva of Warsaw”, it is characteristically mentioned in an announcement of the Church of Warsaw.

As he informs, this is the first construction of an Orthodox church in Warsaw in more than 100 years. A church, which is a copy of the world-famous Byzantine miracle, Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.

In the announcement posted on the website of the Church of Poland, it is further emphasized that the church was created as a memorial and tribute to the victims of the deportations to Siberia, the camps, Katyn, Dachau (and others), “so that the walls of this temple to bear witness forever to our ancestors, who shed their blood for their faith in Orthodoxy and their love for their country”.

The celebrations inside the walls of the church of Agia Sophia, which was packed with hundreds of believers, were started by Metropolitan Savva, who in his greeting emphasized that “we must be grateful to God for this day”.

He recalled that the foundation stone for this church was laid by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, on December 5, 2015, while he emphasized that “the doors of this Church are open to all who will cross its threshold with faith, hope, and love, seeking the support and consolation of God, as they daily carry the Cross of life”.

With the blessing of Metropolitan Sawa of Warsaw and All Poland, the event was organized by the Fellowship of Orthodox Youth in Poland in cooperation with Suprasl: A World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth. Participants came from 15 countries, from as far as Australia and the United States, to celebrate their Orthodox faith and explore the theme, “For where two or three are gathered in my name there I am among them.” Mt 18:20.

The celebration combined worship, fellowship, discussions, and cultural entertainment. On Friday evening the participants enjoyed a cultural evening as they were treated to a theatrical performance titled, “Road to Paradise ” which detailed the history, culture, and life of Belarussians living in Poland and a concert of Belarussian folk music. Taking advantage of the fast-free Friday, the youth enjoyed a traditional Polish bonfire with kielbasa and bigos (a Polish stew of meat, sauerkraut, and shredded fresh cabbage). Impromptu Serbian folk dancing and Georgian folk singing also made the evening an unforgettable night of Orthodox culture and fellowship.

On Saturday the participants began the day with morning prayers before embarking on a day of visits to places of cultural and historic interest in Warsaw including Holy Trinity Chapel in the old town, the oldest Orthodox Chapel in Warsaw founded in 1818.

In the afternoon the youth attended a concert that included folk music by the Rikhi Ensemble from Gori, Georgia, and a memorable performance by Enej, a Polish-Ukrainian Folk-Rock band.

Following the concert, the participants participated in an open question-and-answer session with Bishops, Clergy, and Monastics. Participating in the panel discussion were His Grace Bishop Andrew of Suprasl; His Grace Bishop Varsonufry of Siemiatycze; Mother Catherine, Superior of the Monastery of Saint Catherine the Great in Zaleszany, Poland; Archimandrite Stefan Toma, Holy Ascension Greek Orthodox Church in Berlin; and Priest Timothy Yates from the Orthodox Church in America.

On Sunday the Divine Liturgy at Warsaw’s Hagia Sophia was celebrated by His Beatitude Metropolitan Sawa, His Eminence Archbishop Gregory of Bielsk Podlaski, His Grace Bishop Andrew of Suprasl, and His Grace Bishop Varsonufry of Siemiatycze together with parish dean Mitred Archpriest Adam Siemieniuk and local and visiting clergy. The Divine Liturgy was followed by a festive meal.

The importance of this international celebration of the World Day of Orthodox Youth is best summed up by Gregorz Garbus from Poland who described his experience in this way, “This celebration of the Word Day of Orthodox Youth was an unforgettable time for me. This was my second international event, the first of them was the World Gathering of Orthodox Youth in

Supraśl, Poland last summer. Both then and now, after the event, I was accompanied by the conviction that I finally felt what the Church is. I didn’t understand it, but I felt it. How can you explain that dozens of people who have never met, who speak different languages and represent different cultures, can create such deep friendships and strong bonds in just a few days? I don’t know how it works, but it works! I think this is the power of being in the Church, where we have the opportunity to feel some tiny particle of infinite divine love.”

Suprasl, A World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth is an association that seeks to network and bring together youth from around the world. It was founded in the Summer of 2022 following the success of Suprasl 2022: A World Gathering of Orthodox youth which was held at the Monastery of the Annunciation in Suprasl, Poland.

The Fellowship of Orthodox Youth in Poland, in cooperation with Suprasl, A World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth, and with the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Sawa will host a weekend celebration of worship, fellowship, and discussion on the theme, “For where two or three are gathered in my name there I am among them.” Mt 18:20.

“We are very excited to be able to welcome so many Orthodox youth from around Europe. During these challenging times of war and discord in society and even in the church, the coming together of 300 youth from so many different churches is a cause for joy and celebration”, said Archdeacon Joseph Matusiak, Director of Suprasl. “The World Day of Orthodox Youth has been celebrated in conjunction with the feast of the Meeting of the Lord in the Temple (February 2/15) since the early 1990s, but this is the first time in many years that such a large and diverse group will come together for the celebration.”

Participants for this year’s celebration will come from 15 countries throughout Europe and North America and represent 12 of the world’s autocephalous and autonomous Churches. The program will begin on Friday evening with a campfire and a cultural evening celebrating the diversity of Orthodox culture including a concert by a choir from Georgia.

On Saturday the youth will participate in activities designed to integrate and build bonds between them. In the afternoon an open questions and answer session will be held by a panel of clergy from Poland, Germany, and the United States to be followed by small group discussions and Vespers. On Sunday participants will travel to Warsaw’s Hagia Sophia Church for the Divine Liturgy.

The Fellowship of Orthodox Youth in Poland is the official youth association of the Orthodox Church in Poland. Suprasl, A World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth is an association that seeks to network youth from around the world through youth festivals, pilgrimages, and leadership training courses. It was founded in the Summer of 2022 following the success of Suprasl 2022: A World Gathering of Orthodox youth which was held at the Monastery of the Annunciation in Suprasl, Poland.

Attendees explored the theme “Go and Bear Fruit,” based on John 15:16, learning how as young people, they have a vital role in creating opportunities for unity within the global Orthodox Church.

“It was inspiring to hear participants share their wishes and dreams for the growth of more pan-Orthodox youth cooperation,” said Archdeacon Joseph Matusiak of the Polish Orthodox Church. “Suprasl 2022 was an event where the unity of Orthodoxy was experienced and lived, fostered and developed.”

Suprasl 2022 was organized with the blessing and support of His Beatitude Metropolitan Sawa of Warsaw and All Poland. Other Orthodox primates and hierarchs of several Local Orthodox Churches encouraged and sponsored young people from their Churches to attend the event.

At the opening of the gathering, Metropolitan Sawa greeted participants, expressing his gratitude to them for taking a step to renew and revive pan-Orthodox international youth gatherings. “Do whatever you can to build up and spread the unity of the Orthodox Church through your work here this week, because the work of the devil is very strong and active.

In bringing Orthodox young people together from around the world, Surprasl 2022 drew upon the legacy of Syndesmos, an organization founded in 1953 to encourage connections among Orthodox youth throughout the world. However, Suprasl 2022 was neither an administrative meeting nor an assembly. It was an opportunity for young people from around the world who had never met before, to taste and celebrate the unity found within the Orthodox Faith regardless of nation or culture, focusing on how that unity can be an inspiration for youth work.

“When I signed up for Suprasl I wasn’t sure what to expect. It was a privilege and a blessing to meet Orthodox youth from so many different cultures and backgrounds. After this event I am convinced of the importance of Churches meeting each other and keeping up a conversation,” said Elias Van Outrive from Belgium.

“We purposefully chose the theme of ’Go and Bear Fruit’ because it allowed us to provide lectures and workshops on a variety of topics for participants,” Archdeacon Joseph explained. “The presentations encouraged dialogue and the sharing of ideas for others to bring home as insights and tools for their work in the field with youth in their churches.”

Presentations included an official opening by Archpriest Vasileios Thermos, Associate Professor of Pastoral Care at the Higher Ecclesiastical Academy of Athens, a theologian and youth psychiatrist who delivered a lecture entitled, “Youth in the 21st Century: Challenges for an Orthodox Conscience.” Father Vasileios identified the many challenges Orthodox youth face in the contemporary world, and how faced with the postmodern context, Orthodox youth can orient themselves on Christ to rise above the surrounding confusion.

Other featured presentations were offered by missionaries Steve and Theophani Sargianis of OCMC (Orthodox Christian Mission Center) and Nicholas Sooy of OPF (Orthodox Peace Fellowship). Presentations focused on practical youth-related topics including organizing pan-Orthodox youth camps, activities to address the accelerating climate crisis, and the understanding of creativity and the need to actively respond to God’s call to create.

“Participants explored how we can engage with the question of creativity, not as an aesthetic quality alone but as something that has profound implications for our humanity and our faith in Christ,” said Aleksander Wasyluk, Director of Youth Ministry for the Church of Poland and a member of the Suprasl 2022 organizing committee. “The growth of Christ’s Church is dependent upon our response to the Great Commission, and to respond we need to be creative in our work.”

Other highlights of the week-long event included a pilgrimage to the Monastery of Ss Mary and Martha on the Holy Mountain of Grabarka, where participants planted a two-meter tall cross among the famous forest of crosses. Earlier in the week, resident artist and workshop leader Dr. Davor Dzalto painted the cross on which all the participants signed their names. The cross will stand in remembrance of Suprasl 2022 and as an inspiration to all who see it.

On Wednesday the participants celebrated the feast of St. Maria of Paris (new style). Dn Mark Roosien, lecturer in liturgical arts at Yale University, presented a paper on the life of St. Maria and the work of Orthodox Action, the organization founded by St. Maria and a group of Orthodox individuals in Paris in the 1940’s Later that evening, the participants viewed a performance of “No One is a Number,” an original play based on the life of St. Maria by Fr. Sergey Hackel. The play, created by Ms. Joanna Troc of Bielsk Podlaski, Poland, provides a glimpse into the life and hardships encountered by Russians who were forced to immigrate to France during the time of the Russian Revolution, and their creative response to those hardships, led by St. Maria and others. The play was very poignant, considering the current Ukrainian and recent Syrian refugee crises.

Participants also took to the road to experience the richness of Orthodoxy in Poland, visiting the Monastery of the Nativity of the Mother of God in Zwerki, Poland, venerating the relics of the Child Martyr, St. Gabriel of Zabludow, the 16th-century church of the Nativity of the Theotokos, in Bielsk Podlaski, and the Monasteries of the Great Martyr Catherine and St. Demetrios of Thessaloniki in Zaleszany and Saki respectively. While at the monastery in Saki, a Trisagion service was sung by participants for a Syrian refugee who was found on the Belarussian/Polish border in the late winter of this year.

The excursion concluded with a visit to the village of Bialoweiza and the training center of the Orthodox Youth in Poland. The Polish Orthodox Church’s commitment to youth is well-established, giving attendees a glimpse of what is possible in their own Churches.

Central to the theme of the gathering, liturgical services were celebrated throughout the week, including a midnight Liturgy in the main cathedral of the Suprasl Monastery. Reflecting the diversity of participants, the Liturgy was sung in multiple languages, reminding them that it provides the unity expressed in the diversity of cultures. Listen to an audio recording of the Divine Liturgy here.

Suprasl 2022 also provided participants with multiple opportunities to meet with hierarchs of the Polish Orthodox Church, including Archbishop Jacob of Bialystok and Gdansk, who hosted a breakfast, and got to know the participants, and shared the history and life of his diocese. Archbishop George of Wroclaw and Szczecin also hosted a question and answer session which explored a wide range of topics in a lively session that lasted nearly three hours.

The gathering also afforded participants a traditional cultural evening with no shortage of stories, histories, songs, dances, and delicacies from distant and nearby lands.

“At the closing session, participants discussed their dreams for more pan-Orthodox youth cooperation,” Archdeacon Joseph noted, adding, “Our team is exploring how best to plan for future events, both international and regional, as ways to encourage networking and greater collaboration to create sustained forms and models of pan-Orthodox youth cooperation in the future.”

Source: basilica.ro

The period has been extended by a day compared to the initial announcement: now the event is scheduled for July 18-24.

The meeting will explore the theme “Go and bear fruit” (John 15:6) through workshops, lectures, plays, film, music, and fellowship activities.

The event is hosted by His Beatitude Metropolitan Sawa of Warsaw and All Poland and the organizers are part of an international youth workers group coordinated by Archdeacon Joseph Matusiak.

“Our goal is to provide young people who are committed to their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ with an opportunity to experience the unity and universality of the One Holy Orthodox Church,” the archdeacon declared.

The “Supraśl 2022” keynote speakers are His Eminence Metropolitan Antonios of Zahleh, Lebanon (Antioch Patriarchate) and His Eminence Archbishop George of Wroclaw and Szczecin (Church of Poland).

A multi-track format will explore topic areas including:

• Youth Ministry
• Theology of Creativity
• Liturgical and Folk Music
• Orthodoxy and Ecology
• Missions

Workshop topics:

• Being Orthodox: living as a minority or majority;
• Called to missions: the experience of being a missionary;
• Creative arts as mission;
• Youth ministry: how to communicate, listen to and reach youth;
• Ecological projects for individuals, families and parishes;
• Understanding human creativity;
• Discussing and teaching about moral issues;
• Responding to those of other faith traditions.

The International Society will organize liturgical music workshops and divine services for Orthodox Church Music (www.isocm.com). 

“We are confident Orthodox young adults from all corners of the world will find the gathering an excellent setting to learn, share ideas, explore common issues, and create new friendships, further developing their skills as leaders in their communities,” said Archdeacon Joseph Matusiak, director of the event.

Participants will be able to attend the morning and evening monastic services at the Monastery of the Annunciation, as well as corporate morning and evening prayers with the gathering’s participants. “Supraśl 2022” will conclude with the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, July 24. 

The schedule also includes visits to sacred and cultural sites in Eastern Poland, including the monastery of Saints Mary and Martha on the Holy Mountain of Grabarka and the Bialoweiza Forest, the oldest strictly preserved medieval forest in Europe.

SOURCE: basilica.ro

The 360° virtual tour provides a complete look at both the upper church and the lower chapel of the Passion of Christ.

The church, opened in 1869 to serve the needs of the growing Russian community, is one of only two free-standing Orthodox churches in Warsaw that were never destroyed or adapted for other purposes.

It serves as the cathedral for the Diocese of Warsaw and is the main cathedral of the Polish Orthodox Church. It was officially entered into the register of monuments in 1965.

The capital of Poland has an additional Orthodox cathedral, “Hagia Sophia”, under construction since 2015. It is 22 meters high and is built according to the plan of the Basilica of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. Like the Romanian National Cathedral, the “Hagia Sophia” Cathedral in Warsaw is dedicated to the nation’s heroes.

Source: basilica.ro