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The architecture of the church
The church in the village Milyuntsy was constructed in the early XX century in Neo-Gothic style. In the territory of Belarus there are few churches designed in the “pure” Gothic architecture of the Middle Ages. Neo-Gothic style became popular in the middle of the XIX century. It embodied the best features of Gothic that makes it easier-to-understand, closer to people than its progenitor.
Architects – authors of building projects – depict images of the buildings with weapons of an architectural style, reflecting individuality or underlining typical features or functionality. Look at the Neo-Gothic Church of St Jacob:
- three naves, two quadrangular towers with crosses at the top of the domes – it’s a keystone of the cult construction;
- arched daylight openings cut in the walls of the facade vertically, a high lancet arch above the entry – and the church gets its individual features making it different from others of this type;
- the entry portal as if repeats the outlines of this arch that from a distance creates a sense of false aerial perspective; above it there is a rose-window with stained glass elements; the main idea of the architect is fulfilled without any frills: it’s impossible to take eyes off his creative work;
- it took off from there: this circular element – a rose-window – is aligned with other circular decorative fixtures (for example, relief rosaces with crosses), and the facade offsets passing into towers, in their turn, harmonize with brick pillars of the gates; these pillars are also crowned with four-sided domes with crosses at the top.
Rather impressive, isn’t it?
Verticality of all rectilinear lines of the high building, the sense of being carried away from the temporality of the world – these are characteristic of the church and of Neo-Gothic in general.
Generally, the church corresponds to the canons of Catholic construction. All its features support the building’s functionality and purpose - worship God, preserve faith, embody God’s thought about the world order, to serve the place for holding liturgies.
Decoration elements of the church
Decorative fixtures of the building are elegant and unobtrusive. There are the above- mentioned stained glass windows, small molded pieces, for example, wrists fixed on the door that are folded in the gesture of prayer, small sculptural figures placed on the pedestal of the stone masonry.
The interior décor is also of strict laconic style.
The territory of the church if fenced. The low fence is made of stone fastened with concrete; a lot of greenery, carefully planted flowers, trees matching each other.
St Jacob – the patron of the church in Milyuntsy
St Jacob is one of the twelve Apostles, Christ’s pupil. He is extensively mentioned in the New Testament. Jacob (James) after the death of the Savior continued His work, promoted true faith. He was martyred. A lot of churches are consecrated in his honor, people pray to him; believers throw themselves into his arms.
This splendid church consecrated in honor of the Saint is situated in the relatively small village of the Vitebsk region. We can only rejoice that we may see with our eyes such a splendor erected in 1907, praise spiritual renaissance, admire the church as a symbol of national consciousness of the Belarusian people.
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