There is a popular belief that a visit to the Holy Transfiguration Church in the village of Motol, Ivanovo district, frees people forever from previous worries and anxieties. It would be wonderful if it were so. But the temple with blue domes and golden glow of crosses in Motol really fills the soul with a feeling of lightness and purity 

In the center of the famous village 

The Orthodox Shrine is situated in the very center of the village (nowadays it is an agro-town) that has a glorious history and renowned natives.

Here in the 16^th century came repeatedly Queen Bona Sforza, who owned the place (according to one of the versions, a Palace was built for her in Motol). In the 19^th century its owner was another lady of royal blood – Princess de Broglie-Revel.

In 1874 in the same settlement was born the first President of Israel Chaim Weizmann. It is interesting that Motol became the small birthplace for father of the founders of the famous music label Chess Records - Leonard and Phil Chess who had influenced the Rolling Stones themselves...

Nowadays this small agro-town is known in Belarus and abroad as a place of the international festivals “Sporovsky Prysmaki” and “Sporovsky regatta”. Here come a lot of tourists. But nevertheless they start their acquaintance with this God-giving land from the majestic Church.   

A new church in Motol 

The stone Transfiguration Church was erected in Motol in 1877 (according to another version – in 1888). Before it on the same place had stood a wooden uniate temple of the Transfiguration of Christ and a belfry. But in the restless 1864^thduring the suppression of the armed uprising the Uniate Church burned down.  

The whole village was damaged heavily in that year. Many residents were left without homes. And the community was left without a temple.  According to historical sources, the tsarist government allocated money for the construction of a new church and the restoration of the settlement. A new temple appeared in Motol 13 years later after the fire.  

The temple-ship with five domes 

Motol Holy Transfiguration Church was built by the project of Brest city architect M. Bartashevsky. This monument of the architecture of the Russian-retrospective style consists of the main building of brick, a three-tiered belfry, a refectory and a pentahedral apse.

Specialists identify the following features of this five-domed architectural monument:

• The temple has a cubic form.  
• The dominant of the silhouette is bulbous ends of the belfry and domes of the hipped roof.
• It has three entrances with arched portals.
• Cases of semi-circular window openings, cornice and vertical protuberances are used as decorations.

The interior is adorned with a four-tiered iconostasis (the end of the 19^th century) with the icons “Christ in the desert”, “The Holy Family”, “St. Theodosius”, “St. Seraphim of Sarov”, “Christ Pantocrator”, “The virgin of Tenderness” and others. All the icons are dated to the 18-19^th centuries. 

The renovation in 2013 

It should be noted that Motol Church has never been closed since the day of its foundation. The building is included in the List of historical and cultural values of Belarus. 

In 2013, the rite of renewal was conducted Motol temple after the complete overhaul. The Rector of the parish Peter Kisel was awarded with a pectoral cross for his works. The Holy Transfiguration Church belongs to Ivanovo deanery of Pinsk diocese.