An Orthodox temple in the village of Markovo in the Molodechno district was mentioned in written sources as early as the beginning of the 17th century. But historians suppose this religion used to be here much earlier. That is due simply to the visit of Great Duchess Elena Ivanovna, famous for paying attention only to the places where a church was located or destroyed temples were rebuilt with her donation.

The village itself has recently celebrated 600 years. Now its population is around 700 people. It is situated only 16 km far from Molodechno.

THE TRINITY  CHURCH IN MARKOVO WAS BUILT TWICE

In the early 20th century there used to be an Orthodox temple in that place but it was decided to establish one more church nearby. The construction works of a wooden building went rapidly, supported by the villagers themselves, local brotherhood and Priest Fabian Okulich. In 1831, the church was consecrated in the name of the Holy Trinity. It is known that wood is not a very durable material and just in 10 years the temple had to be restored. And in the year of 1847 here was set up a cold side-chapel (an extra altar and a communion table were installed in it), sanctified later in the name of the Assumption of the Holy Virgin. In honour of this significant event, a new belfry was erected on the four stone pillars.

THE PRESENT-DAY TRINITY CHURCH APPEARED IN MARKOVO IN 1860

For its construction the state allocated 6 thousand roubles in gold. Already in 1859, at the highest spot near the dilapidated church, there were laid foundations of a future temple whose area was 104 square metres.

Six months later, the altar was sanctified in the name of the Holy Trinity. It is known from the descriptions of the temple that the floor was paved with wooden planks, the middle part of the structure was covered with a blind dome, the iconostasis consisted of 13 icons placed in 2 tiers, there were all necessary utensils. The church land comprised 33 desyatinas and on the register were also several cemetery chapels of the neighbouring villages such as Khatutichy, Vyazhuty and Gatkovichy and Church of the Meeting of the Lord that existed in Markovo since the middle of the 18th century but had been a Catholic temple until 1869.

In 1885, the church required repairs and the residents gave the funds for those works. At the same time the building of the bell tower was completed – there were 5 bells «weighing between 13 feet and 13 poods». The number of constant churchgoers exceeded 2 thousand men and women.

In the middle of the 20th century a copy of Pochayevskaya Icon of the Mother of God was brought to the Trinity Church from Vilnius.  So far it has preserved a memorable inscription made by Archpriest Iohann Bogatkevich.

MODERN HISTORY OF CHURCH

In the 1990s, Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk Filaret, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus with clergymen came to the Trinity Church. 2005 marked the 145-th anniversary of the temple consecration, on this memorable date the parish was visited by His Eminence Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk Filaret, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus.

For 10 years, the prior of the temple has gathered all the possible information, photos, talked to old inhabitants of the village, recorded their memories on parish – all this became the original historical chronicle. In 2012, the history of the temple was published for donation.

In 2015, the temple celebrated its 155th anniversary, in honour of this event a commemorative sign was installed in the centre of Markovo. The church is remarkable for the fact that for a century and a half services have been conducted here constantly and more than twenty priests have served here.