Gomel is one of the largest cities in Belarus. It has many attractions, but one of them stands out among the others. The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is not a very old monument of architecture, but one of the most important for the Catholic believers of Gomel.

The history of the Catholic church in Gomel

In the Gomel region for a long time there were no official representations of the Roman Catholic Church. They were abolished in 1940, although people continued to assemble illegally and organized Catholic communities themselves.

Attempts to restore this historical injustice were made in 1987. A group of enthusiasts collected 30 signatures of people who were not indifferent to the fate of Catholicism in the Gomel region, and sent a petition to the local authorities. Then it was rejected. Believers were rejected for refusal until the opinion of the authorities changed: in the summer of 1989, Catholics received not only long-awaited permission, but also hope for finding a prayer house.

The church, which existed in Gomel before, was blown up during World War II, so it was not possible to restore it. Believers were given a building where the production workshops once housed. They belonged to the «Art» combine from the Art Fund of the BSSR. By coincidence, the Orthodox Church was once located in it (built in 1886). Immediately after the building was handed over to the Catholics, work began on its restoration.

Already in 1990, the church received the name of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (by the way, the church from which it was rebuilt) was also called. Four years later, he experienced another renovation, after which in 2000 he acquired the present look. At the same time, the temple was consecrated by Cardinal Casimir Sventek.

The architectural appearance of the church in Gomel

In architectural terms, the temple is a neo-Gothic building, which has a cruciform shape, three naves and two towers (tetrahedral, with sharp spiers). In one of the towers is the bell tower (it is attached to the altar), the other is adjacent to the central wall of the temple. At the entrance to the church, the parishioners are greeted by a sculpture of his heavenly patron, the Virgin Mary. Here is a tablet with an inscription in Latin «Ave Maria Vita Nova», which means: «Glory, new life». On the gable there is a cross. The walls are decorated with elegant pilasters, which are covered with a cornice at the top.

A real decoration of the monument of architecture are rectangular and arched windows. Instead of glasses there are stained glass windows with images of various religious subjects. The church has two floors, and its vaults are decorated with wood. According to the tradition of Catholicism, inside the church does not strike with luxury, the decoration is modest and concise.

The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary is decorated with:

• several small icons depicting the Passion of Christ;


• Byzantine frescoes located near the altar. They depict traditional scenes: scenes of the birth of the Virgin Mary and the Last Judgment. By the way, the murals appeared in the church not by chance: they were painted by talented artists from Italy - Fabio and Ismael Nones);


• window outlets,


• electronic authority, etc.

Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in our time

Now the temple is a favorite place of parishioners. An active religious and public education life is conducted here, meetings with young people are constantly held, and classical music concerts are held. Worship services are conducted in three languages: Belarusian, Russian and Polish. Traveling through the Gomel region, you probably want to visit one of the pearls of the regional center - the palace and park ensemble of the Rumyantsev-Paskevichi. If you like sophisticated religious architecture - be sure to take a look at the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, admire its beautiful architecture and interior decoration.