• to the gallery • biography, critics • picture gallery • performances • orthodox paintings • catholic paintings

Mahilyow Cathedral 1. History of the Cathedral 2. Restoration chronology 3. State before the restoration 4. Restoration. First photos 5. Restoration. Color photos 6. Frescos by Aliaksandr Pushkin

History of Mahilyow cathedral of Ascension (St. Stanislaw Cathedral)

1738-1752 are considered as the official date of the cathedral erection. It was made of bricks on the place, where a wooden Carmelite church had been built before (1636) and burned in 1708. There is a legend that the cathedral was constructed using the stones of the town walls. Originally, the it was built in baroque style. It was consecrated by F. Zyankovich, a bishop from Vilnia, in 1765 and was called the Church of Ascension till 1783. An icon of Our Lady was situated in the main part of the altar. Probably, it was the miraculous icon of Virgin.
After it became a cathedral of Mahilyow deaconate in 1783, its first bishop Stanislaw Bohush-Sestrantsevich rebuilt the main facade and consecrated the second altar in the name of St. Stanislaw.
After the fire in 1810 the cathedral was rebuilt in the classicism style: 3-nave, 2-tower, 6-column Basilica with a transept and a half-circle apse. The buildings of seminary and the printing houses were joined to the apse.
A great monument of monumental art has been preserved in the cathedral: Bible fresco cycles. It was created in 1765-1767 by A. Hlavatski and P. Pyatrouski and their apprentices Pyatro, Lukjan, Ryhor. The artist Fyorst renewed the frescos (4 compositions near the altar) in 1860s. There are three fresco compositions on the top of the central nave from the apse vault to the choir loft: “The Transformation”, “Giving the Keys to Apostle Paul”, and “The Ascension of Maria”. There are images of Evangelists with corresponding symbols and the images of the cathedral’s Fathers – Heranim, Augustin and Climent – in the architectural wings. The scenes “Lazar’s Resurrection”, “St. Teresa’s Miracle”, “Epiphany” and others are situated in the rectangular niches under the window on the main nave perimeter.
The oval apse is complemented with the main altar with 2 semi-columns and layer pilasters of Corinthian order with gilding capitals, against which a thing-profile entablature is leaned. There is a figure shield with rococo frames and side volutes above it. The icon “Crucifixion” is situated in the main altar.
The cathedral of Ascension stood out for exceptional beauty. Besides the rich fresco paintings, there were the sculptures of saints, wonderful icons, valuable liturgical inventory, XIX ct. organ. After the church of St. Antonio was closed in Mahilyow, the icon of the saint was moved in the cathedral. The cult of St. Antonio was so strong in the town, that tsar authorities had to officially adopt the annual procession in his honor, which is held till today on June, 13.
The cathedral was closed in 1935, the historical archives put there, and the property stolen. It was made a warehouse in 1946, and since 1964 till 1986 the archive was put there again, the interior of the cathedral destroyed. After the Rome-Catholic church was registered in 1990 in Belarus, the cathedral was given under its patronage. Then the restoration of the destroyed cathedral began with the help of parishioners and today’s bishop of Vitsebsk deaconate Uladzislau Blin. First, the interior was restored by the state restoration ateliers and then by the restoration branch of Belarusan Catholic Gromada.
The cathedral was reconsecrated by the Cardinal Kazimir Swiatek on July, 13 1996. Not only the cathedral was restored, but also the religious life. It is already a tradition to hold the International Festival of Christian Music “Mighty God” since 1992, which is well-known abroad. The movements “Home Church” and “Maria’s Legion” actively work with the cathedral.