BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

13/07/2006

The oldest Catholic church in Belarus damaged by fire in Grodno last night

Minsk, July 13, Interfax - A burnout happened at St. Francisco's Catholic church in Grodno on Thursday night, the Byelorussian Ministry for Emergencies informed Interfax.

The agency has been told that the fire damaged the sanctuary, 20 square meters of the floor and church vessels. A call about the fire came to the fire station from the sexton at 03:40 last night and in five minutes a fire brigade arrived to the church. At present, the authorities are establishing the cause of the fire and the damage caused by it.

St. Francisco's in Grodno was built in 1705. It has a historical value as one of the oldest and most beautiful Catholic churches in Belarus. The Russian Emperor Peter I and the Polish King August II attended its consecration in 1705.

The church, which used to belong to the Jesuits, and the monastery represent a 17th-18th century architectural monument. They used to be the richest in what was Poland and to occupy a whole block in down town Grodno. The compound included a collegium, a chemist's shop, a library and several household facilities. The church is 30x60 m along the perimeter and about 50 m tall.

Source:

http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=1717