The Catholic Church of the Transfiguration Photo: Catholic Church of the Transfiguration

The Church of the Transfiguration, also known as the Cathedral Church or a White Headlight, – one of the oldest Catholic churches in Belarus. Was founded in 1395, shortly after the baptism of the Lithuanian Prince Vitovt and was called the Church of All Saints.

In 1422 in this temple was married Polish king Wladyslaw Jagiello with young Princess Sophia of Golshany. About this event on the Church wall is a plaque in Polish language: "this Shrine in 1422 Wladyslaw Jagiello, king of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, married the Princess Sophia of Golshany, the future mother of kings Polish Vladislav Varnenchik and Casimir Jagiellonian".

In 1624 there was built a stone Church on the initiative and at the expense of Christopher Chodkiewicz. In 1631 there were built two chapels of St. Expedite and Guardian Angels. In 1662, the Church was almost completely destroyed during the Russo-Polish war. In 1714, construction began on a new stone Church, the first stone of which was consecrated by coadjutor Vilna Bishop Jozef Maciej Ancuta. In 1723 the construction was completed and the temple was consecrated in honor of the divine Body.

February 12, 1799 in this Church was baptized the great Belarusian poet Adam Mickiewicz.

In 1857, after the transition of Western Belarus into the Russian Empire, the Church was closed by the tsarist authorities, who were not allowed even to repair the Shrine. In 1921, after the occurrence of Novogrudok in Poland, the Church was restored and consecrated again.

Until 1991 in the Church of the Transfiguration of the body was buried 11 sisters of nazaretian, shot by the Gestapo on August 1, 1943 and canonized.

From 1948 to 1992, the Church was closed by the Soviet authorities. In 1992, the Church was returned to believers. In 1997 the Church was opened after restoration.

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