Bernardine Church of the Immaculate Conception of the virgin Mary Photo: Bernardine Church of the Immaculate Conception of the virgin Mary

The Church of the Immaculate Conception of the virgin Mary in Slonim is part of the architectural complex of the monastery of Bernardines. In 1645 Constantine Yuditskii donated money for the construction of the convent of the Holy sisters, who in those days lived in Vilna. He promised his parents that he would build a monastery and will relocate the Bernardine sisters in Slonim. Bernardini moved in 1648 and settled in constructed wooden monastery.

In 1664 began construction of the temple, culminating in 6 years. In 1696, the Church was consecrated by Archbishop Konstantin Vilensky Brzostowski. In 1751 began modernizing the dilapidated and obsolete temple. It was the heyday of the Rococo style. Was built five magnificent altars. The altars and the interior for Bernardine Church performed the famous artist Johann gödel. Unfortunately, a fire destroyed this magnificent building. In the form in which the Church has survived, it was built in 1793. The construction was supervised by architect I. Avdovic.

In 1864, the Royal government has banned to take in the new monastery of the sisters. The monastery gradually became empty. The building decayed without due care. In 1905 the decree on religious freedom signed by Nicholas II. In 1907, the monastery came the first sisters who undertook the restoration of the building on their own. First of all, they opened a school and a boarding school for girls, which was in dire need of Slonim.

During the war two nuns were shot by the Nazis drove the rest of the Soviet power after the war. With the end of the war in our days in the monastery is the hospital. Recently, the monastery and Church was once again given to the Catholic Church and the nuns returned to the convent in Slonim. Now the temple is valid.

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