In the former town of Felshtyn (now – the village of Gvardiiske) is located one of the most impressive Catholic churches of the Khmelnytskyi region – the church of St. Voitsekh. Felshtyn in Podillia, like another no less interesting Felshtyn (now Skelivka) in the Lviv region, was founded in 1584 by the Galician Chamber of Deputies Mykola Herburt, who arrived in Ukraine from Silesia. The Magdeburg right, as well as the permission to build a wooden castle here and hold fairs, was granted to Felshtyn by the King Stefan Batory of Poland. The remains of the castle in the form of small earthen ramparts are preserved around the school stadium.
Unfortunately, I was not very lucky to visit Felshtyn. The trip was unexpected, and my camera stayed at home in Kyiv. So I had to take pictures on the phone with a terrible camera. You can see for yourself what came out of that. Obviously, I will have to visit Felshtyn one more time.
Regarding the main and only attraction of the town – the church of St. Voitsekh, it was first built in 1594 at the expense of the first owner of Felshtyn Mykola Herburt. It was a wooden temple, which was apparently destroyed by the Turks during the invasion of Podillia at the end of the 17th century, and which was rebuilt in 1722.
The construction of the brick church was started in 1753 by Mariana Grabianchyna of the Kalinovski family. At the same time, she founded a school and a hospital at the church. Funds for the completion of construction were provided by Onufriy Morskyi and Teresa Grabianchyna. In 1791 the church was consecrated by the Bishop of Kamianets Ordinary Adam Krasinskyi; in the memory of the Polish Constitution on May 3, the church was awarded the title of Divine Providence.
In 1905 the church was expanded by Father Anthoniy Troshchynskyi. In 1933, the Communists gave the church away to the Raikovets distillery, and three years later opened a cinema and a district house of culture. During German occupanion of the World War II, service resumed in the church. The church was closed for the second time in August 1950. Due to mineral fertilizers stored in the church, the walls of the church were significantly destroyed. In January 1990, the church premises were returned to the parishioners.
The church was done in the Baroque style, and its facade is sincerely decorated with pilasters with capitals of the Corinthian order, as well as figures of saints.
We get inside the church through a richly decorated door:
Interior of the temple:
Altar:
Vault:
Interior details:
Church courtyard:
