Pohorela church
Encyclopedia
Our Lady of Sorrows is a Catholic
church in the village of Pohorelá
in the Banská Bystrica Region
of Slovakia
.
In the early years of the village there was no church in Pohorela, only a cemetery with a small wooden chapel next to it. The village was considered part of the parish of Sumiac, about 8 km to the east of the village. Records from 1643 and 1653 show that the villagers were Catholic and that they were continuously petitioning for their own parish.
A wooden church was built in Pohorela around 1660. It was built by local craftsmen under direction of Count Ferenc Wesselényi
. Wesselenyi was the local governor( Palatine
) for Hungary and resident of nearby Muran Castle. The church was dedicated to Saint Stephen I of Hungary.
An attempt by the villagers in 1669 to join the parish of the village of Polomka some 15 km to the west of Pohorela forced the issue of an independent parish for Pohorela. With the help of contributions from the nearby village of Helpa a separate parish was declared on 26 January 1669 and the first parish priest appointed. This is also the time when the first parish registers were recorded.
There has been a simple wooden parish school built next to the rectory from the time of the first wooden church in 1669. Records from 1697 show that a schoolmaster (one individual serving as both director and teacher) would be paid for out of the parish income.
The original parish church was destroyed by fire around 1742 along with the parish register up to that date. Construction of the current brick church began at this time and was completed in the summer of 1768. It stands on the site of the wooden church. It was built with an endowment by Earl Stephan II Koháry (1649–1731), also an occupant of Muran castle.
On May 4, 1883 a great fire broke out destroying nearly all the village. The church was also damaged and was repaired in 1906. The original church was dedicated to Saint Stephen I of Hungary. In 1964 it was re-consecrated to Our Lady of Sorrows
, the patron saint of Slovakia.
style, with a single-nave
.
The church contains a picture of St. Stephen painted in 1855 by the master artist Vojtech Klimkovics. There is an artistically carved neo-gothic bench of King Ferdinand
Coburg in the presbytery
. The altar
is from beginning of 20th century. It is decorated with statues of St Elizabeth of Hungary and of St Emeric of Hungary
.
The church is built with the traditional Christian nave orientation, with the main altar on the east end and the church tower on the west side. The choir contains an organ built by the Austrian firm of Gebrüder Rieger. The organ was donated around 1910 by King Ferdinand
.
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
church in the village of Pohorelá
Pohorelá
Pohorelá is a village and municipality in Brezno District, in the Banská Bystrica Region of central Slovakia.The Roman Catholic Pohorela church built in 1762 is a dominant feature of the village.-External links:* *...
in the Banská Bystrica Region
Banská Bystrica Region
The Banská Bystrica Region is one of the Slovak regions in the country of Slovakia in Europe.-Geography:It is located in the central part of Slovakia and has an area of 9,455 km². The region is prevailingly mountains, with several ranges within the area. The highest of them are the Low Tatras...
of Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
.
History
Translated from the History of Pohorela Parish on the parish website.In the early years of the village there was no church in Pohorela, only a cemetery with a small wooden chapel next to it. The village was considered part of the parish of Sumiac, about 8 km to the east of the village. Records from 1643 and 1653 show that the villagers were Catholic and that they were continuously petitioning for their own parish.
A wooden church was built in Pohorela around 1660. It was built by local craftsmen under direction of Count Ferenc Wesselényi
Wesselényi
Wesselényi is a surname, and can refer to:*Ferenc Wesselényi*Miklós Wesselényi*Wesselényi conspiracy...
. Wesselenyi was the local governor( Palatine
) for Hungary and resident of nearby Muran Castle. The church was dedicated to Saint Stephen I of Hungary.
An attempt by the villagers in 1669 to join the parish of the village of Polomka some 15 km to the west of Pohorela forced the issue of an independent parish for Pohorela. With the help of contributions from the nearby village of Helpa a separate parish was declared on 26 January 1669 and the first parish priest appointed. This is also the time when the first parish registers were recorded.
There has been a simple wooden parish school built next to the rectory from the time of the first wooden church in 1669. Records from 1697 show that a schoolmaster (one individual serving as both director and teacher) would be paid for out of the parish income.
The original parish church was destroyed by fire around 1742 along with the parish register up to that date. Construction of the current brick church began at this time and was completed in the summer of 1768. It stands on the site of the wooden church. It was built with an endowment by Earl Stephan II Koháry (1649–1731), also an occupant of Muran castle.
On May 4, 1883 a great fire broke out destroying nearly all the village. The church was also damaged and was repaired in 1906. The original church was dedicated to Saint Stephen I of Hungary. In 1964 it was re-consecrated to Our Lady of Sorrows
Our Lady of Sorrows
Our Lady of Sorrows , the Sorrowful Mother or Mother of Sorrows , and Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows or Our Lady of the Seven Dolours are names by which the Blessed Virgin Mary is referred to in relation to sorrows in her life...
, the patron saint of Slovakia.
Style and interior
The church is built in a RomanesqueRomanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
style, with a single-nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
.
The church contains a picture of St. Stephen painted in 1855 by the master artist Vojtech Klimkovics. There is an artistically carved neo-gothic bench of King Ferdinand
Ferdinand I of Bulgaria
Ferdinand , born Ferdinand Maximilian Karl Leopold Maria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry, was the ruler of Bulgaria from 1887 to 1918, first as knyaz and later as tsar...
Coburg in the presbytery
Presbytery (architecture)
The presbytery is the name for an area in a church building which is reserved for the clergy.In the oldest church it is separated by short walls, by small columns and pilasters in the Renaissance ones; it can also be raised, being reachable by a few steps, usually with railings....
. The altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
is from beginning of 20th century. It is decorated with statues of St Elizabeth of Hungary and of St Emeric of Hungary
Saint Emeric of Hungary
Prince St. Imre, also Henricus, Emeric, Emerick, Emmerich, Emericus or Americus was the son of King St. Stephen I of Hungary and Giselle of Bavaria. He is assumed to be the second son of Stephen, he was named after his uncle, St...
.
The church is built with the traditional Christian nave orientation, with the main altar on the east end and the church tower on the west side. The choir contains an organ built by the Austrian firm of Gebrüder Rieger. The organ was donated around 1910 by King Ferdinand
Ferdinand I of Bulgaria
Ferdinand , born Ferdinand Maximilian Karl Leopold Maria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry, was the ruler of Bulgaria from 1887 to 1918, first as knyaz and later as tsar...
.