St. Michael the Archangel Church in Novogrudok

St.Michael the Archangel Church, located in Novogrudok, is an architectural monument built in the baroque style in Belarus and also one of the main attractions of the city. Originally the temple was a part of the Dominican monastery.

The Dominicans settled in Novogrudok in the early XVII century on the invitation of the Lithuanian governor Christopher Chodkiewicz, who built for them wooden St. Jacek church in 1624. A century later it was replaced by a new stone church. In 1751 there was a fire, and the church was almost completely destroyed. In 1805 it was reconstructed and the Bishop Valentin Volchetsky consecrated it in honor of the Archangel Michael.

A school was functioning under the church and the Dominican monastery. From 1807 to 1815 the famous Belarusian writer Adam Mickiewicz was studying there. After the rebellion in 1832 the authorities closed the school. In 1858 they also closed the Dominican Order - St.Michael the Archangel Church was the only Catholic church in the city at that time. In 1922 the church was converted into a cathedral. But in 1948 it had to close its doors to believers according to the decision of the Soviet authorities. It was used as a granary and later as a furniture warehouse.

Church was badly damaged in a fire in 1976. It was repaired 10 years later. St.Michael the Archangel Church was returned only in 1993 thanks to the efforts of a Catholic bishop - Monsignor Anthony Demyanko.

Today on the main altar of the Catholic Church is placed an icon of St. Michael the Archangel - a patron of the city since 1831. Its image was created in 1640-1650.