Kościół pojezuicki (famy) w Grodnie

ENThe former Jesuit church in Grodno is little known in Poland. Infrequent mentions in heretofore literature include erroneous dates of its construction. Correct dates can be established upon the basis of material from the Jesuit Archive in Rome which shows that the erection of the church was inaugurated upon three occasions and on different sites. The first building is connected with the activity of King Stefan Batory who wished to found a Jesuit college in Grodno. The Jesits refused the offer, explaining that they lacked candidates for the new post. In the autumn of 1584 work was, nonetheless, commenced on a brick church situated next to the wooden parish church founded by Duke Witold. One of the builders was Antoni Dikgrep (Dekrip), an Italian mason. The church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary was completed already after the king’s death, and for centuries served as a parish church. Its original forms were almost Gothic; subsequently, it was redesigned upon a number of occasions and in the nineteenth century adapted for purposes of the Russian Orthodox Church; during the interwar period it became a garrison church and in 1961 the building was pulled down. The Jesuits settled down in Grodno as late as 1622. Various donations enabled them to become owners of building sites in the eastern part of the market, opposite the parish church; here they raised a wooden college, a school and a small church of St. Peter and Paul. The Jesuit chronicle notes the erection of a brick presbytery in 1666, but no mention is made of further construction. The only confirmation of the foundation is in the Seym constitutions of 1647 and 1667.The present day church of St. Francis Xavier was built in 1678-1705. In 1720 a small sacristy was added to the south chapel and in 1752 the towers were raised and a brick lantern on the main dome replaced its wooden predecessor. A violent storm immediately toppled the new lantern which was rebuilt in 1765. In 1772, a new lantern was installed on the dome of the south chapel. The wooden side altars were designed by Krzysztof Peuker from Królewiec (Konigsberg) and erected in 1709. Further four altars were completed in 1716. The main altar, which filled the entire apse, is the major accomplishment of the workshop in Reszel in Varmia, and was executed in 17361737 by Johann Schmidt, Peuker’s son-in-law and successor. In 1772 a brick altar of the Students’ Madonna was built in the south chapel; its Classicistic forms were enhanced by delicate stucco work. The north chapel contained the old St. Michael altar which probably originated in the seventeenth century, but was completely redesigned in 1725. A Rococo pulpit, wooden but imitating marble, was added in 1752. The confessionals, also Rococo, were installed by stages from 1768. In 1752 an artist signed with monograms B.I.D. painted 14 alfresco scenes from the life of St. Francis Xavier on the walls of the main nave and transept. The church in Grodno is one of the largest and most magnificent churches built by the Jesuits in the Commonwealth. Its size is equal to that of the Jesuit edifices in Cracow (St. Peter and Paul) and Vilno (St. Casimir). The composition of the solids is superior to other examples of Jesuit architecture - a domed transept is accompanied by two towers in the faęade as well as several domed chapels next to the presbytery. The interior is a three- nave basilica without galleries. The designer and builder remain unknown.