Church of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist in Vishnivets

The Church of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist in Wiszniów, now functioning as the Parish Church of St. Stanislaus the Bishop and Martyr, has a rich history dating back to the 15th century. Initially established as a chapel, it served as an Orthodox church from 1472 onward, later becoming a Uniate church. In 1760, a wooden church was constructed, documented as a wooden parish temple, and in 1780, benefactors Michał Radecki and Franciszek Świeżawski funded a new building. During the Uniate period, following the dissolution of the Chełm Diocese in 1875, the church was converted to Orthodoxy, and the Uniate community was administratively and forcibly reclassified. After World War I, in 1922, the church was transformed into a Catholic church, and its external appearance underwent numerous modifications, including significant renovations in 1954 and 1987. Architecturally, the temple is maintained in the Byzantine-Russian style, and the surrounding cemetery features 19th-century tree stands under conservation protection. Beyond the church itself, the parish area also preserves civil registry records of the Orthodox parish, providing valuable material for historians. Interestingly, although many changes have been certified, some cultural and historical elements from earlier times have been preserved, reflecting parish life, including a former wooden school from the late 19th century located nearby. The church and cemetery hold not only religious but also cultural and aesthetic significance, serving as a memorial site within the local community.