Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Kożany

The Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Kożany is an Orthodox church belonging to the Białystok Deanery of the Białystok-Gdańsk Diocese of the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church. Its history dates back to the 17th century, when the first church, originally dedicated to the Nativity of the Mother of God, was mentioned in documents from 1621. Over the centuries, the church underwent various changes, including a period of union with the Roman Catholic Church. In the 18th century, the Uniate church in Kożany was heavily Latinized. After the partitions of Poland and its incorporation into Prussia, the church began operating within the Supraśl Diocese. In the 19th century, due to poverty and poor technical condition, the church was closed and demolished in the 1870s. After prolonged efforts by the local community, a new church was built between 1883 and 1886. Architecturally, it is a wooden, tripartite structure built using log construction, featuring a bell tower and a roof in the shape of a Greek cross. The interior is adorned with an iconostasis containing eleven icons, including the highly revered image of Christ the Savior. The church grounds also feature historic crosses and a monument dedicated to the 80 Orthodox residents of the Juchnowiec Kościelny municipality who lost their lives during World War II. Another notable feature is a wooden chapel located at the foot of the church hill, built over a spring considered miraculous. The church was added to the register of historical monuments in 2005 and, after a comprehensive renovation, was consecrated in 2019 by Archbishop Jakub.