Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Werstok

The Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross in Werstok is an Orthodox temple with a rich history, belonging to the Kleszczele deanery of the Warsaw-Bielsk diocese of the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church. Its origins date back to the 17th century, and the first mention of the church comes from 1766. Originally, it was a church dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God, but in 1769, a new wooden log church was built in its place, funded by Józef Ludwik Wilczewski. The church became a parish church at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, and over the following years, it underwent numerous modernizations, including the addition of a sacristy, a women's section (ponomarka), a narthex, and a bell tower. After World War II, the church was renovated, and between 2013 and 2015, it underwent another thorough renovation. In 2016, on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the church, it was consecrated by Metropolitan Sawa of Warsaw and All Poland. The historic building, painted blue, is oriented and tripartite, with a tented roof topped by an octagonal turret. Inside the church, there are valuable iconographic resources from the second half of the 18th century, such as icons of St. Andrew, St. Thaddeus, and scenes depicting the Adoration of the Shepherds. These icons underwent thorough restoration between 1980 and 1982. The church's artifacts also include a Gospel and an Apostle book with an inscription from the founder, highlighting the cultural significance of these items. The church was entered into the register of monuments on December 22, 1986, further attesting to its historical and cultural importance. Surrounding the temple is a brick-and-metal fence, which complements the distinctive landscape of this unique church.