Church of the Protection of the Mother of God in Wołowiec

The Church of the Protection of the Mother of God in Wołowiec, built in the 18th century, is an example of Greek Catholic architecture and currently serves as an Orthodox filial church belonging to the Parish of Saints Cosmas and Damian in Bartne. Located on the Wooden Architecture Trail of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship, it features a tripartite structure (sanctuary, nave, and narthex) and is oriented, with a tower above the entrance and a pseudo-lantern at its top. The tented roof and onion domes over the nave and sanctuary give it a unique appearance. Inside, the church retains 19th-century polychrome paintings depicting scenes from the life of Constantine the Great and Joshua’s crossing of the Jordan River, while the iconostasis dates back to the 18th century. The church was added to the register of historical monuments in 1987. Historically, the temple served as a Greek Catholic parish church, which lost most of its faithful during the Tylava Schism in 1927 to the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church. After World War II, the church was used as a sheepfold, but in 1958, after the return of Orthodox Lemkos, the building was returned to them. In subsequent years, renovations were carried out, and in 2009, the church became the exclusive property of the Orthodox Church. The church not only serves a religious function but also stands as an important element of the region’s cultural heritage.