Milik

Milik, a village in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship, is known for its wooden church from 1813, which now serves as the parish church of St. Cosmas and Damian. This historic building has retained its full original furnishings. The first mentions of a church in Milik date back to 1575, and in 1639, the Bishop of Kraków, Jakub Zadzik, established a separate Greek Catholic parish. Located in the valley of the Milik stream and surrounded by the hills of the Beskid Sądecki range, Milik was part of the Kraków diocese and was incorporated into the Nowy Sącz district in the late 16th century. In 1770, the village was annexed by the Austrian Empire, leading to the secularization of episcopal estates. After World War II, the Lemko population was displaced, and the area was largely resettled by Roman Catholics. Despite these challenges, Milik experienced demographic growth, reaching a population of 591 in 1884. Over the years, the village became home to a volunteer fire department, established in 1947. Interestingly, in the 19th century, Milik was a site of significant labor emigration to America and Lower Hungary, which influenced its social structures. Today, after years of change, Milik continues to preserve its unique cultural and historical heritage.