St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Łódź

The Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Łódź is one of the most important Orthodox churches in the region, serving as the cathedral of the Łódź-Poznań Diocese of the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church. Built between 1880 and 1884 on the initiative of Łódź industrialists to demonstrate loyalty to the tsarist authorities, the structure was designed by architect Hilary Majewski in the Russian-Byzantine style, based on an octagonal layout. A distinctive feature of the cathedral is its dome rising on four pillars and its rich decorations, including gilded roofs and façade paintings that draw from Eastern Slavic traditions of sacred architecture. Inside, there is a unique three-row oak iconostasis, funded by Israel Poznański, as well as numerous icons created in the workshop of Vasily Vasilyev in St. Petersburg. Throughout its history, the cathedral has been significantly influenced by political events, such as the evacuation of Russian officials during World War I, which led to a decline in the number of parishioners. In the interwar period, the church became an important center of religious life for returning Russian families, as well as for Ukrainians and Belarusians. During World War II, the parish priests assisted Jewish residents by issuing false baptismal certificates. After the war, the cathedral was elevated to the status of a diocesan seat, and after numerous renovations, it regained its original splendor. The building is now listed in the register of historical monuments, and in 2014, it hosted the relics of St. Mary Magdalene. An interesting fact is that most of the founders of the cathedral were not Orthodox believers, highlighting the local spirit of collective action among the residents of Łódź.