St. Peter and St. Paul Orthodox Church in Sosnowica

The Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Sosnowica is an Orthodox temple, operating as a branch of the Parish of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Horostyta, within the Chełm deanery of the Lublin-Chełm Diocese of the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church. The history of the church dates back to the beginning of the 15th century when the first church in Sosnowica was established, with its construction taking place from 1522 to 1544. The building was quickly destroyed, and in 1598, a new Uniate church was erected. Following the dissolution of the Uniate Chełm Diocese in 1875, the parish in Sosnowica transitioned to Orthodoxy. The current church, designed by Viktor Syczugov in the Byzantine-Russian style, was built between 1891 and 1894 and consecrated in 1894. For many years, it served as a parish church, but numerous obstacles, such as evacuation during World War I, led to its temporary closure. The church was abandoned after the relocation of local Orthodox believers in the 1950s, and its interior suffered significant damage. After 1989, the building was renovated and restored for liturgical use, with annual services held on its patronal feast day. As part of renovation works carried out between 2012 and 2018, the church underwent substantial revitalization, allowing for its reconsecration. Architecturally, the church features a cross-shaped plan, a single-nave structure, brick elevation, and onion domes. The interior is adorned with a 19th-century iconostasis featuring fifteen images and fresh frescoes, many of which have survived despite the damage. The church was added to the register of historical monuments in 1988. Interestingly, some of its icons were stolen but later recovered at the Polish-Ukrainian border. Despite the small number of faithful, the church and its cemetery remain an important part of the region's cultural heritage.