The Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Kaczyce

The Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Kaczyce is a historic wooden parish church, originally built before 1620 in Ruptawa and relocated to Kaczyce between 1971 and 1972. The history of the church is closely tied to its role in the local community, as the parish in Ruptawa once belonged to the Wodzisław deanery and served residents of nearby villages as well. Due to damage sustained during the Silesian Wars and after World War II, it was decided to move the church to Kaczyce, where the local community lacked its own parish. The provincial authorities approved this relocation, which helped preserve this valuable monument. Architecturally, the church features a log structure, a stone foundation, and a post-built tower topped with an onion dome. Its walls are covered with wooden shingles, and the roof is gabled. The interior is adorned with polychrome paintings and an 18th-century main altar featuring the painting *St. Anne with the Virgin and Child*, flanked by statues of St. John Nepomucene and St. Ignatius of Loyola. Two side altars are dedicated to St. Barbara and St. Catherine, and the walls display scenes of the Stations of the Cross painted by Jan Krężelok. A notable feature is the bell named "St. Anthony," weighing 350 kg, which was donated by the parishioners of Skrzyszów as a votive offering. It originally belonged to the parish in Pogwizdów. The church is part of the Wooden Architecture Trail of the Silesian Voivodeship and represents an important element of the region's cultural heritage.