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Leshchinovo. The Old Believers' Trinity Church.

Church

Church

Belarus, Grodno region, Ostrovetsky district, Leshchinovo farm

Description

At the very border between Lithuania and Belarus, in the depths of the forest, on a hill stands a lone wooden Holy Trinity pomeranian church. The Trinity Church was built in the XVIII century, and then rebuilt several times. Previously, it was part of the Stripishki tract, now defunct. In spring and autumn, when the soil turns into an impassable swamp, it is very difficult to get to the Trinity Church. The nearest settlement is seven kilometers away.

Categories

Historical

Historical

Architectural monument

Architectural monument

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Reviews to the Place

1

Ольга Ерёменко

07.08.2025

The Trinity Church of the Old Believers is a unique example of wooden architecture.

Built between the 18th and 19th centuries, the church is a rectangular log structure topped with a gable roof with a triangular pediment. The main facade is decorated with decorative paneling imitating a Christmas tree pattern. Low galleries on the sides give the building the appearance of a basilica. The walls have no exterior cladding, but are decorated with a cornice with carved valances. The entrance porch was originally designed: the gable canopy is supported by wooden cantilever supports with struts. The four-sided bell tower with an onion dome, towering over the vestibule, gives the church an Orthodox flavor.


There is very little information from archives and bibliographic sources about this Old Believer church.

According to some sources, the church in the Stripishki tract was founded in the XVIII century. In the second half of the 19th century, the temple underwent partial reconstruction.

According to archival documents, the community in Stripishki was founded in 1893. In 1910, a new wooden church was built in its place, which has survived to this day. In the 1920s and 30s, the church functioned. In 1925, the Stripishki Old Believer community numbered 625 parishioners and belonged to the Old Believer Church of Poland.


The Old Believers' Trinity Church is a unique example of wooden architecture. The temple was rebuilt several times. The last works were carried out here in 1910.

Worship services in the church were held until the 90s. Since some of the parishioners lived in Lithuania, visiting the church became difficult after the border was established.

In 2005, the church received the status of a historical and cultural value.

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