Novogrudok. The Church of St. Michael the Archangel.

In 1624, the governor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Christopher Khodkevich, ordered the construction of a wooden church of St. Jacek in Novogrudok. This generally ordinary event had far-reaching consequences, since the temple was supposed to be the center of the Dominican monastery. Soon, at Khodkevich's personal invitation, the brothers arrived.

One of the most influential monastic orders was founded on December 22, 1216 by the Spanish Catholic preacher Dominic de Guzman Garces. According to the idea, the brotherhood united secular people of both sexes to fight heretics, achieve moral perfection, and popularize the Gospel. The motto of the order is Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare [To praise, Bless, Preach]. Later, the fields of activity were supplemented by missionary work and the study of sciences. The principle of begging (the obligation to give up property and live by alms) was abolished by Pope Martin V in 1425. Monasteries were given the opportunity to accumulate wealth, and they succeeded a lot in this. On the Dominican standard there is a dog with a torch in his mouth, hence the unofficial name – "Domini Canes" ["Dogs of the Lord"]. The Order was considered almost the main inquisitorial one. The first Grand Inquisitor of Spain, Thomas de Torquemada, and many after him were Dominicans.

The wooden church of St. Jacek in Novogrudok was quickly rebuilt in stone; a fraternal building, a stable, a barn and a school appeared nearby (which, by the way, was subsequently graduated by Jan Chechot and Adam Mickiewicz).

The temple stood for about 100 years, but in 1751 it was almost completely destroyed by fire. It was restored for almost half a century, after which it was re-consecrated in honor of the Patron Saint of the city, Archangel Michael.

After the partitions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, rebellions constantly broke out in the territory controlled by the Russian Empire, not without the support of Catholic parishes. Under the pretext of spreading objectionable free-thinking sentiments, in 1832 the tsarist authorities closed the school. Then the monastery was liquidated. The Church of St. Michael the Archangel became a parish church.

According to the terms of the Brest Peace Treaty, Novogrudok ended up on the territory of Poland, where it remained until September 1939. The Poles managed to repair the temple and transfer it to the status of a Cathedral. After the end of the Second World War, the building was used as a store, furniture warehouse, and granary. In 1992, the church was returned to the Catholic community of the city. After a long restoration, he was re-consecrated in 1997.

From the outside, the church is architecturally restrained (it is believed that this is the Vilna Baroque, rather late classicism in the Tuscan style); inside it is elegant, filled with light, with 10 altars and an organ. Local residents managed to save valuable icons and church utensils, so there are authentic objects in the interior.

In the dungeon of the temple there is a crypt of the XVII century with the relics of monks and major patrons. This is the second crypt in the republic accessible to the public after the Nesvizh tomb of the Radziwills. An exposition of antique items belonging to the church is arranged in the opened openings.