Yuratishki. The Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

In the 16th century, the post of Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was held by the Vilna voivode Albert Martinovich Gashtold. It was he who initiated the construction of an Orthodox church on the territory of Yuratishek. For this purpose, a very unusual project was developed: the place was to be decorated with a wooden structure resembling a ship. As a result, in 1532, this unusual building appeared here, which has been considered a curiosity among the preserved Catholic and Orthodox churches for five centuries.

Some historians, however, question the date of construction. There are versions that the church of St. Nicholas was built only in the first half of the 19th century. However, the year 1532 is often mentioned in church inventories that have survived to this day. But 1840 is considered to be the date of the first reconstruction of the church, when major repairs were carried out inside the building. The exterior of the Orthodox church was also updated: workers raised the walls, laid an additional stone foundation and laid a new shingle roof. Thus, the temple acquired a new well-groomed appearance.

In the second half of the 19th century, a wooden bell tower was added to the Orthodox shrine on the west side. With the onset of World War II, when the Germans occupied the territory of Belarus, the temple began to be used as a military hospital. However, the wounded who were treated here did not recover or recover, and many even died. The fascists were at a loss as to why this was happening. Everything became clear when the appearance of the Most Holy Theotokos occurred in the church, who said that as long as there was a hospital in the church, there could be no question of any healing and recovery. Fearing this, the Germans soon liberated the temple and moved the hospital to another building.

The church, built entirely of wood, is a unique structure. The tin roof reliably protects it from various weather conditions. The crowning of the roof with two domes gives the church a majestic appearance. A few years ago, there was a fire in the church, but, fortunately, it was completely restored and now it receives parishioners and pilgrims again. Recently, the walls of the church were painted sky blue, but after the last renovation, it was decided to change it.

On May 22, 2014, on the feast of the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas and the Wonderworker from the Lycian World to Bar, Archbishop Gury of Novogrudok and Lida consecrated the church in honor of St. Nicholas in the village of Yuratishki of the Ivyevsky deanery. The consecration of the temple became an important and long-awaited event for the villagers.

In February 2012, the church burned down. Parishioners managed to save icons and other shrines, but the fire partially damaged the roof, ceilings and walls of the temple. Thanks to the efforts of the rector, Priest Sergiy Kozachka, parishioners and donors, the church was completely restored.