Cathedral of St. Apostles Peter and Paul

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The Ensemble of Petropavlivs'kyi (Peter and Paul's) Cathedral. The Roman Catholic Church, the XVI-XVIII centuries. Preservation Number #740 | Foto
20 Tatars'ka St.

The original - model of the book was made in the publishing house"γyum"
(Kamyanets'-Podil's'kyi, box 45)
1997, the first release
The authors of the text: �.Rasschutkin, V.Storchovyi

The Cathedral of St. Apostles Peter and Paul

In the central part of the Old Town there is a monumental building of the Cathedral - the centre of the Latin Diyetsesiya (the Roman Catholic Episcopacy), the stones of which has been the witnesses of a great number of events.
The Pulpit of the Biscup (Bishop) has been existing in Kamyanets' for six centuries with small intervals. The Lithuanian Princes, the ��riatovychs, were the founders of the first wooden Roman Catholic Church. It was built circa 1370. �nd in five years, at the Polish King will, the Pope, Grygoriy XI, founded the Diyetsesiya in Kamyanets' and the Roman Catholic Church became the Cathedral. Vilgelm, the monk of the order of the St. Dominic, is supposed to be the first bishop.
The building of the stone Roman Catholic Church is connected with the name of Bishop, Yakiv Buchats'kyi (1502-1517), who was a devotee and a wealthy man; he has given some money for fortifying of the ��myanets' Castle. At first, the Roman Catholic Church was in Romanesque, it was remarkable for simplicity of shape and had three naves. At that time the Altar was orientated to the west and was located in the place of the present entrance to the Roman Catholic Church.
In the middle of the XVI �entury, Bishop, Leonard Slon'chevs'kyi (1547-1562), built on the chapel of the Saint Secrets from the north to the main corps and the chapel of the Consolation of the Pure Blessed Virgin from the south-west. Till today, there is a cut stone table with the coat of arms of L.Slon'chevs'kyi and letters "L.S.�.�." (Leonard Slon'chevs'kyi, Bishop of Kamyanets') and with the date 1561, that may be the date of the consecrate of the chapel, on one of the counterforts of this chapel.
Bishop, Paul Voluts'kyi (1591 1607), has left to the descendants the stone house of the bishop that is situated opposite the Pulpit. In 1616, a fire damaged the Roman Catholic Church a lot, but in 5 years a solemn Divine service took place here. On the occasion of the victory over the Turks near Khotyn, Bishop, Paul Pyasets'kyi (1627-1640), has built the chapel of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin.
In 1644, Bishop, Mychaylo Dzialyns'kyi, removed the Main Altar to the east, built on the presbyterium (place for the Altar and clergy) to the eastern side of the Roman Catholic Church, which is equal to the width of the middle nave. As for architecture, the presbyterium has some Gothic traits: peaked arch coverings of the ceiling, arc-boutants, lancet window opennings, decorated with coloured glass. At the same time, there is "The Getsymans'kyi Garden" from the outside behind the Main Altar.
During the domination of the Turks (1672-1699), the bishops were outside Podillia and there were almost no Catholics within that area. The Pulpit was tuned into the main Moslem Mosque. The Minaret, 36,5 m high, was built on to the eastern side. The chapel of the XVI �entury in the form of cube became a basis for it. The Turks blocked up the Chapel with stones, �nd placed round twenty-meter tower on the top of it with 145 stone spiral stairs inside �nd a balcony, from which a muezzin called for prayer for five times a day. The Turks destroyed all the decorations and things, that had been in the Roman Catholic Church. They also took out of the city the bones of the Christians, which had been buried on the churchyard near the Pulpit.
After returning of Podillia to Polish Kingdom, Bishop, Yan Gnins'kyi, reconsecrated the Mosque into the Roman Catholic Church again. Two memorable plates on the pylons on each side of the central nave testify to this event.
In the middle of the XVIII �entury, Bishop, �ykola Dembovs'kyi (1740-1757), with the assistance of architect, Yan de Vitte did major repairs in the Roman Catholic Church in the Baroque Style: new Main Altar, the chairs of the canons were placed, the amvon was decorated with the figures of four Evangelists, the Main front was decorated with the pilasters, capitals and sculptural images. The harmony and integrity of the front supplements with the coat of arms of Bishop, �.Dembovs'kyi, and the memorable plate about his services. There is an inscription on the plate: "This plate was placed in 1754 at God's will to noble �ykolay from Gora Dubova, to Bishop, Dembovs'kyi and ��myanets'kyi refresher of the relic from grateful capitul (clergy) "
The repair of the Minaret and placing of the copper statue of the Blessed Virgin, 3,5 m high is also one of the achievements of Mykola Dembivs'kyi. The figure was made in Gdans'k and placed on May 10, 1756 with bell rings and cannon shooting in the castle. The Blessed Virgin stands on the the Terrestrial Globe and Half Moon and is blessing the town and land. There is an aureole of 12 stars around Her head. In memory of this event there was an inscription in the bottom part of the Minaret "The Pure Blessed Virgin, the Patroness of the City". This figure was placed in the time of the Abbot ��hov[ets'kyi] of �ykolay coat of arms of Yelit, Dembovs'kyi Bishop of Kamyanets'-Podil's'kyi, the cavalier �f the order of Bilyi Orel (White Eagle) in 1756.
The Russian Empress, Catherine II, liquidated the Diyetsesiya without agreement with the Apostolic Capital on September 6, 1795. In 1798, after agreement of the Emperor Paul with the Pope Piy VI the Diyetsesiya was renewed.
In June, 1820, a lightning stroke the foot of the firgure of the Blessed Virgin, passed through the centre of the M�naret downward, causing a fire, that was quickly extinguished.
On April 9, 1823, as a result of storm, the Blessed Virgin bent forward to the east. The threat of falling has arosen, that is why the Divine Service was temporarily transfered to the Dominican Roman Catholic Church. The priest, Shymon Uchta, directed the liquidation of the damage. On July 25, 1823, the divine service in the Pulpit was renewed.
From 1853 t� 1860, the major repairs were done in the Roman Catholic Church, during which the altars were renewed, the organ of the Austrian firm Charles Gesse was placed in the presbytherium, the coloured glass was inserted. The walls and the ceiling of the chapel of the the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin were painted with tempera paint by the Italian decorator, Jovanni Sampini.
Unfortunately, an accident has happened. On June 30, 1862, at night a fire burnt down the roof of the Roman Catholic Church. The people gave their last money, rings, necklaces for restoration of the sanctuary. There were the donations even from the representatives of the other confessions. People's passion and donations helped that on December 7, 1862, Bishop, Antoniy Fialkovs'kyi served a solemn Divine Service in the Church.
By the Decree of the Emperor, Olexandr II, from July 5, 1866, the Kamyanets' Diyetsesiya was liquidated and joined to the Luts'k-Zhytomyr's one. Bishop, �ntoniy Fialkovs'kyi, has left the city. The Roman Catholic Church has became the parish one.
In 1918, the Pope, Benedykt XV, renewed ��myanets'-Podil's'kyi'skyi Diyetsesiya �nd probosch (the Dean) Roman Catholic priest, Peter Man'kovs'kyi, has been appointed Bishop. �nd in two years, the Bolsheviks liquidated the Diyetsesiya, the Roman Catholic Church turned parish �gain and in 1936, it was locked.
In 1941-1946, the Roman Catholic Church worked but in 1946, it was closed again; they motivated it by that till the XVII �entury the Orthodox Church had been there.
From 1946 t� 1990, the department of atheism of the historical museum was located in the Church. On June 29, 1990, at the instance of the faithful the local authorities gave the Church back to the Roman Catholic community .
On January 16, 1991, the saint confessor, �van Pavlo II, appointed the Roman Catholic priest, Yan Ol'shans'kyi, the 60th Kamyanets' Bishop, having restored the Diyetsesiya.
On June 10, 1995, the Roman Catholic priest, Stanislav Padevs'kyi, was consecrated to the Bishop assistant in this Cathedral.

The Ensemble of Petropavlivs'kyi (Peter and Paul's) Cathedral, the XVI-XVIII centuries.
Preservation # 740

The Ensemble includes the Petropavlivs'kyi Roman Catholic Cathedral, the Bell Tower, the Triumphal Arch, and the Turkish Minaret.
The traits of the architectural styles are successfully combined in the ensemble (the Renaissance, Baroque, Gothic). It is of great historic and cultural value.

The Cathedral of St. Apostoles Petro and Pavlo

There is a monumental building of the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the capital of the Latin Diyetseziya (Roman Catholic Episcopacy) in the central part of the Old City. The stones of the Cathedral were the witnesses of various events.
There is a Pulpit of the Bishop in Kamyanets' for more than six centuries, with small intervals. The founders of the first wooden Roman Catholic Church, that was built around 1370, were the Lithuanian Princes, the Koriatovychs, that ruled at that time in Podillia. In 5 years, at the request of the Polish King, Pope Grygoriy XI, founded the Diyetseziya in Kamyanets'. The Church became Cathedral.
Bishop, Yakiv Buchats'kyi (1502-1517), is thought to be the builder of the stone Roman Catholic Church. He was a religious and rich man, who also gave money for fortifications of the Kamyanets' Castle. The Church was built in the Roman Style. There were three naves in it. The altar was oriented westward and was located in the place of the present entrance. The entrance was located from the side of the Polish Market at that time.
In the middle of the XVI century, Bishop, Leonard Slonchevs'kyi (1547 - 1562), built on the chapel of Presvyati Tayinstva (The Sacred Sacraments) from the North, and the chapel of the Consolation of the Pure Virgin from the south-west. The stone plate on one of the counterforts remained till today. There are the coat of arms, letters "L.S.E.C." (Leonard Slonchevs'kyi, Bishop of Kamyanets' ), and date 1561; probably, it is the date of the consecration of the Chapel.
Bishop, Pavlo Voluts'kyi (1591-1607), has built a stone house for the Bishop. In 1616, fire damaged the Church greatly, but in 5 years the Solemn Divine Service in honor of the victory over the Turks under Khotyn was carried out there.
Bishop, Pavlo Piasets'kyi (1627- 1640), has built the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception.
In 1644, Bishop, Myhaylo Dzialyns'kyi has built on the presbiterium from the east, transferring the Main Altar there. The presbiterium was built in the Gothic Style. At the same time, the Getsymans'kyi Garden was placed behind the Altar from the side of Polish Market.
In the period of the Turkish domination (1672-1699), the bishops were located outside Podillia, and there were no Catholics there. The Cathedral became the main Moslem Mosque. The Minaret, 36,5 m, was built on from the west. The cuboid chapel of the XVII century became the foundation of the Minaret. It is blocked up with stones, 20-metres tower with 145 stone steps is placed on the top. All decorations of the Church were destroyed, the bones of the Christians, who were buried in the churchyard were taken out of the city.
After returning Podillia to Polish Kingdom again, Bishop Yan Gnins'kyi consecrated the Mosque into the Roman Catholic Church. Two memorial plates on the pylons in the central nave verify this event.
In the middle of the XVIII century, Bishop, Mykola Dembovs'kyi (1740-1757), and architect, Yan de Vitte, made the major repairs. A new Altar was built, the armchairs of the canons were placed there, the amvon was decorated with the sculptures of the Evangelists. The main front was decorated with the pilasters, capitals, sculptures. The harmony and integrity of the front is supplemented with the coat of arms of Bishop, M.Dembovs'kyi and the memorial plate with the following text on it: "In 1754, at God's Will this plate is placed by the noble capital to the noble Mykolay Dembovs'kyi, Kamyanets' Bishop, from Gora Dubova (Oaken Mountain), the refresher of the sacred object"
The repair of the Minaret and placing of the copper statue of the Blessed Virgin, 3,5 m high is also one of the achievements of Mykola Dembivs'kyi. The statue was made in Gdans'k and placed on May 10, 1756, to bell chime and cannon fire in the Castle. The Blessed Virgin stands on the Globe and the crescent, blessing the city and land. There is an aureole of 12 stars around Her head. In memory of this event, the inscription was made in the bottom part of the Minaret: "The Pure Blessed Virgin, the Patroness of the Town". This figure was placed in the time of the Abbot ��hov[ets'kyi] of �ykolay coat of arms of Yelit, Dembovs'kyi, Bishop of Kamyanets'-Podil's'kyi, the cavalier �f the order of Bilyi Orel (White Eagle) in 1756.
The Russian Empress, Catherine II, liquidated the Diyetsesiya without agreement with the Apostolic Capital by the Decree from September 6, 1795. But in 1798, after agreement of the Emperor Paul with the Pope Piy VI, the Diyetsesiya was renewed.
In June, 1820, a lightning stroke the M�naret, a fire was caused, but it was quickly extinguished.
On April 9, 1823, as a result of storm the figure of the Blessed Virgin bent eastward. The threat of falling has arosen, that is why the Divine Service was temporarily transfered to the Dominican Roman Catholic Church. The repair works were carried out under direction of the priest, Shymon Uchta. On July 25, 1823, the first Divine Service there was conducted.
From 1853 t� 1860, the major repairs were done in the Church. The altars were renewed, the organ of the Austrian firm of Charles Gesse was placed there, and the windows with coloured glass were inserted in the presbytherium. The walls and the ceiling of the chapel of the the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin were painted with tempera paint by the Italian decorator, Jovanni Sampini.
On June 30, 1862, at night a fire burnt down the roof of the Roman Catholic Church. The people gave their last money, rings, necklaces for restoration of the sanctuary. There were the donations even from the representatives of the other confessions.
On December 7, 1862, Bishop, Antoniy Fialkovs'kyi, served a solemn Divine Service in the Church.
By the Decree of the Emperor, Olexandr II, from July 5, 1866, the Kamyanets' Diyetsesiya was liquidated and joined to the Luts'k-Zhytomyr's one. Bishop, �ntoniy Fialkovs'kyi, has left the city. The Roman Catholic Church has became the parish one.
In 1918, the Pope, Benedykt XV, renewed ��myanets'-Podil's'kyi's Diyetsesiya �nd probosch (the Dean), Roman Catholic priest, Peter Man'kovs'kyi, has been appointed Bishop. In two years, the Bolsheviks liquidated the Diyetsesiya. The Roman Catholic Church has became parish �gain, and in 1936, it was closed.
In 1941-1946, the Roman Catholic Church worked again. In 1946, it was closed again; they motivated it by that till the XVII �entury, the Orthodox Church had been there.
From 1946 t� 1990, the department of atheism of the historical museum was located in the Church. On June 29, 1990, at the instance of the faithful the local authorities gave the Church back to the Roman Catholic community. On January 16, 1991, the saint confessor �van Pavlo II appointed the Roman Catholic priest Yan Ol'shans'kyi, the Kamyanets' Bishop, and the Diyetsesiya was restored.
On June 10, 1995, the Roman Catholic priest, Stanislav Padevs'kyi, was consecrated to the Bishop assistant in this Cathedral.

�� - �� "γ��" (�. ��'�� - ��, �/� 45) 1997 ��, �� .��, �.��.

ORGAN IS HEARD OVER THE SMOTRYCH RIVER

Fluently and widely, velvety and resounding, stately and deeply, with cascades of soft sounds, with roulades, powerful, triumphant, and solemn music comes into being, grows and reaches hearts in cool silence under the copula of the former Cathedral, one of the present monuments of the museum and reserve. As a result, you are captured by this music, you are shining, you rise to the sky, it catches your breath... Such is the power of the Kings of the organ music - Bakh, Motsart, Bethoven... Such fascinating and multilingual is the nature of the King of the musical instruments, organ. It is so ancient that dates back to the depth of centuries B.C. in different epochs it was changed in its own way, different music could be heard from its keyboard. For example, from the X-XI centuries, it has been the attribute of the religious cult, but the Renaissance has returned it to the high life again. The XVI-XVIII centuries are marked with the intensive spreading of the organ in Europe.
The King of the musical instruments settled in Kamyanets'-Podil's'kyi in 1857. Such organs were made by the Viennese firm of Karl Khesse at that time. This instrument has two manuals (hand keyboards), one pedal, and 972 organ-pipes. It has 20 spots.
In the war period, the Kamyanets'organ was broken. Only last year, new life was given to this wonderful instrument by the Estonian masters from the Rakvere city from initiative of local government. They had to change a third of the organ-pipes, keys on the manuals, add several registers, and set the electric motor.
On November, 9 will be the anniversary of the event when under the cupola of the monument of architecture of the V-XIX centuries powerful and fascinating music was heard again. This time professor of the Kyiv Conservatory, Arseniy Mykolayovych Kotliarevs'kyi was sitting at the manuals. He has played the famous Bakh's fugue re minor. When thin and sensitive fingers of Iryna Kalynovs'ka touched the keys, the Professor smiled: "Well done! We have not been mistaken".
Really, she is one of his three students-organists, who came to the opening of the restored organ in the ancient city over the Smotrych River.
- And has left there, - Iryna Mykolayivna smiles. - I like this city and its people. And, undoubtedly, love to organ music has lead me here.
How could the Simferopol' pupil, Ira Kalynovs'ka, know several years ago, while making a tour of Latvia with mother, what a deep impression the Doms'kyi Temple will leave in her soul? She heard the organ for the first time there, and found passion in it forever.
Haven entered the Kyiv Conservatory, Iryna began to study in two classes simultaneously - piano and organ. Where did the energy come from? Love to music was above all. It lead her along the steps of knowledge, it tought her to work hard, to self-oblivion. Iryna Kalynovs'ka has graduated the Conservatory with honor, and she was offered to enter the post-graduate course.
- The organ and desire to work at self-improvement and give people such rich art has won...
The works of Bakh and Gegel', Freskobal'di and Bukstehude, Bem and Bruns, Pahel'bel', Shubert, and Martini are in her... Singer, Liliya Yevdokymova, and commentator, teacher of the music school, Diana Genel' are her partners.
- I feel so glad, - Iryna Mykolayivna says, - when I see, that people need my art. Not only people from Khmel'nyts'kyi Region, but also from Chernivtsi and Ivano-Frankivs'k, Odesa and L'viv, Tbilisi and Tallin come to Kamyanets'. To excite people's hearts, one needs to work at self-improvement a lot.
Last summer, Iryna Kalynovs'ka improved her skills in Donets'k. She took part in the Festival of the Organ music "Praz'ka Vesna" ("Prague's Spring") as a part of the Soviet representatives.
The Kamyanets'organ is one of such kind in our country. There are only seven its "relatives" in Europe. We do not know, if the music lovers know that. Undoubtedly, they love organ in the ancient city. There were more than 100 concerts during year. More than 20 thousand people has attended the concerts.
Four days a week a perfect acoustical hall of the museum and reserve is filled with charming music. If you want to feel its mystery, you have to visit that hall. To tell the truth, there are a lot of visitors there, but do not forget that on Sundays Iryna Kalynovs'ka gives two concerts. She plays enthusiastically, selflessly, with great inspiration.

�� . �� \\ �� . - ��, 1983. - 21 ��.

Translated by Yana Anufriyeva
mail to: [email protected]