Belarus, a small country in eastern Europe, contains a huge amount of fantastic secrets, incredible monuments and amazing buildings. In Minsk, its capital, we find the Red Church, one of the most characteristic buildings of this Slavic city, as well as one of the most beautiful.
Minsk has an important Catholic community, which has been very present in the history of the city. However, the main religion of the country is Orthodox Christianity, so the Catholic churches fulfill the function of religious temples and meeting places for the faithful, who are a minority.
However, this has not stopped many of the most wonderful cathedrals in the Belarusian capital from being Catholic. One of them is the Red Church, famous for the reddish hue of its bricks.
The construction of this church began in 1905, and ended in 1910. Previously, at the beginning of the 20th century, the Catholics had asked the local mayor’s office for permission to build a new temple.
The project was approved, but it was necessary to have external financing. The person in charge of sponsoring the creation of the Red Church was the Polish philanthropist, Edward Woyniłłowicz.
This businessman wanted to honor the memory of his two small deceased children, named Simon and Helena, so the place was baptized as the Church of Saints Simon and Helena.
The Red Church is a recent construction, especially when compared to other great cathedrals and churches in Europe. Despite this, it is also one of the most appreciated buildings in Minsk.
This is because the Red Church was one of the few buildings that survived the Second World War, a conflict that wiped out almost all of Minsk’s historical and architectural legacy.
In the same way, this church suffered the censorship imposed by the Soviet regime, which banned religion and closed places of worship. The Red Church was one of the few places that kept its doors open, offering masses clandestinely.
Likewise, the church structure suffered damage due to neglect and disinterest on the part of the authorities. Fortunately, the sanctuary was restored in the late 90’s, and since then it has become a treasure not only for the Catholic community, but for all the inhabitants of the city.
If you are planning your trip to Minsk and you don’t want to leave out any of its must-sees, you should schedule a visit to the fantastic Red Church.
Come and be amazed by its wonderful neo-Romanesque architecture, its captivating red color, its statues, its gardens and its incomparable interior design.
In the same way, you will be able to live a multicultural experience, since the masses in this church are given in several languages, including Latin, Lithuanian and Belarusian.
In addition, you will also have the opportunity to visit the tomb of the founder of the Red Church, Edward Woyniłłowicz, and to see the Nagasaki Bell, a monument that stands right outside the sanctuary and that honors the memory of the many victims of the World War II and nuclear bombing.
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