St. John Climacus's Orthodox Church, Warsaw

St. John Climacus's Orthodox Church
St. John Climacus's Orthodox Church in Warsaw
Cerkiew św. Jana Klimaka
View of the church from Wolska Street
52°13′40.62″N 20°56′47.40″E / 52.2279500°N 20.9465000°E / 52.2279500; 20.9465000
LocationWarsaw
CountryPoland
DenominationPolish Orthodox Church
Websitehttp://www.prawoslawie.pl
History
Founded1903
ConsecratedOctober 15, 1905
Cult(s) presentJohn Climacus
Architecture
Architect(s)Vladimir Pokrovsky
StyleRussian Revival
Groundbreaking1903
CompletedJune 1905
Specifications
Number of domes1
Number of spires1
Materialsstone, brick
Administration
DioceseWarsaw-Bielsko
DeaneryWarsaw

The St. John Climacus's Orthodox Church (Polish: Cerkiew św. Jana Klimaka, Russian: Церковь Святого Иоанна Лествичника) in Warsaw is an Orthodox parish church belonging to the Warsaw deanery of the diocese of Warsaw-Bielsk within the Polish Orthodox Church. It is located at 140 Wolska Street in the Ulrychów area of Wola district, inside the Orthodox cemetery.

The church was built from 1903 to 1905 at the initiative of the Archbishop of Warsaw Hieronymus Ekziemplarski as a burial place for his son Ivan and for the future church hierarchy, as well as serving as a church for cemetery funerals and church services for the deceased. The Orthodox parish became associated with Russian rule during the interwar period where many Orthodox churches were demolished or closed. Except for the period between 1915 and 1919, the church continued services almost uninterrupted. It was damaged during World War II, and during the Wola massacre the Germans murdered its priests, their families and the children from the Orthodox orphanage run by the parish.

The building was designed by Vladimir Pokrovsky. It mimics the appearance of 17th century church buildings in Rostov. The church contains historic icons and items from the early 20th century, including an iconostasis made by Alexandr Murashko. Murals added in the 60s and 70s are by Adam Stalony-Dobrzański and Jerzy Nowosielski. The building was renovated from 1945 to 1948 and in the 60s and 70s.

Since 2003, relics of St. Bazyli Martysz in the church have been made available to worship. The church, along with the whole area of the Wola Redoubt, was entered in the register of monuments on August 20, 2003 (No. A-54).