Religious Tourism

The Church of the Resurrection of Christ was built in the early 20th century. Its traditional volumetric-spatial composition is complemented by some structural elements in the Art Nouveau style. The Church of the Resurrection of Christ was severely damaged during the Soviet era.

In the 1990s, the church underwent restoration, after which divine services resumed. Currently, the church belongs to the Postavy deanery.

 

Orthodox Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist (1875)

Address: Postavy district, Gruzdovo village, Shkolnaya street, 11

Coordinates: 55.014715, 27.010035

The Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist in Gruzdovo village was built at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. During the Soviet era, the church was severely damaged. It was restored in 1996-1997. The church is an architectural monument of the retrospective Russian style. It is a rectangular building with a three-tiered bell tower, topped with an onion dome. The Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist belongs to the Postavy deanery.

 

Catholic Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (operating in a former administrative building built in the 20th century)

Address: Gruzdovo village, Lesnaya street 12

Coordinates: 55.014619, 27.011124

The first mentions of a Catholic shrine appear in 1863 as a chapel in the cemetery of the Luchai parish. In autumn, local press reports that Count Jozef Przezdziecki allocated most of the necessary funds for the construction of the church. In 1918, a church named after the Blessed Virgin Mary is mentioned. During World War II, the church was destroyed. In the post-war period, efforts were made to restore the shrine, but it was never rebuilt. In the 90s, the church was rebuilt on the foundation of the old church and a reconstructed former rectory.

 

Church of the Holy Trinity

Address: ag. Dunilovichi, Osenenko street 2

Coordinates: 55.076142, 27.235409

An architectural monument in the Baroque style with elements of classicism, built in 1769-1773. It was built as a monastic church of the Dominican monastery (not preserved). Copies of the metric books of the Dunilovichi Dominican (parish) church for 1827-1833 and 1834-1848 are stored in the National Historical Archive of Belarus. In 1948, the church was closed, first used as a warehouse for storing artificial fertilizers, and then as a grain storage. In 1989, the church was returned to believers, and on August 12, the first Holy Mass was held, led by Father Vladislav Blin. In the 1990s, a long restoration of the church took place. It is the only church in Belarus with a two-story altar. Around the church is a fence with forged gates, an architectural monument of Neo-Renaissance. The object is included in the State List of Historical and Cultural Values of the Republic of Belarus.

 

Church of John the Baptist.

Address: Postavy district, ag. Kamai, Gagarina street 1

Coordinates: 55.060196, 26.605207

Architectural style: defensive architecture, Gothic and Renaissance.

One of the oldest churches in Belarus, built in 1603-1606.
The built fortress church served as a place of defense during the war with the Swedes, as evidenced by cannonball marks on its walls. In addition, the church is one of the few in Belarus that has never been closed, except for periods of restoration.

 The church contains about 120 historically valuable items, including: a miraculous icon of the Mother of God (early 17th century), wooden statues of Saints Peter and Paul (early 18th century), a two-hundred-year-old organ, and the painting "Jesus and the Orphan" (19th century). The church also houses particles of the relics of Saints Casimir and Stanislaus.  

 

Icon of the Baptism of the Lord.

In the interior of the Kamai church, the main altar, dating back to the second half of the 18th century, stands out. This two-tiered altar is adorned with Corinthian columns, giving it a majestic appearance. In the first tier, niches house wooden statues of Saints Peter and Paul (early 18th century), recalling the importance of apostolic succession.

A special place in the altar is occupied by an icon of the Mother of God from the early 17th century, probably created in Krakow around 1610. This icon is revered by believers as miraculous; its image brings hope and comfort.

The second tier of the altar depicts the picturesque Baptism of the Lord — an important feast symbolizing the beginning of Jesus Christ's ministry and His manifestation as the Son of God.

This icon and the altar itself are not only works of art but also sacred symbols that unite believers in their spiritual life and sensitivity to holy relics.

 

Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos — Old Believer Pomeranian Church.

Address: Postavy district, Kuklyany village

Coordinates: 55.108157, 26.480642

 Year of construction: 1st half of the 19th century.

 The church is a monument of folk architecture.

Architecturally, the church is designed as a rectangular log cabin under a gable roof, which is crowned above the triangular pediment by a two-tiered bell tower with an onion dome. The horizontally planked wooden facades are pierced by single rectangular window openings and divided by tie beams.

 The Holy Dormition Church houses valuable icons "The Nativity of Christ and the Flight into Egypt" (1834) and "The Transfiguration" (19th century). Feast day: August 28, Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos.

 

Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos

Address: Postavy district, Lasitsa village, Tsentralnaya street, 13A
Coordinates: 55.091674, 27.395

Built in 1830. It is an architectural monument of the Russian style.

The church houses icons "Mother of God on a Serpent" (late 18th century) and "Mother of God with Child" (turn of the 18th-19th centuries).

 

Catholic Church of St. Thaddeus

Address: Postavy district, Luchai village, Sadovaya street 10
Coordinates: 55.089796, 27.117773

The Church of St. Thaddeus in the village of Luchai was built between 1766 and 1776 from brick, thanks to a donation from Thaddeus Ogiński. This Catholic church combines features of Baroque and Classicism and is an important architectural monument. The church is included in the State List of Historical and Cultural Values of the Republic of Belarus. 

The history of the church in Luchai began in 1731 when the mission of the Main Vilnius School was founded here. Initially, the mission existed without its own buildings. In 1766, construction of the church began, which was completed in 1776. The first child named Ignacy was baptized in the Luchai church in August 1774. Initially, the church was built in the Baroque style, but in the first half of the 19th century, it was slightly rebuilt with the addition of classical features.

In 1811, an organ "with 12 voices" was installed in the church at the expense of Thaddeus Wańkowicz. On December 19, 1821, on St. Valeria's Day, the marriage of Valeria Wańkowicz and the famous scholar and patron Konstantin Tyszkiewicz was consecrated here.

During World War II, the church was severely damaged, and after the expulsion of Father I. Romeyko in 1948, it was closed and converted into a warehouse. Until 1971, people gathered here for services, although there was no priest in the parish.

On May 16, 1990, the church building was returned to Catholics. In 2008, the world's first monument to Pope Benedict XVI was erected near the Church of St. Thaddeus. In the left part of the territory, an artificial pond with aquatic plants and a statue of the Virgin Mary in a niche was created.

 

Monument to Pope Benedict XVI.

Address: Postavy district, Luchai village, Sadovaya street, 10A

Coordinates: 55.089775, 27.117801

In 2008, the world's first lifetime monument to Pope Benedict XVI was erected in Luchai village, Postavy district, on the territory of the active Church of St. Thaddeus.

The unveiling of this monument was timed to coincide with the visit of the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, to the Republic of Belarus.

The sculpture represents a figure of the Pope in a white cassock with a gesture of blessing (1.7 meters high) and is located in front of the central entrance to the church.

The monument was made in Minsk. The author of the sculpture is Professor Lev Oganov (with a gesture of blessing (Member of the Belarusian Union of Artists).

 

Church of St. Andrew the Apostle

Address: Lyntupy urban settlement, Krasilnikova street, 1

Coordinates: 55.048606, 26.312057

An architectural monument in the Neo-Baroque style. Built in 1908-1914 with the financial support of Jozef Biszewski.

 In December 2023, the church was included in the State List of Historical and Cultural Values of the Republic of Belarus.

 From history: the Catholic parish in Lyntupy was founded in the 15th century. The first wooden church was built here around 1459. Later, the wooden church burned down.

Some sources mention that the church is consecrated in the name of St. Andrew Bobola, however, the church and parish are named after the Apostle Andrew, and the patronal feast in the church is celebrated on November 30 (in the Catholic Church - the memory of St. Andrew the Apostle).

 The main decorations of the exterior are stucco elements. The adjacent territory is surrounded by a stone fence with a gate. One of the main relics is the icon of St. Anne, which dates back to the 18th century. Annually in July, a festival in honor of St. Anne is held in Lyntupy. The tradition of honoring the saint has been preserved since 1826.

 

Festival in honor of St. Anne.

Annually in July, the urban settlement of Lyntupy is filled with guests from Belarus and abroad to take part in one of the main events of the year - the festival in honor of St. Anne.

A solemn service in the church, a procession around the church unite parishioners and guests of the celebration. And in the square, from early morning, rows of stalls with icons, rosaries, religious literature, and commemorative figurines line up. Children are not overlooked either - sugar sticks and roses are prepared for them. And it is imperative to bring a rooster - a lollipop - from the festival, as a souvenir of the holiday.

After the service, the participants of the celebration go home, set tables, and celebrate with family and friends. The tradition of honoring St. Anne in Lyntupy has been preserved since 1826.

 

Orthodox Assumption Church (1871);

Address: Postavy district, Mankovichi village, Zarechnaya street, 3A

Coordinates: 55.041513, 26.892729

The Assumption Church in Mankovichi was built of rubble stone in 1871. It is an architectural monument in the retrospective Russian style.

 

Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos

Address: Osinogorodok village, Stankevich street, 4

Coordinates: 55.160477, 27.371274

Style: retrospective Russian.

Built in 1856 from wood at the expense of Prince Ignacy Lubecki on the site of a wooden church built in 1782 at the expense of Prince Anufry Drutsky-Lubecki. The patronal feast is on July 2, the day of the Deposition of the Honest Robe of the Most Holy Theotokos.

The church houses icons of "Saint Nicholas" (early 19th century), "Saint Alexander Nevsky" and "Saint George the Victorious" (mid-early 19th century) painted by the same master, and 18th-century icons of "The Virgin and Child" and "Apostle Peter". Choirs are located above the entrance.

Next to the church is a two-tiered freestanding bell tower (lower tier – stone, upper – wood, early 20th century), the cemetery Orthodox chapel of St. Vladimir, and a chapel (2005) at the mass grave of Russian soldiers from the 1812 war.

 

Cemetery Orthodox chapel in honor of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir (presumably late 19th century).

Address: Postavy district, Osinogorodok village, Stankevich street 1 A

Coordinates: 55.159987,27.366534

The chapel is located on the territory of the local cemetery.

250 meters from the chapel are the following attractions:
the wooden Orthodox Intercession Church, a two-tiered freestanding bell tower, a chapel at the mass grave of Russian soldiers from 1812, and an archaeological settlement.

 

Osinogorodok

The appearance of miraculous icons.

In Belarus, as already mentioned, many legends have been recorded, according to which miraculous icons were found on one tree or another. Such cases can be found in archival materials, as well as in local history and church literature, where either specific trees are mentioned: oak, linden, pine, pear, birch, etc., or simply trees. According to ancient tradition, chapels and churches were always built next to such trees. (...)

Icons, surprisingly, are also associated with aspen. For example, in the village of Osinogorodok, Postavy district, it is said that during the Swedish war, the enemy army, coming from the village of Soroki, stopped on a hill. People hastily began to celebrate mass, and the icon was hung on an aspen that grew nearby. They had not yet finished the service when the enemies approached. A fierce battle ensued, as a result of which the Swedes were defeated, and the remnants of the army were pursued. The icon remained hanging on the aspen. Later, when the aspen rotted, it was cut down, and next to the stump, the Intercession Church was built, where the miraculous icon, later named the Osinogorodok icon, was placed. The stump was then taken apart by pilgrims as a medicinal remedy.

Excerpt from the book: "Sacred Geography of Belarus" / Lyudmila Duchits, Iryna Klimkovich. Minsk: Literatura i Mastatstva, 2011.

 

Orthodox Church of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker

Address: Postavy, Lenin Square 22

Coordinates: 55.113271, 26.840623

Built in 1894 on the site of a wooden church in the pseudo-Russian style, it has an ancient and complex history. The church is first mentioned in historical documents in the inventory of the Postavy estate for 1628. In 1815, this wooden church burned down from a rocket launched by school students. The building of the temporary, rebuilt church was located on the opposite side of the historical site. In 1886, the central part of Postavy burned down. Thanks to donations from parishioners, as well as Countess Maria Pshezdetskaya (daughter of Konstantin Tyzenhaus), the temporary church was restored in a better condition within one year, but to its previous dimensions.

The laying of the church foundation began on August 1, 1891, and by May 1894, the church was consecrated in honor of the Holy Prophet Hosea.
The church interior is spacious. A gilded iconostasis is located in the center. A large number of ancient icons are kept inside, including "Andrew and James," "Matthew and Paul," "The Savior," "Judas with an Apostle," and various others. Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker is considered the patron saint of travelers. Therefore, all visitors to Postavy are strongly recommended to visit this sanctuary. Since the church is located along the bank of the Myadelka River, its outlines are beautifully reflected on the water's surface. The building is a historical and cultural heritage of Belarus and is protected by the state.

 

Prayer House of the Evangelical Christian Church "Salvation".

Address: Postavy, Sovetskaya St. 102
Coordinates: 55.099505, 26.837680

The Evangelical Christian Church began its existence in 1953. Tamara Arsentyevna Medyukho, living in the village of Belki, truly believed and was the first to preach the Gospel. Her sister Genya believed after her, and later her husband Viktor Vladimirovich. In 1973, Viktor Vladimirovich Medyukho was elected elder of the church. For 16 years, believers gathered in the elder's apartment. In 1978, an autonomous Christian Pentecostal community was registered in Postavy. In 1992, Nikolai Shevchuk came to Postavy for ministry. At that time, the community gathered in the club of a local construction organization. In 1993, a plot of land was obtained for the construction of the church, and the foundation was laid. Construction lasted two years. In 1995, the church opening ceremony took place, and in the same year, Nikolai Shevchuk passed away. Vyacheslav Kurochkin (Tamara Arsentyevna Medyukho's son-in-law) was elected to his place. Three years later, Vyacheslav was ordained to pastoral ministry. The Full Gospel Church "Salvation" is part of the "New Generation" fellowship of churches.
The church is led by Pastor Roman Garbul, ordained to ministry in December 2014; before that, Vyacheslav Petrovich Kurochkin was the senior pastor for a long time. The church has its own building with a total area of about 1500 square meters. For many years, children's and youth summer camps have been held at the church. The "Belcreation" camps hosted between 300 and 1000 young people at various times. Currently, about 80 people attend services, and a Sunday school operates.

 

Prayer House "Awakening Church".

Address: Postavy, Leninskaya St., 49
Coordinates: 55.117729, 26.839465

Religious community of Evangelical Christian Baptists "Christian Church of Transfiguration".

 

Prayer House "Evangelical Church Grace of Christ"

Address: Postavy, Leninskaya St., 33 B
Coordinates: 55.116669, 26.839652

 

Orthodox Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1880).

Address: Postavy District, Rymki village, Topolinaya St., 2
Coordinates: 55.309000, 27.259038

The Annunciation Church in the village of Rymki (Postavy District, Vitebsk Region, Belarus) is an Orthodox church built in 1880. This stone structure was erected in the retrospective Russian style and is an active parish. The church is under the jurisdiction of the Glubokoe Deanery of the Vilna Diocese of the Belarusian Orthodox Church.

 

Gremyaki (Gramyaki) Spring

Address: Postavy District, near Soroki village

Coordinates: 55.109371, 27.355170

Hydrological natural monument of republican significance.

Presumably, the name Gremyaki comes from the sound of the water. The spring appears as a small lake, about ten meters in diameter, with about twenty springs bubbling up. The water of the source has a turquoise hue.

Gazebos have been built near the spring. A platform has been constructed for drawing water.

The spring is consecrated in honor of Saint Panteleimon and belongs to the parish of Lasitsa village. A prayer service is held annually on the second Saturday of August.

Swimming here is not recommended – according to rumors and legends, the spring is bottomless and literally drowns careless travelers and livestock that come to drink; there have been cases of drowning. According to one legend, 16 bulls came to the spring to drink and all of them fell into the abyss.

River basin: Western Dvina, source of supply - groundwater.