Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Rycerka Górna

The Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Rycerka Górna is a brick and stone church from the early 20th century, in the spirit of historicism with neo-Gothic elements. It was entered in the heritage register in 2024.

History

The church was built in 1908-1911 on the site of a wooden shrine. Earlier, the residents of Rycerka went to services at the church in Rajcza. The dedication took place on 18 November 1911. Until 1950 the church was a branch of the parish in Rajcza, and on 1 January 1950 Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha gave it the status of a parish church. On the wall is a stone with the date 1908. The interior was restored before the end of 2023.

The building and furnishings

It is a hall church with a single tower and a choir gallery. The vault of the nave and chancel is decorated with stars. The neo-Gothic altar holds a bas-relief image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. On the wall of the chancel arch are bas-reliefs of “The Baptism of Christ in the Jordan” and “The Holy Family”, and inside stand sculptures of St Anne and St Joachim from the first half of the 18th century. Around the church are open-air Stations of the Cross in the highland style, carved by Władysław Zoń and erected for the 100th anniversary of the church.

Practical information

• Address: Rycerka Górna 103, municipality of Rajcza.
• The church belongs to the Diocese of Bielsko-Żywiec and is active as a parish church, so the interior should be visited with services in mind.