Church of Our Lady of Sorrows in Czeladź

The Church of Our Lady of Sorrows stands in the Piaski district of Czeladź, at ul. Generała Tadeusza Kościuszki 5. It is a Neo-Romanesque basilica from 1922-1924, modelled on a church in French Brittany, and since 2015 the shrine of St John Vianney.

Why a French design in Czeladź

The entire cost of building the church was covered by the Czeladź Coal Mines Joint-Stock Company (Towarzystwo Bezimienne Kopalń Węgla "Czeladź"). The church was promoted by Father Jerzy Imiela and Wiktor Vianney, a delegate of the company's administrative council.

The church was based on a ready-made design by the engineer-priest Jean-Marie Abgrall of Besançon, realised in 1909-1910 in Brest as the church of Notre-Dame de Kerbonne. The design was adapted and developed by the architect Tadeusz Rudzki, later mayor of Czeladź, who added, among other things, the tower. The Gothic-style spire that was meant to crown it was not built for financial reasons.

Architecture

The church is a three-nave basilica with a transept on a Latin cross plan, with a straight-ended chancel. It was built of artificial stone and faced on the outside with concrete blocks resembling pinkish-rust porphyry and light beige sandstone.

The tower adjoins the sacristy and resembles an Italian campanile, with a hipped roof. The interior is austere in character: the naves are separated by arcades on square piers, and above them run rows of triforium windows. The church was fitted with central heating, which was rare in the inter-war period.

Stained glass and furnishings

The stained-glass windows of 1924-1925 were made by the Kraków Stained Glass Workshop of S.G. Żeleński. Alfred Żmuda, a pupil of Józef Mehoffer, designed, among others, the window Polish-French Friendship in the south arm of the transept, with Christ, Louis IX the Saint and Prince Casimir. In 1965-1967 Adam Bunsch designed the windows in the nave. In the main altar stands a Pietà by Jan Zagórski from 1946, and the organ was built by the Rieger firm.

Shrine of St John Vianney

Originally the church was dedicated to St Angela, and in 1939 the dedication was changed to Our Lady of Sorrows. The relics of St John Vianney were brought here on 6 October 1986, and on 3 May 2015 the Bishop of Sosnowiec established the shrine of St John Vianney.

Nearby

In Czeladź there is the Saturn Museum, and in Będzin rises Będzin Castle.

Practical information

• Address: ul. Generała Tadeusza Kościuszki 5, Czeladź-Piaski.
• The church is active as a shrine and parish; check service times and visiting hours with the parish.