Sanctuary of Divine Providence in Jastrzębie Górne

The Sanctuary of Divine Providence is a Baroque-Neoclassical parish church in Jastrzębie Górne, a former village and today a district of Jastrzębie-Zdrój. The church was blessed in 1825, and in 2012 the Metropolitan of Katowice gave it the title of sanctuary. In the chancel hangs a triangular painting with the Eye of Divine Providence from 1773, which survived the fire of the earlier, wooden church.

From a fire to a new church

The previous wooden Church of St Catherine of Alexandria burned down on 26 June 1811. From the fire it was possible to save the painting with the Eye of Divine Providence, the painting of St Catherine, the organ, the paintings of the Stations of the Cross, twelve pews and votive offerings. The parishioners put up a temporary church of half-timbered construction and began collecting for a new one. In 1823 the new church was in its shell state, and on 6 October 1825 it was solemnly blessed. The building was erected at the expense of the Strachwitz family.

Architecture and interior

The church was 50 metres long and 26 metres wide, with four bells and a clock on the tower. Inside, a pulpit topped with a sculpture of an angel with the tablets of the Ten Commandments has survived, as has a brick music gallery supported on three pillar arcades. The monument has been entered in the heritage register since 1966.

War damage and later renovations

On 15 February 1945 a bomb destroyed the roof, the vault and the tower, and in the fire of the tower the only bell melted. Reconstruction began after the fighting ended. In 1972-1973 a renovation was carried out in which the chancel was raised by 1.5 metres to a design by M. Nieniarz of Katowice. In 1987-1988 stained-glass windows were installed in the church, and in 1989 a plaque was blessed in honour of the Home Army soldiers who went missing in 1947. In 2008 the tower was thoroughly modernised.

The sanctuary

On 8 July 2012 Archbishop Wiktor Skworc gave the church the title of sanctuary, the eleventh in the Archdiocese of Katowice.

Nearby

In Jastrzębie-Zdrój, about two kilometres away, lies the Spa Park in Jastrzębie-Zdrój, and near the centre the Church of St Barbara and St Joseph.

Practical information

• Address: ul. św. Jana Nepomucena 2, Jastrzębie-Zdrój (Jastrzębie Górne).
• It is an active parish church; check service times, and whether the interior can be visited, with the parish before your visit.