History

It is suspected that the local parish dates back to the 1st half of the 12th century.  The first recorded reference to it originates from 1244. In years 1440-50, in place of the former wooden building, a brick and stone church of St. Jerome, Holy Virgin Mary and St. Stephen was constructed. It was founded and fitted by canon of Wiślica Jan Długosz, probably with support of bishop of Cracow Zbigniew Oleśnicki, which is evidenced, inter alia, by the armorial profile of the structure. In ca. 1543 and in the end of the 16th century, part of the church's walls were painted. The inspection of 1598 indicated that the church's patron was St. Bartholomew the Apostle. Before 1645, the church was renovated.  According to the inspection of 1664, it was profaned by "Cossacks" (army of Rákóczi in 1657?) In 1667, three altars were consecrated in the church. During the first half of the 18th century, the building was superficially renovated. The current altars were made in 40s-70s of the 18th century. In 1850, the church was adjoined from the west by a two-storey, neo-Gothic porch with a room for bells. In 1888, pipe organ was bought to the church from the company Józef Szymański and son. In 1947, general renovation of the roof and gables was conducted. In 1957, wall painting originating from the 16th century was discovered inside. In years ca. 1975 and 2005, internal and external plasterwork was restored. In years 1996-97, 2002-11, all fittings of the church and wall painting underwent maintenance works.

Description

The church complex is located on a hill, in the south-western part of the village, it stands in the middle of a square of irregular shape, surrounded by a stone wall. It is comprised of a Gothic church and a cemetery surrounding it. The oriented, one-nave building is supported by buttresses and comprised of a square nave and a rectangular presbytery with a straight ending section, lower and narrower than the church body. The northern wall of the presbytery is adjoined by a low, rectangular sacristy. Next to the nave, from the south and west,  there are square porches (the west porch is a two-storey structure and contains bells).  The church is made of stone ashlars and entirely plastered. It is covered by a gable roof (over the nave, presbytery, and porches), and a shed roof (over the sacristy). Stone façades of the church are divided by profiled cornices and feature pointed-arch windows, and enriched with triangular gables with blind windows. Entrances to the church are emphasised by pointed-arch, Gothic portals. Interior of the church is covered with lierne vaults (in the nave with keystones with Wieniawa and Dębno coats of arms, in the presbytery with a keystone with the Eagle of Kasimir, and in the southern porch with a keystone with Wieniawa coat of arms), and a barrel vault with lunettes (in the sacristy). Entrance from the presbytery to the sacristy is emphasised by a Gothic portal with a stone relief of St. Stephen in painted surrounds of ca. 1543. In the nave, presbytery, and southern porch, fragments of wall painting from the 16th century are visible. Among fitting elements of the church, the following are, inter alia, worth attention: stone foundation plaque of 1450 (in the southern porch), stone sacramentarium of ca. 1450, three altar originating from 40s-70s of the 18th century (with lavish Rococo decoration and paintings from the 2nd half of the 18th century), a sculpture of Our Lady of Sorrows from 1420-30, and a crucifix from the 4th quarter of the 15th century (both Gothic sculptures are situated in the main altar), a crucifix from the 4th quarter of the 14th century, and a bell originating from 1541. The cemetery is not used at the present; one gravestone from 1894 has been preserved.

The historic building is accessible to visitors. It may be visited upon prior telephone appointment.

Compiled by Łukasz Piotr Młynarski, Regional Branch of the National Heritage Board of Poland in Kielce, 30.10.2014.

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