It is an example of a temple built in a remote spot, far from the village, which triggered the development of a settlement and a direction of its expansion.

History

The land on which the village was established after the January Uprising was owned by Leon Chrystowski. Initially, the parish was located in Głusk, from where it was relocated in the late 1870s, similarly as the octagonal wooden chapel with a log structure, built in 1789, currently located in the church graveyard. Both the relocation of the parish and the chapel and the construction of a new church were caused by periodic flooding of the northern areas of the forest by the waters of the Vistula. Thus, the idea of building a new temple on a naturally elevated land in Leoncin. The construction of a Gothic Revival church was initiated in 1881 by the parish priest, Rev. Hipolit Nowiński, according to a design of Józef Pius Dziekoński. The works, halted due to another large flood in 1884, were completed in 1885 owing to a loan of 5 thousand rubles obtained from the Tsar. The church was consecrated on 20 June 1886 by the suffragan of Warsaw, Bishop Kazimierz Ruszkiewicz. The temple, partly damaged during World War I (demolished towers), was rebuilt completely in the interwar period.

Description

The church is located in the north-east part of the village, on a natural elevation; it is surrounded with a contemporary metal fence, within the confines of which there is a church graveyard. The entrance is preceded by a three-axial gate made of bricks.

The building is oriented towards the east, was made of brick, has remained non-plastered and features brick vaults. The roof truss is made of wooden logs and has a rafter-and-queen-post structure. The roofs are clad in zinc sheet (initially in ceramic tiles).

The church is a three-nave, basilica-type building, with elongated, two-bay chancel equal to the nave in terms of width. The five-bay nave body includes two square towers at the ends of side naves. A porch was added at the west end, on the façade axis. The interior features a groin vault and an eight-partite stellar vault (in side naves). The floors are covered with black-and-yellow ceramic tiles.

The church body is segmented, with two towers covered with octagonal cupolas dominating on the west side. The main nave is taller than the side naves and was covered with a low gable roof. The side naves are buttressed and covered with mono-pitched roofs, with flying buttresses stretching above them. A chancel, lower than the main nave and reinforced by single-stepped buttresses, is located on the east side. Additionally, the chancel is flanked by annexes that are lower than the chancel and crowned with gable roofs. The church fixtures and fittings come from the period of construction of the church.

The historic monument is available all year round (during masses) or following a prior phone arrangement made with the parish priest.

Author of the note Jerzy Szałygin, National Institute of Cultural Heritage, Regional Branch in Warsaw 20-07-2017

Bibliography

• Katalog zabytków sztuki w Polsce, Woj. warszawskie, issue 10, Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki i okolice, Warsaw 1987.
• Record sheet of monuments of architecture. Kościół parafialny p.w. Św. Małgorzaty prepared by J. Kalicki, Warsaw 1976.