History

The history of the parish dates back to the 11th century. Its patrons - St Vitus, Modest and Crescentia - were revered mainly by the Benedictines. Therefore, it is probable that it was them who were the first to establish priesthood here. The cult of St Vitus gradually waned on the Polish territory from the 12th century onwards, thus the first church must have been established before. It is attested by the remains of the Romanesque style in the church structure.

The current, brick church was erected by funds of the Sierpski family, at the turn of the 15th and 16th century. In 1569, owing to efforts of Andrzej Sierpski, the Voivode of Rawa and the Starost of Płock, the parish church was expanded by a new part, currently constituting the main nave, and a small tomb chapel in the south. The church burned down in 1630. In the 18th century the chapel was reconstructed. The great fire of the town severely damaged the building in 1794. All interior fittings burned. After this damage, the feature was rebuilt only in 1844. In the 19th century a southern porch was added and a treasury adjacent to the northern chancel wall was demolished. During World War II the church was transformed into a warehouse. Comprehensive renovation was carried out in the years 1952-1953. It was then that Władysław Drapiewski completed the interior wall paintings. The last full-scale restoration took place in the years 1997-2006.

Description

It is the oldest monument of architecture in Sierpc. A brick church consists of a single nave and a slightly narrower presbytery terminating in a straight arch and a massive, four-storey, square tower and a chapel with a porch on the southern side. The building was made of bricks and fieldstones in the northern wall as well as millstones in lower parts of the tower. The building is buttressed. Facades are partitioned by tall windows with pointed or valley arches. External walls are partially plastered, except for the tower and the northern wall.

The tomb chapel has a Baroque gable with volutes, decorated with a cornice with a suspended rocaille. The central field includes Prawdzice Sierpskie coat of arms.

In the interior, on the Baroque main altar coming from the 18th century, there is a copy of the Holy Mother of Częstochowa painting (19th century), surrounded by two sculptures: of St Stanislaus and St Adalbert. In the crest of the altar there is a painting of St Vitus, Modest and Crescentia.

The feature is open to the public.

Compiled by Bartłomiej Modrzewski, Regional Branch of the National Heritage Board of Poland in Warsaw, 2-10-2014.

Bibliography

• Dzieje Sierpca i ziemi sierpeckiej, red. M. Chudzyński, Sierpc 2003.
• Katalog zabytków sztuki w Polsce, t. X: województwo warszawskie, red. I. Galicka, H. Sygietyńska, z. 23: powiat sierpecki, oprac. I. Galicka, H. Sygietyńska, inwent. D. Kaczmarzyk, Warszawa 1971.
• I i T. de Rosset, Kościół par. p. w. śś Wita, Modesta i Krescencji, 1986.
• Zabytki Sierpca. Kościół parafialny pw. św. Wita, Modesta i Krescencji, Sierpc online, http://www.sierpc.com.pl/zabytki.php, dostęp: 2 października 2014.