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Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Catholic Church in Smolensk (1894-97)
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The governor of the Smolensk Oblast, Sergei Antufyev, received proposals from Poland for the restoration of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Catholic Church in Smolensk, which is the current site of the oblast archives. “After we complete the construction of the new building of the State Archives on Nakhimov Street next year, we’ll discuss with our Polish interlocutors the question of the restoration and/or renovation of the Catholic church building that is used at present to store government documents”, he said at a meeting with Smolensk businessmen. Speaking about the impact of this action on local tourism, Sergei Vladimirovich stated that this would give visitors to the city another excellent tourist destination. In his words, his Polish partners are ready to begin restoration work on the church building “tomorrow”. The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Catholic Church in Smolensk was built in the Gothic Revival style in 1894-97 through the donations of parishioners and clergy, and the provincial architect M. Meisher designed it. Services were held in the building until 1930, after which the authorities closed the church [and secularised the building].
20 October 2010Interfax-Religion
http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=37869
Northern Lights Of Smolensk
After the crash – Poland prepares to bury a president
WARSAW’s candles are short and thick, and protected from the wind by little lanterns made of red or yellow glass. Each evening, thousands of them are left outside the presidential palace. The visual effect is of a sea of lava. On a chilly spring night they create a warm breeze that welcomes pedestrians on Krakowskie Przedmiescie, one of the city’s main thoroughfares.Thousands have walked here to add their flame: second world war veterans in uniform; young career women in heels and suits; tattooed, thick-necked heavies in leather jackets; children being taught history by their fathers; angelic nuns, in spectacular clothing; punks.By morning the street resembles a gigantic bottle bank. Loud crashes of glass accompany the clean-up. Firemen check the scene for safety. Street sweepers scrape wax off the pavement. Then street vendors begin to turn up for another day of business. They open the backs of vans, set up makeshift tables and wheel in supermarket trolleys packed with fresh lanterns.T-shirts, mugs and even stitch-on “Katyn” badges are already available for purchase. Stalin was right when he said communism would never really take off in Poland. The Smolensk air crash, again, is demonstrating this country’s unique blend of mysticism and resourcefulness.Religion plays a complicated role in Poland. The country has plenty of devout believers, who go to confession and pray at night. But most of the people leaving candles at the palace probably aren’t especially good Catholics.Many Varsovians are as liberal, cosmopolitan and agnostic as Londoners or New Yorkers. But in moments of tragedy, like this, Poles turn to religion for hope and for unity…Receiving sympathy from international statesmen matters to Poles, who feel that throughout history they have been let down and even betrayed by the West… “What a curse,” says an old lady. “God is angry.”
