“What echoes do you hear when you look at this church?” That’s the question I want you to consider as we stand before Kościół pw. Świętego Wawrzyńca in Warsaw. It’s more than just a building. It’s a testament to resilience and faith.
Kościół pw. Świętego Wawrzyńca, or St. Lawrence’s Church, is a Roman Catholic church in Warsaw’s Wola district. This neoclassicist building holds a special place in Polish history. It was the central point of Polish “Redoubt No. 56” during the 1831 battle for Warsaw.
The story of Kościół pw. Świętego Wawrzyńca begins in the 14th century. A small wooden church stood here. It was first mentioned in writing in 1412. By Antipope John XXIII no less. Until the 17th century, it was a branch of St. John’s Cathedral. In 1611, a separate parish was founded in Wielka Wola.
During the Deluge, Swedish forces destroyed the wooden church. It was soon rebuilt. In 1695, Reverend Mikołaj Popławski started a new church. Queen Marie Casimire Louise de La Grange d’Arquien donated money. After King John III Sobieski died, the funds were withdrawn. Construction finished in 1755. Joachim Daniel Jauch designed the building. Johann Friedrich Knöbel supervised the work after Jauch’s death.
During the Siege of Warsaw in 1794, the area became a rampart for Polish forces. The church was heavily damaged. Rebuilt in 1807, it was rededicated in 1811. During the Russian siege of Warsaw in 1831, it was again a fort. Again heavily damaged.
After the November Uprising failed, Russian authorities seized the church. It became an Orthodox church. It was devoted to the Holy Image of Our Lady of Vladimir. This was the patron saint of the day Warsaw fell to the Russians. Twelve barrels of Russian artillery stood on the church walls to mark the battle.
After the Great Retreat in 1915, the church returned to the Catholics. A new St. Lawrence’s parish was created in 1923. During the 1939 siege of Warsaw, the church was lightly damaged. During the Warsaw Uprising, the Germans used it for mass murder. They killed civilians captured during the Wola massacre. Then, they set the church on fire.
Kościół pw. Świętego Wawrzyńca was rebuilt after World War II. Today, it serves a small parish. It has roughly 1000 members.
So, as you stand here, remember the layers of history. Remember the wooden church, the battles, the destruction, and the rebirth. Kościół pw. Świętego Wawrzyńca stands as a symbol of Warsaw’s enduring spirit.