Beneath this serene facade lies a story of faith. It is a testament to community spirit. We are standing before the Parafia Najświętszej Maryi Panny Matki Pięknej Miłości w Warszawie-Tarchominie-Porajach. This church is not just a building. It represents a journey of devotion and architectural resilience.
Parafia Najświętszej Maryi Panny Matki Pięknej Miłości in Warsaw was established in 1988. Cardinal Józef Glemp founded it. The parish emerged from a section of the Parish of St. James the Apostle in Warsaw-Tarchomin.
In the mid-1970s Warsaw planned a new city. It was intended for one hundred thousand residents. This “new city” would stretch from Targówek to Choszczówka. By 1978 construction began in Tarchomin. The plans expanded to accommodate one hundred fifty thousand future residents. These residents would live in Tarchomin and neighboring settlements. These included Białołęka, Henryków, and Nowodwory.
Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński decided in 1980 to establish a parish in the new settlement. Fr. Tadeusz Huk showed interest in the faithful settling in Poraje. In June 1981 Church authorities sent Fr. Marian Paź. His task was to organize a pastoral center in the new settlement. Fr. Paź celebrated Sunday Eucharist in front of a store. From September he rented a room in the community center. He also taught religion there.
The first day of martial law was exceptional. Residents attended Mass because a copy of the icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa was visiting. Fr. Marian Paź celebrated it. The altar was set up on a truck. This was on land that he had unsuccessfully sought. In January 1982 the martial law commissioner designated that land for a church.
A wooden chapel was moved from the Warsaw-Anin parish. The first Mass was celebrated there on September 1, 1982. A temporary building was erected. It housed apartments for two priests. It also housed two catechetical chapels. Cardinal Józef Glemp established a quasi-parish there on August 15, 1982.
In June 1984 the Metropolitan Architecture Department approved architectural plans. These plans were for a “sacral complex”. Jan Fiszer from Warsaw designed it. In June 1984 authorities approved the design. They issued a building permit. First, catechetical rooms and housing for priests and nuns were built. On April 11, 1991 Cardinal Józef Glemp laid the cornerstone.
Fr. Tadeusz Olaczek changed the church’s design with Church authorities’ approval. In 1982 roof trusses burned down. The solutions adopted were not optimal. There was a troublesome skylight in the roof. There were galleries in the side aisles. Józef Żołłądkiewicz from Olsztyn created a new design. It considered the existing foundations. A church with a terrace, arcades, and a tower with three bells was built.
Construction of the church began in May 1993. On December 9, 1995 Bishop Kazimierz Romaniuk consecrated the church walls. He also consecrated the church on April 25, 2004.
Parafia Najświętszej Maryi Panny Matki Pięknej Miłości stands as a beacon. It is a testament to faith and community. Its history is etched into its walls. It reflects the resilience of the human spirit. The parish continues to serve its community. The current pastor is Fr. Krzysztof Krupa since 2021. He along with vicars Fr. Jakub Sędek, Fr. Łukasz Turek and Fr. Paweł Zieliński continues the mission.