A few snippets of historical information about our parish, and more.
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Our church of St Thomas a Becket in Targowisko is a truly valuable relic of 18th - century wooden architecture. For more than 250 years, it has continued to serve one of the oldest parishes in the Lubelskie region, which was created in 1293.
According to tradition, the original temple was consecrated by a Cracow Bishop, Saint Stanisław of Szczepanów. This has been inscribed on the rainbow beam. In accordance with the documents, the church in Targowisko was erected in 1334, i.e. around the time of the early reign of Kazimierz the Great. The borders (of the parish) extended further at that time, incorporating, among others, such places as: Gałęzów, Gieczew, Wysokie and Wola Gałęzowska. The parish revenues consisted of the tithe collected from a few villages as well as a few hides of land.
The wooden church consecrated by St Stanisław of Szczepanów dates back to the Chronicles written by Jan Długosz. However, it remains a mystery who initiated the building of the church and why it was located in Targowisko precisely. Unfortunately, in 1740 a fire broke out in which the church was entirely destroyed. Six years later, in 1746, a new wooden church was erected by means of the Bonifacy Brodowski’s Foundation. He was the parish priest and the owner of the Targowisko goods, who was elected via the Suffragan Bishop of Kijów, i.e. Kajetan Sołtyk. The building has thankfully remained untouched until today.
In 1751 the church was consecrated by the same Suffragan Bishop - Kajetan Sołtyk. In 1858 the church was renovated. The extensive works, carried out between the years 1923 and 1926, were performed in accordance with the project by Jan Godlewski. Hence, the new ceiling was installed, and the chancel was reconstructed. In 1970 the church was renovated yet again, this time the interior was repainted.
The church of St Thomas a Becket is situated in the south-eastern part of the village. It is a wooden, orientated triple nave church with a log frame structure and wooden cladding. It boasts a small chancel with two side sacristies. Its tower, of post and beam construction, has a narthex at the front ground floor with two outhouses, one on each side. The double-ridge roof is covered in metal sheet cladding and holds an octagonal turret hiding a small bell. The turret is surmounted by a large metal dome. The plastered interior of the church is divided into three parts by two rows of four columns, each with ionic chapiter. The musical choir is situated above the narthex which possesses the 1950s organ. The main nave as well as the chancel boast a barrel ceiling, trapeze-shaped in cross-section. The side naves have a flat ceiling. The church owns a rainbow beam with a Crucifix. The 1970s polychrome on the plafond displays the figure of St Tomas Becket. The church also incorporates the wooden bell tower of post and beam construction from the 18th century, which was rebuilt in the 1920s.
Between 2003 and 2004, the first stage of the church renovation was conducted with the funds obtained from the Ministry of Culture. The construction elements were strengthened from the outer side, some parts of the foundations were replaced, and the elevation was painted.
The second stage of the church renovations was conducted within the years 2018 and 2019. The splash apron around the building and the outer foundations were dug out: these were dried, isolated and cleaned; together with the safeguarding of the elevation and the foundations from the outside. The elements of the roof truss were conserved and the whole construction was stabilised. The foundations were also protected from within, and the floor tiling was altered. Additionally, vapour membranes and insulation were introduced, and the walls, together with the painted areas, were renovated.
For the period of renovations, the parishioners themselves moved the church equipment to the nearby fire station, which operated as a temporary chapel where the daily Eucharist was celebrated. On the other hand, the more important celebrations and holidays took place at a separate chapel located at the nearby village of Tarnawka.
The photos from the second stage of the church renovations are placed in the gallery section.
The Renovations were co-financed with the European Social Fund, within the Regional Operative Program of Lublin Voivodeship for the years 2014-2020.
The financed project title was ”The cultural heritage protection of the 700-year-old parish of St Thomas a Becket in Targowisko – the safegurading renovations of the wooden church”.
Source: www.mapadotacji.gov.pl/projekty/758355
The villages that belong to the parish at present incorporate the following:
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Biskupie
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Biskupie-Kolonia
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Targowisko
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Targowisko-Kolonia
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Tarnawka
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Wólka Ponikiewska
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Zakrzew-Kolonia