Cerkiew Narodzenia św. Jana Chrzciciela
Facts and practical information
Church of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist - an Orthodox branch church. It belongs to the Dormition of the Holy Mother of God parish in Ostrów Północny, in the Sokolka decane of Białystok-Gdańsk diocese of the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church.
The temple is located in the forest near the village of Stara Grzybowska.
A brick building with a tower in the front and a cupola over the central part of the nave.
The church was built on the initiative of Elijah Klimovich, a charismatic local religious leader. He began building the church in 1904, after two years of fundraising among the faithful. However, the construction of the church was interrupted by World War I. After he came back from the war in 1919, Klimovich received permission to finish the construction from the authorities of the Second Polish Republic only in 1926. It was finished and consecrated in 1929. After Elijah was offered to join the Order, he notarized the church to the Orthodox Consistory of Grodno in order to have jurisdiction over the temple. However, in July 1934 during the ceremonial christening of the church Klimovich clashed with Bishop Anthony of Hrodna, as a result of which Klimovich closed the church, forced the monks to leave the temple and sued for ownership of the church. At the beginning of 1938 Klimowicz won the lawsuit and sold the church for 500 zlotys to Maria Soroczyńska, a Catholic from Sokółka, who gave the church to the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Curia in Vilnius. The building was taken over by nuns, and a Roman Catholic chapel was arranged in the church building. During World War II the church was taken over by the Orthodox.
In 2011-2012 the church underwent a thorough external renovation. After the work was completed the church was consecrated on 7 July 2012 by Bishop Gregory of Supraśl.
The temple was entered in the register of monuments on February 7, 2011 under the number A-336.
Near the church there is a small active Orthodox cemetery.
Podlasie
Cerkiew Narodzenia św. Jana Chrzciciela – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)
Nearby attractions include: Kruszyniany Mosque, Cerkiew pw. Narodzenia Najświętszej Marii Panny, Synagoga chasydów ze Słonima w Krynkach, Kaplica cmentarna pw. Świętego Antoniego Wielkiego.