Religious Tourism
Roztocze is an area where several religions have coexisted in peace and tolerance for centuries. Each of the three leading confessions (Catholic, Greek-Catholic and Judaism) as well as the Orthodox church, left a rich material and cultural heritage and also has created great interest among believers and representatives of other confessions.
A unique phenomenon in this case is the city of Lvov the seat of three archibishoprics, a city where three Cathedrals: Roman Catholic, Armenian and Greek Catholic, had peacefully coexisted for many years before the outbreak of World War II.
Greek-Catholic churches and monasteries are still functioning in the Roztocze area:
The archepiscopal St. Yura’s Church – a resting place of Greek-Catholic bishops from Lvov and other people especially honoured in the city.
The Basilican Monastery in Krekhiv (XVII- XVIII c) as well as the Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas with a miraculous image of the Heavenly Mother from Werchrata
Lord Jesus’ Heart Church in Zhovkva containing relics of the martyr, St. Parthenius (II c A.D.)
The Church of Our Lady in Yavoriv
There are also many other historic churches in different places such as Volya Vysotska, Potylich, Lelekhivka, Shklo etc.
A number of wooden Uniate churches lying in the Polish part of Roztocze in Radruża, (XVII c ), Hrebenne(XVII c), Wola Wielka(XVIII c) and Belżec are also of considerable architectural interest.
Some of the prominent Roman Catholic churches are worth mentioning:
-The Assumption Cathedral in Lvov (dated back XIV c) – a Gothic building with numerous chapels, gravestones and plaques to honour deserving people.
-Collegiate Church of St. Lawrence the martyr and St. Stanislav in Zhovkva(XVII c) with the gravestones of the founders and of the Zulkiewskis and Sobieskis.
-Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Yavoriv.
-Church of the Holy Trinity in Ivano Frankove.
-Cathedral of Our Lord’s Resurrection and St. Thomas the Apostle in Zamość(XVI c), containing the crypts of the city founders and their followers.
-St. Nicholas’ Church in Szczebrzeszyn(XVII c).
The Annunciation Church in Tomaszów Lubelski with a miraculous image of the Heavenly Mother from Tomaszów dating back to 1637.
There are also three important centres of pilgrimage in Roztocze drawing the attention of numerous pilgrims and other lovers of religious tourism. They include the following Sanctuaries :
-The Marian Sanctuary in Krasnobród with a well preserved Baroque style cloister dating back to 1699;
church fete including indulgences –July,2nd,15th.
-St.Stanisław’s in Góreck Kościelny with a wooden church dating back to 1768;
church fete – May,8th.
-St. Anthony Padewski in Radecznica with a cloister dating back to 1695.-
church fete -June,13th.
The traces of the centuries-old presence of Jews, which was totally eliminated during the WW II, can be seen in the form of several synagogues in this area, for instance : Zhovkva, Nemyriv, Szczebrzeszyn, Tarnogród, Modliborzyce, Jozefów, Cieszanów, Wielkie Oczy and two synagogues in Kraśnik and also remnants of the Golden Rose synagogue in Lvov.
The well preserved synagogue in Zamość has been recently bequeathed to the Fund of Jewish Heritage Protection and a cultural-museum institution is going to be founded there.
The Jewish cemeteries in Szczebrzeszyn, Jozefów and Tomaszów Lubelski with refurbished cemetery chapel are among the greatest and best kept in the Roztocze region. The only operating synagogue in the region is the Cori Gold Synagogue, situated in Lvov. It dates from 1924.
The Armenian Assumption Cathedral in Lvov with adjoining buildings and numerous grave plaques also forms another valuable element of the religious heritage of Roztocze.
There are also a few Orthodox churches functioning in Roztocze. These include the St. Nicholas Orthodox Parish Church in Zamość with its branch in Tomaszów Lubelski. More information is available on http://republika.pl/orthodox
Visits of Groups Interested In Religious Issues
Organized visits are organized on an individual basis as in the past and are primarily linked to excursions of schoolchildren from Israel who visit the former death camp in Bełżec. However, Roztocze has potential as a place where there were three religions (Catholicism, Greek-catholicism and Judaism) co-existing in tolerance before World War II. This could offer a focus of great interest for this sort of cultural tourism. Roztocze lies on the pilgrimage routes of thousands of Hasids who travel towards Leżajsk where there is a grave to Rabbi Elimelech ,who died in 1787. One can also combine a stay in Roztocze with visiting the beautiful and well preserved synagogues in Łańcut and Włodawa. Religious heritage www.pbase.com/jolka
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