GPM 0801 OWCZARY - Cerkiew OPIEKI MATKI BOŻEJ

The Greek Catholic Church of the Protection of the Mother of God in Owczary (Lesser Poland Voivodeship) was erected in 1653 on the site of an earlier temple that had been destroyed. At the beginning of the 18th century, the presbytery was completely rebuilt, and in 1783 a tower was added. The church survived both world wars, and during the operation of the Vistula in 1947-1950, it was taken over by the Roman Catholic parish. In the years 1983-1985 it was thoroughly renovated, during which the roof was restored with shingles. At present, it has a dual function: the Greek Catholic parish church and the subsidiary church of the Roman Catholic parish. The church in Owczary is one of the oldest preserved Lemko churches in Poland. It is characterized by a tripartite structure, column-frame towers and roofs topped with cupolas with pseudo-lanterns and crosses. It is one of the most valuable objects of this type in Poland, and in 2013 it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.