A CATHEDRAL-SHRINE ON THE BANKS OF THE BRDA RIVER
On May 26th, the first international ordinations in the Cathedral of Bydgoszcz also known as "Fara", since the reform of its presbytery was carried out.
This Catholic church located in Bydgoszcz (Poland) began as a simple wood-framed church, but as a result of a fire, it was rebuilt in the 15th century in a variant of the gothic style particular to the area. The tempo is characterized by the use of bright colors. -green, red, blue and violet shades- the interior walls and for their large oak doors, Renaissance style. Originally the church was dedicated to Saints Nicholas and Martin, patrons of commerce and crafts, very appropriate given the commercial aspirations that the city has always had.
The church consists of a central nave and two aisles and is one of the most valuable architectural monuments in the area; besides being a Cathedral, it is also a Sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin where two images of the Virgin are venerated: The Our Lady of the Rose, patron saint of the diocesethe main altar and the Our Lady of the Scapular in the altar of the north nave, two carvings from the XV and XVIII centuries, respectively.
The original polychromy of the interior dates from 1922-1925 and was done by Henryk Nostitz-Jackowski, although the most important work in the Cathedral is the Madonna with the rose, a late Gothic painting showing the Virgin and Child in her arms holding a small rose in her hand.
BYDGOSZCZ ACQUIRES A NEW SPLENDOR
Last year we went to this small town in the interior of Poland to visit its cathedral, where several events were to take place. reforms to improve the state of the temple and make the liturgy closer to the faithful.
For this purpose, our project department studied the way of to restore the building to its former luster and introduce elements that would enliven the devotion in the community of the faithful.
For this purpose, a new altar and ambo made of marble Indian green polished and embellished with a relief that has been embossed with a bronze finish.
The relief contains an iconographic concept closely linked to Poland: ropes and barbed wire -symbols that reflect the suffering of the Polish people during the Holocaust- intertwined with a rose bush -symbol present in the altarpiece of the church and that honors the Virgin.
The lateral headquarters, made of oak wood with upholstered seats, it is consistent with the previous pieces due to the green upholstery of the seats and the presence of a relief of the same series on its upper part.
A HISTORIC FIND DURING THE REFORM
During the excavations prior to the renovation, there was an unexpected archaeological find under the presbytery tiles, where a treasure was found consisting of 480 gold coins and 200 other items and jewelry dating back to the XVI and XVII.
Despite the delay that the discovery entailed - an archaeological investigation was necessary - we were soon able to resume the work of raising the floor of the presbytery in order to reduce the eight-step difference in height from the floor of the building to the floor of the building and for bringing the word to the people. It was decided to follow the Oriental style of the church in terms of color and replace the monochromatic floor with new marble tiles in two colors. The black and white contrast not only beautifies the presbytery but also avoids stumbling among the priests, some of whom are elderly.
Currently, the Carmelite stalls and the monumental altarpiece that houses the image of the patron saint of the diocese, the Mother of God of the Beautiful Love, are in the process of complete restoration.
