First impressions

This sacred site was founded in 1624 by Hieronymus Chodkiewicz, who donated the land for what would become a stone monastery and church, though the first church on this spot was wooden. Today, a posthumous portrait of his son, Krzysztof Chodkiewicz, hangs in a corner of the temple, commemorating his second foundation of 3 July 1637.
The church itself, painted a soft milky white, is a fine example of Vilna Baroque architecture with Rococo elements. It survived two world wars, only to be destroyed by fire during the Soviet period. Since the 1990s, it has been painstakingly rebuilt from the ground up, rising anew from the ruins.

The church’s most valuable cultural artifact is an icon of the Archangel Michael dating back to around the 1610s. 

«The icon features a silver riza [decorative cover] with an engraving identifying its founder, Adam Sakovich, a prominent Vilna nobleman. He commissioned this icon, which has survived to this day remarkably unchanged. It’s truly a miracle. While it has undergone restoration, the Icon remains essentially as it was originally created, even though it predates the current building of the church,» Yuri Zhegarin explained.

The icon has survived because it was originally located in another place — the monastery of St. Jacek, one of the first disciples of St. Dominic. Later, the Dominicans decided to choose St. Archangel Michael as their patron. They were missionaries and cardinals who confirmed their rank with their lives and blood. «In essence, thanks to their sacrifice, we are Christians today,» he added.

Archangel Michael is the protector of the Novogrudok land. It was he who saved the city from disappearing. As legend has it, during one of the long wars, when a large number of local residents had perished, one of the enemy army detachments led by Prince Khovansky of the Hiedymin dynasty was heading here. A local delegation was sent to meet them. There was little hope that they would be able to negotiate. The diplomats offered to surrender the city without a fight on the condition that it would not be destroyed and the residents would not be killed. They said: you can plunder, even take some prisoner. Then the leader of the advancing forces said that he would not touch them because he saw a certain angel (Archangel Michael), and turned back. This was regarded as divine salvation. Adam Mickiewicz described this event in his works.One of the church’s paintings features a black dog -a spaniel with a torch symbolizing the globe and the light of the Gospel. «Incidentally, Dominicans are translated from Latin as Hounds of the Lord’ (Domini canes). This animal, in the general understanding, is a symbol of fidelity. Just as a dog trusts its master, so does a person trust Christ,» the rector explained.

History in every detail

As you look around the church, what strikes you first is the sheer scale of the cultural and religious heritage preserved within its walls. It is hard to believe that, according to the rector, the territory of Novogrudok was once pagan, and its Christianization was a very slow process. «There were just small pockets of Byzantine, Eastern and Western Christianity, but the local population was reluctant to embrace the new faith,» he explained.

Another factor contributing to the slow adoption of Christianity among the locals was its ethnic and religious diversity. «Many Jews lived in the town, and there were Tatars as well. The residents were diverse in their faith as well: during the Reformation era, the majority were Protestants. The Dominicans, meanwhile, were proponents of the Counter-Reformation and acted together with the Jesuits, who virtually eliminated the Protestant threat in Europe,» Yuri Zhegarin cited as an example.

The church encapsulates the entire history of Novogrudok within its walls. Its oldest section holds various relics — the remains of martyrs associated with the city. The priest also showed a medallion and its case, which was found in the city’s crypts and, in his words, literally taken from a person’s body. «It was discovered on one of the Dominicans who was buried about 300-400 years ago. Most likely, he was a German missionary,» he suggested.
At the far end stands a unique, life-size crucifix. According to the rector, it most likely dates back to the time of the former Jesuit church. The wood carving is exceptionally fine: the artist clearly had a deep understanding of human anatomy, as from a distance one can make out in striking detail every vein and muscle on the body of Christ.

Above the sculpture is an icon of the Mother of God, which was recently restored. Known as the Hodegetria, it depicts the Mother of God guiding her Son with her left hand. Icons of this type are believed to point the way. The icon is interdenominational, held in deep reverence by both Catholics and Orthodox Christians, even in times of conflict. Perhaps its gaze has the power to make many pause and reflect on their own destiny.

Descending into the atmospheric crypt, a place that guards the church’s deepest secrets, we discovered that here lie the sarcophagi of the church’s founders, the Khodkevich family. Old copper plaques, now worn so smooth that nothing is legible, stand next to a family coat of arms... And beyond them, an engraving by Pavel Tatarnikov, presented to mark the church’s 400th anniversary. The painting captures Novogrudok at its zenith, featuring the local Corpus Christi Church (also known as the Farny Church), the Church of Sts. Boris and Gleb, and the Franciscan monastery with the Church of St. Anthony of Padua. Some of these landmarks still stand today, while others were destroyed, becoming forever part of history.

We came across a marble plaque dated 1899. It turned out to be a memorial to a girl who had passed away at just 15 years of age. Her parents were deeply grieving and commissioned an image with her as a keepsake, and the image was placed in the church so that the soul taken so early would be remembered in prayer.

Adam Mickiewicz studied at the Dominican school attached to the church from 1809 to 1816. To this day, the church holds a small commemorative plaque featuring an excerpt from his poem Dziady, a passage expressing love for the land where he was born.
Also kept here is a reconstruction of the cup of St. Hedwig, which was provided to the creators from the Hermitage.
Turn a corner, and you will discover a small area set aside for listening to organ music. It is occasionally played by Father Pavel, a true master of this complex and remarkable instrument. He seems to know everything: from the mechanics of the organ itself to which church’s acoustics would best suit a particular piece.

All these things create a unique atmosphere and make the place special. The church is one of the city’s landmarks for tourists.