The Church of St John the Baptist and St Andrew the Apostle in Cegłów, belonging to the Warsaw-Praga diocese, has recently undergone comprehensive conservation and restoration works. The temple, an important historical monument of the region, regained its former splendour thanks to the efforts of conservators and the financial support of the Mazovian Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments.
The church in Cegłów was first mentioned in the 16th century, when a wooden church stood in the place of today’s brick church. In the mid-16th century, a brick building was erected in its place, which underwent extensive renovation in the 17th century at the request of Bishop Wawrzyniec Goślicki. The solemn consecration of the renovated temple took place on 21 December 1629, when it was given its present name of St John the Baptist and St Andrew the Apostle. In the following centuries, the church was renovated several times, including in the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century, when a number of modernisation works were carried out, including replacing the roof, rebuilding the presbytery and erecting a new entrance portal to the sacristy.
The church in Cegłów before renovation. Photo by Jolanta Dyr, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The church is a brick building, built of brick, with buttresses on the corners, characteristic of the period. Plastered elements such as the east wall, the chancel gable and the sacristy add to the church’s unique character. The interior of the church conceals valuable monuments, including a late Gothic triptych from 1510 by Lazarus, a pupil of Wit Stwosz, as well as Baroque altars from the 19th century, a pulpit and baptismal font from the 18th century and a granite stoup from the 17th century.
As part of the recently completed works, the conservators focused on the restoration of the entrance portal from the chancel to the sacristy, as well as the discovery and restoration of fragments of original plaster on the eastern façade and in the sacristy. The uncovered elements, including the outlines of the Renaissance gables, were restored to their historic form, allowing the original appearance of the church to be recreated.
The Mazovian Provincial Conservator of Monuments, who supervised the works, recently officially accepted the completed project, stressing the importance of these activities for the preservation of the region’s cultural heritage. Thanks to the work carried out, the church of St John the Baptist and St Andrew the Apostle in Cegłów has not only regained its former appearance, but has also been safeguarded for the years to come.
Source: Mazovian Voivodeship Historic Preservation Officer, parafiaceglow.pl
