Red Church

This postcard was sent by Nadya from Belarus via postcarossing [BY-139693]. It shows the Catholic Church of Saints Simon and Helena at Minsk.

Church of Saints Simon and Helen, Minsk (Belarusian: Касцёл святых Сымона і Алены) also known as the Red Church (Belarusian: Чырвоны касцёл) is a Roman Catholic church on the Independence Square in Minsk, Belarus.

The church was built in 1905-1910. The construction was financed by Edward Woyniłłowicz, a prominent Polish and Belarusian civic activist. The church was named and consecrated in the memory of Woyniłłowicz's departed children Szymon (Simon) and Helena (Helen).

In 1923 the church was robbed by the Red Army and in 1932 it was closed down by the Soviet authorities and transferred to the State Polish Theatre of the BSSR. Before the Second World War the church was reconstructed into a film studio.

In 1941 the German occupation administration allowed the church to be used, but after the war it was closed down yet again.

In 1990 the building was given back to the Catholic Church. Since then it was renewed and became an important centre of religious, cultural and social life. It also became a centre for the revived Belarusian Greek Catholic Church. [wikipedia]