Saint John's Church (Stargard)

 listed building / architectural heritage, Roman Catholic church, 15th century construction

It was built in the first half of the 15th century as a result of the expansion of the chapel previously erected by the Knights of St. John. Relics of this 13th-century Romanesque temple, in the form of granite blocks, were built into the pillars of the main nave of the present presbytery.

From the inscription on the plaque placed in the tower, we learn that the construction of the new church began in 1408, and the date 1464, placed on the large bell, suggests that it was the time when the construction of the tower and the entire church were completed.

In accordance with the spirit of the era, the hall-shaped church, maintained in the Gothic style, has some solutions modeled on St. Mary's Collegiate Church. We can see this similarity in the ambulatory with chapels around the main altar and in the decorations of the tower. In the central nave, stellar vaults were used, and cross vaults in the aisles. The temple was fortunately avoided by the fires that haunted the medieval city. However, in 1540 and 1697, as a result of a storm and perhaps construction errors, the tower was destroyed twice, which, falling down, crushed the vault and the chapels near the tower. After the second, rather quick, but incomplete reconstruction, the tower received a gable roof. It survived nearly two centuries. The current tower, and more precisely its conical helmet, dates from 1892. The height of almost 100 m gives it one of the first places in Western Pomerania.

In the spring of 1998, during the renovation of the top of the tower, a collection of documents and coins was discovered along with a letter from the pastor of the church, dated August 17, 1893, placed in a metal ball. The discovered items are stored in the City Museum at the Old Town Square, and their place was taken by information about contemporary Stargard and a message for future generations.

After the takeover of Stargard by the Polish authorities in 1945, the church was taken over by priests from the Society of Christ for Polish Diaspora abroad, who proceeded to successive renovation and furnishing.

First, the roof was repaired and the two artillery shells that were stuck in the turret were removed. In 1946, the wall in the tower was pierced on the west side, and thus a new main entrance was created. In 1954, the windows were glazed and the roof was renovated again. The worn brick floor was replaced in 1957 with a marble one. During these works, 3 goblets, a jug and 2 silver candlesticks were found hidden in an old heating duct. In the main nave, coffins were found, which were covered with rubble and concrete intact. In addition, two bells were repaired.

Between 1958 and 1961 the interior was painted. As part of the renovation, polychromes by prof. Hopper; new benches were also provided. In the period 1968-1973, a set of stained glass windows was installed in the workshop of W. Ostrzołek in Katowice, and the external walls were renovated. The chandeliers come from 1976, and the new marble altar from 1978. The construction of the new sacristy and repainting of the interior took place in the years 1980-1983.

On June 24, 2003, on the 760th anniversary of granting city rights to Stargard, the Metropolitan of Szczecin and Kamień, Zygmunt Kamiński, issued a decree on the appointment of John the Baptist as the patron of the city. From the beginning of its existence, John the Baptist has been very strongly associated with Stargard.

In 2004, the replacement of the cross and the copper roof sheathing began, which is still ongoing.

Church of St. John is the parish church of the parish of St. Joseph (named after the now defunct temple, located near the church), branch churches are located in Grabów, Kiczarów and Klępin.


Equipment
Until World War II, the church of St. John was richly equipped. Its most valuable element was a large, late-Gothic St. John's altar from the second half of the 19th century. XV century, the work of the Pomeranian workshop, but with visible influences of the art of Hamburg and Rostock. In the central wardrobe there were large sculptures of Mary and Christ and scenes from the life of St. John. It was dismantled before the war in 1945 and deposited in the branch church in Tychów. Currently, it is in the National Museum in Szczecin. The Baroque pulpit was taken deep into Germany in 1945.

The organ built by the organ builder Wagner comes from 1731. In the northern part of the church, next to the sacristy, there are fifteen-century four-seat stalls with carved walls. In 2005, the relics of Saint Rafał Kalinowski were purchased for the church.