Church of St. Andrew the Apostle and St. Brother Albert

Warsaw,Church of St. Andrew the Apostle and St. Brother AlbertPoland
Church of St. Andrew the Apostle and St. Brother Albert
Plac Teatralny 18, 00-077, Warsaw, Poland
St. Andrew the Apostle and St. Brother Albert Church is a Roman Catholic church located at 18B Senatorska Street, near Teatralny Square in Warsaw.

History

In the place of the current church, a small church dedicated to the Holy Cross was built in the 17th century by the Jesuits. In the 18th century, it was replaced by the Church of St. Andrew. Next to it, a complex of convent buildings for canonesses was erected. In 1819, the temple was rebuilt by Christian Piotr Aigner.

During the Warsaw Uprising, the church served as a hospital for the insurgents. After the war, religious services were held in the damaged building until 1953 when the authorities decided to demolish the temple. A residential block was partially constructed in its place. The church was reconstructed in 1999 as part of the redeveloped northern side of Teatralny Square.

On June 13, 1999, the temple was consecrated by Pope John Paul II.

On March 23, 2008, a fire broke out in the Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher during a service on Easter Sunday. Decorations and several paintings were burned, and the plaster was also damaged.

Since the end of 2017, Tridentine Masses have also been celebrated in the church. They are officiated by Father Wojciech Pobudkowski of the Institute of the Good Shepherd.

The church is home to the Pastoral Care for Creative Environments, which brings together people of culture and art. It also hosts community gatherings and Icon Academy meetings. Inside, there are relics of St. Albert, St. Andrew, and St. John the Evangelist. The rector of the church and the national chaplain for creative environments is Father Grzegorz Michalczyk.

Since 2014, the Cantus Laudabilis choir has been active at the church.

Architecture

The architecture of the church is inspired by the 19th-century facade designed by Piotr Aigner. The main altar houses a painting by Sebastian del Piombo from the 16th century. Additionally, the church contains several paintings on loan from the Royal Castle and the National Museum. The church doors are made of transparent glass.