Franciscan Church of St Mary Magdalene in Przemyśl

In one of the frescoes in the nave, the army of the Prince of Transylvania besieges Przemyśl, and the town is saved through the intercession of St Vincent, whose relics the Franciscans here have kept since the 16th century. The Church of St Mary Magdalene is a late-Baroque building with a lavish Rococo interior, largely the work of artists from Lviv. It stands on ul. Franciszkańska, a few steps from Przemyśl's Market Square.

History: the Franciscans in Przemyśl

According to tradition, the Franciscans arrived in Przemyśl as early as the 1230s. They built their first stone church of their own at the end of the 14th century, consecrated by Bishop Eric of Winsen, himself a Franciscan from Saxony. It was damaged by fire in 1638, rebuilt, and lasted until the mid-18th century, when the friars decided to build anew.

The present church took 24 years to build, from 1754 to 1778, to a design by Walenty Haltman. The work was supported by Bishop Wacław Hieronim Sierakowski and Franciszek Salezy Potocki, Voivode of Kyiv, and the church was consecrated on 19 July 1778. Three years later construction of a new friary began on older walls. A fire in 1864 changed the church's outline: the roof was lowered, the façade rebuilt and the towers shortened.

What to see

• The façade with three statues attributed to the Lviv sculptor Fabian Fesinger: the Immaculate Virgin, Blessed John Duns Scotus and St Giles.
• The high altar designed by Piotr Polejowski, with a venerated painting of the Immaculate Virgin from around 1600.
• The pulpit of 1778, also by Polejowski, with St Francis standing on a globe preaching to the birds and a relief of his sermon to the fish.
• Ceiling paintings by Stanisław Stroiński and Tomasz Gertner, with Franciscan and Marian scenes.
• Frescoes from the town's history on the walls of the side aisles: Franciscans killed by soldiers of Stephen the Great of Moldavia in 1498, and the siege of Przemyśl by George II Rákóczi in 1657.
• Portraits of the benefactors in the chancel, and Rococo figures of music-making angels with King David playing the harp in the organ loft.

Interesting facts

The relics of St Vincent, patron saint of Przemyśl, came to the church in the 16th century. Legend has it that thanks to him Rákóczi abandoned the siege in 1657. To this day, on the last Sunday of August, the friars carry the relics in procession through the streets, while the town holds the Wincentiada, a festival in honour of its patron. The organ dates from the second half of the 18th century; after rebuilds in 1928 and 1949 it has 24 stops.

Tripto tip

The church is at ul. Franciszkańska 2a, right by the Market Square. It is an active church, so visit outside services and keep quiet. Allow 20–30 minutes for the interior, and before you leave, look for the frescoes at the back of the aisles – they tell the story of Przemyśl. The visit fits easily into a walk round the Old Town, the cathedral and Casimir's Castle on the hill.