Church of St Cyril of Turau and All the Patron Saints of the Belarusian People

Belarusian Memorial Chapel
Church of Saint Cyril of Turaŭ and All the Patron Saints of the Belarusian People
Царква Сьвятога Кірылы Тураўскага і ўсіх сьвятых заступнікаў беларускага народу
The Belarusian Church in 2016
Belarusian Memorial Chapel
Location of the Belarusian Memorial Chapel in London
Location Barnet, London
Country United Kingdom
Denomination Belarusian Eastern Catholic
Website belaruschurch.org.uk
History
Dedication Staint Cyril of Turaŭ
Consecrated December 17, 2016
Architecture
Architect(s) Tszwai So
Completed 2017[1]
Clergy
Priest(s) Fr. Siarhiej Stasievich

Church of St Cyril of Turau and All the Patron Saints of the Belarusian People (Belarusian: Царква Сьвятога Кірылы Тураўскага і ўсіх сьвятых заступнікаў беларускага народу, also known as the Belarusian Memorial Chapel)[2] is a wooden church in Woodside Park, London. It is the first wooden church built in London since the Great Fire. It is also the first purpose-built Catholic church of Byzantine rite in London, the first memorial dedicated to the 1986 Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster erected in Western Europe, the first Belarusian Uniate church built outside Belarus and the first church building made principally out of cross laminated timber panels in London.

The church is located next to the Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum and the Marian House, a Belarusian community centre in Northern London.

The chapel’s construction began in November 2015; the foundation was completed in January 2016 and the cornerstone brought from the Holy Trinity Church in Druja[3] was laid during a ceremony presided by the Apostolic Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Antonio Mennini and Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Holy Family of London, Bishop Hlib Lonchyna on 7 February 2016. It was consecrated on December 17, 2016.[4]

The design primarily draws inspiration from the rural wooden churches in Belarus. The materials palette was restricted to wood and glass to reflect their austere and tranquil beauty.[2] The church will be clad in timber with restricted areas of clerestory windows and obscured glazing. It is therefore essentially ‘windowless’ reflecting the inward-focused Byzantine liturgical tradition. The design of the external walls was inspired by the traditional vertical timber cladding of the Baroque Uniate churches of Belarus.[5]

The Belarusian Memorial Chapel was featured at the 2017 London Festival of Architecture[6] and received the RIBA London Regional Award 2017 of the Royal Institute of British Architects.[7] It has also been named People's Choice at the New London Awards 2017 by New London Architecture.[8]

On May 13, 2017 a part of the ashes of Vera Rich, an English poet and translator from Belarus, was buried in the church.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Belarusian Memorial Chapel at the official website of Spheron Architects
  2. 1 2 "Belarusian Memorial Chapel". Spheron Architects. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  3. ↑ "Камень з Друі стаўся краевугольным для беларускай царквы ў Лондане". Krynica.info. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  4. ↑ First wooden church since 1666 is set to shine its light
  5. ↑ So, Tzswai (October 2014). "Remembering Chernobyl: A New Chapel for London's Belarusian Catholics" (PDF). Oremus: Westminster Cathedral Magazine (196): 20. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  6. ↑ "RIBA Announces 2017 London Regional Award Winners". archdaily.com. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
  7. ↑ "WHAT'S ON - BELARUSIAN MEMORIAL CHAPEL". londonfestivalofarchitecture.org. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
  8. ↑ New London Awards Winners 2017
  9. ↑ Blessing of the shrine of St. George and Divine Liturgy in memory of Vera Rich

Coordinates: 51°37′00″N 0°11′05″W / 51.6167°N 0.1847°W / 51.6167; -0.1847

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