church of the Sacred Mother of God Church

Welcome to the village Horna, in the heart of the Košice region. Right now, you are standing before the Church of the Sacred Mother of God, which dominates the local country and reminds its presence of the spiritual heritage of the region. Looking at it, the first thing you are likely to be interested in is its balanced form and peaceful atmosphere, which you spiritually exude. It is a place where history, faith and artistic craft meet, and we are now inviting you to immerse yourself with us in the story of this neo-Beautiful temple. Let's first see when and how this church originated. The church was built in 1890. At that time, the construction of such an important building for the Horni community was a great milestone. Although the names of the specific architects who developed the project remained unknown at the time, the result of their work shows a high aesthetic sense and precision. The neobaroque style in which the building is built combines the elements of the classic Baroque with the more recent trends of the late 19th century, creating a harmonious whole that fits into the traditional architecture of the eastern Slovak country. Now we ask you to pay attention to the details you see right in front of you. Look up at the temple tower. Note the ending that is typical of this style. The tower is finished with baroque onion and above this element is lantern, which gives the entire building an elegant and take off look. It is this silhouette of the tower that is a characteristic of the Greek Catholic churches of this period and represents the symbol of the earth's connection with heaven. If we stop at the history of this place, we will find that the life of the temple has not always been peaceful. The building went through several key stages that left a mark in its history. In 1925 two bells were installed in the tower, which since then called the local inhabitants for worship and announcements important events in the village. Then came the tragic stage. In 1944, during the dramatic events of World War II, the temple suffered severe war damage. It was a period of great sadness and demise, when it seemed that the beautiful work of 1890 could disappear forever. However, the faith and determination of the local people were stronger than destruction. Already in 1954 repairs started after the war damage. However, the reconstruction was not quick or simple, as resources were limited at that time. The reconstruction work continued for many years until the reconstruction was completed in 1970. What you see today is thus the result of the endurance of the generations who have decided to preserve this temple for the future. Now we invite you to focus on what lies inside the temple, because that is where we will find one of the most precious treasures. The most prominent element is the four-seater polychrome wooden iconostasis, which dates from 1890, i.e. the time of the church itself. Iconostas is a masterpiece that divides the temple space with its rich colors and details. According to historical assumptions, it probably comes from the workshop of Rétay and Benedict from Budapest. These masters were recognized in their time, and their work in this temple testifies to the importance that builders attached to the artistic decorating of God's house. In addition to the iconostasis, a very valuable icon of the Mother of God, older than the building itself, is preserved in the temple. It is an object of deep respect and a symbol of continuity of faith that has survived centuries and continues to be in this unbiased space. The interesting thing that you may be interested in is also not to die the important process of recovery that takes place in newer times. In 1997 a large-scale reconstruction of the iconostasis was started. The restaurant of this complex wooden work requires extreme precision and knowledge of old techniques to preserve the original color and detail of each of its four stages. It is a constant battle against time and natural ageing of material so that we can today admire the beauty of polychromia in their full spldor. Now when you look at the temple as a whole, view it not only as a brick and wood building but as a living organism that survived wars, repairs, and renovations. From the neo-baroque onion tower to the detailed iconostasis, each part of this temple tells a story of endurance and devotion. We hope this short trip to history has helped you to better understand the meaning of the Church of the Sacred Mother of God in Horni. Now we leave you to admire the architecture in peace and see the peace of this place. You can keep looking around or slowly move on to other monuments of this beautiful region. Thank you for your attention and we wish you a pleasant day full of new discoveries.