temple gr.k.sv.Michel Church and belfry

Welcome to the village Šarišský Štiavnik, in the heart of Prešov region, where the time seems slower and history in every step reminds of ancient times. You are standing before the temple of the Greek Catholic Saint Michael, who, with his belfry, is the dominant of this place. The first vision you have before your eyes is an image of peace and spiritual stability. Perceive the atmosphere surrounding this space and allow yourself to be absorbed by the moderation and dignity of this sacral structure. It is a place that has long served the local community as a refuge for prayer and the centre of social life. Although the exact chronology of the establishment of this temple is not detailed in the available records, the very presence of the building in the country testifies to the deeply rooted traditions of the Greek Catholic Church in the region. The unknown names of architects who designed this object, or specific personalities that would play a major role in its construction, but it is in this anonymity that there is a kind of beauty. The temple is not the product of one well - known master, but rather the result of a joint effort of people who longed for a spiritual centre within their community. It is a testament to the faith that has passed through the generation and that has manifested itself in the anomaly of the material and form that you see before you today. Now, please concentrate and look at the overall composition of the file. Your view goes naturally between the church itself and the bell tower. Notice how these two parts communicate and create a harmonious whole. Look at the facade and see its simplicity. It is in this absence of unnecessary ornamentality that you will find the strength and purity of architecture, which was primarily to serve God and people, not the monument of personal distress. Follow the lines of the building and consider how many generations of inhabitants of Šarišský Štiavnik passed through this door, how much they celebrated the increase of new family members and how much they humbly escorted their loved ones to the last trip. When you look at the bell tower, imagine the sound of the bells that lower it. The bells in the Greek Catholic tradition are not only an announcement of the beginning of worship, but are the voice of a community that calls for repentance, warns of danger, or announces glad tidings. This sound was carried through the valley over the centuries and defined the rhythm of life in Šarišský Štiavnik. Although we do not know exactly who founded the tribe, we know that every detail you see today is the result of continuity and care for the people who kept this temple running. Let's go now to one of the greatest mysteries of this place. It is this unknownness of particular data and names of architects that creates some mysterious haze around St. Michael's temple. Nowadays, when every information is available for one click, it is refreshing to stand before a memory that keeps its secrets. Who was the first to lay the foundation stone? When the bell tower was rising, what kind of whirlwinds ruled? These questions remain open and invite us to our own interpretation and reflection on the passage of time. It is this myth page of the memorial that complements its physical presence and forces us to perceive the spiritual dimension more than just technical parameters. Feel the silence that now reigns in the neighborhood. It's a silence that says more than a thousand words. It is the silence of a witness who saw coming and leaving various political systems, wars and peace, but he himself remained a symbol of stability. The church of the Greek Catholic Saint Michael is not only a building of stone and wood, it is a living organism that breathes the history of the Prešov region. Before you say goodbye to us and move on, we recommend that you live outside the building quietly for a while. Look again at the detailed composition of the bell tower and church and try to imagine what this space looked like hundreds of years ago. Perhaps then the surrounding nature was not so modified, perhaps the roads were dustier and the life was much more difficult, but this need for a place for Saint Michael, the archangel, and the guard of the heavenly army was felt the same as today. Thank you for your interest and for giving your time to this historical monument in Šarišský Štiavnik. We hope you have felt peace and respect for the traditions represented by this temple. Now we invite you to further explore the beauty of this region. Let yourself be guided by curiosity and discover other gems that secretly hide the stories of our ancestors. We wish you a pleasant day and a peaceful journey.