Church in Stężyca – A Baroque Temple with a Rich History

The current church in Stężyca, built between 1701 and 1706, is the fifth temple to stand in this location, replacing earlier wooden structures. Three of the previous churches burned down, and the fourth was dismantled, making way for the current baroque, brick-built structure. Dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria, this church became an important center for the Sacred Heart of Jesus devotion in the 18th century, as affirmed by a papal document issued by Pope Benedict XIV in 1754. In 1742, Bishop Michał Remigiusz Łaszewski, a native of Stężyca and an auxiliary bishop of Warmia, consecrated the church. That same year, the main altar was also blessed, housing a unique reliquary in the form of a sarcophagus, gifted to the parish by Maria Kazimiera d'Arquien, wife of King Jan III Sobieski. Although the church's interior is preserved in a modest, single-nave style with a hall layout and without a distinct chancel, it contains rare historical elements, including wooden Gothic reliefs from around 1450, placed above the sacristy entrance. These precious carvings likely originate from one of the earlier wooden churches. Once the center of an extensive parish that included Parchowo, Sulęczyno, and Mściszewice, the church in Stężyca remains not only a fine example of baroque architecture but also a place of deep, centuries-old spiritual tradition.