BREZANY: The wooden Greek Catholic church of St. Luke the Evangelist, 1727

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Unique wooden church in Brežany was built in 1727. It is dedicated to St. Luke the Evangelist. Originally all the people in the village were Greek Catholics, but in 50’s all of them transferred to western rite, because of many attempts to become orthodox. The church remained as the property of Greek Catholic Church. Greek Catholic Eparchy of Prešov allowed the church to be used by the Roman Catholic parish of Bajerov. The church building has three parts, three spaces, one tower and two crosses. Nave and the sanctuary have rustic structure, the tower has columned structure. The roof has a shape of a pyramid. It is covered with shingles. On the top is decorated three-barred cross, which is with its shape one of the most beautiful among all in the Eparchy. The entrance to the church is from the western part, through the open narthex. The nave and the sanctuary have beams laid horizontally. Interspaces between individual beams are jointed and whitened. Nowadays two bells hang in the tower. The church was partially renovated in 1999 and in 2001. Interior furnishing is dated to the first half of the 18th century, iconostasis from the year 1733. It has four rows on four levels. First row contains the icons of St. Nicholas, Theotokos (Hodigitria), Christ the Teacher and icon of St. Luke the Evangelist. Second row has Mandylion instead of an icon of the Last (Mystical) Supper. Third, apostolic row contains the icon of Christ the High Priest in the middle together with the Theotokos and St. John the Baptist. Fourth row of prophets is adorned with twelve icons. Atypical is the finishing, with omission of classical Crucifixion, or at least cross at the top of the iconostasis, which is replaced by sloped Mandylion. Worth to mention from the furnishing is the altar with the painting of the Coronation of the Theotokos (1782), side altar with the painting of Pieta, and side altar with painting of Christ (second half of the 18th century). Also worth to mention is the icon of Aaron inside of deaconal (servers) doors. source: www.drevenechramy.sk