LOGO

Rabka Zdrój - Churches

church rabka zdroj

 

A large imposing red brick neo-gothic style Roman Catholic Church stands on ulica Orkana. It is surrounded by walls with a garden to one side. There is another Catholic church about a mile across town in ulica Orkana Parkowa close to the junction with Nowy Swiat (New World).

Poland is mainly Roman Catholic. There are churches of other denominations but they appear to be in the minority and we're only just discovering them. A small friendly evangelical Protestant church group with an Amarican pastor and some English speaking members, meets each Sunday in preschool #1 on Orkana Street (ul. Orkana) at 10:30 AM. The services are conducted in Polish. Contact phone numbers are - 0048(0)18 26 77 495 or 0048 609 050 077 (Polish speaking only).

The parish cemetary lies alongside the park and main road. Like all Polish cemetaries it is well-maintained with plenty of fresh flowers and ever-burning colourful lamps. Catholic cemetaries tend to visited and attended to unlike those of some other faiths and denominations.

Jewish cemnetary Rabka ZdrojA place of sadness is the Jewish Cemetary in Rabka, a little distance behind the school for the blind in ulica Słoneczna. This is where the local Jews were gathered up and shot by Nazis during the second world war; they lined them up and used one bullet to kill several, then buried them in mass graves whether they were dead or not.

The Museum Orkana is the former 16th century church of Saint Mary Madgalen that was converted to its new use since the building of the new church.

A Catholic Priest lives on ulica Lesna at the other end of town and conducts services in his house for people local to that area.

An 18th century church of the Holy Cross is found at Piantkowa Gora (Hill). This church was restored following a fire in 1994 and features beautifully decorated walls. The 'happy waters' or Pocieszna Woda spring arises near the church. It is reputed to have healing properties for eye and other complaints.

 

The Cemetary
 

There are several memorials of interest in the cemetary including one for the concentration camp of Auschwitz (Oswecim in Polish) , the massacre of Polish officers at Katyn, and a World War II memorial.

A little macabre for some, but much can be learned of life in this area, average age expectancy and Catholic traditions.

 

 
park zdrojowy rabkaholiday lets poland