Trinitarian Church

The former Trinitarian Church, located on the Old Bulvar Street of the Old Town, invariably attracts close attention of tourists of Kamyanets-Podolsky. Built in the middle of the XVIII century, the temple building has survived to this day almost unchanged. This monument of cult architecture is built in the Baroque style. Tuscan order pilasters with capitals without ornamentation, painted in white color, give the construction slimness and elegance. The main facade of the temple is completed with a beautiful pediment. Sculptural images of the Virgin Mary, Christian saints and decorative vases decorate the pediment of the building and the staircase parapet. On the gate are statues of Jean de Mat and Felix Valois, the founders of the Trinitarian monastic order. The monks of this ancient order, named in honor of the Holy Trinity, were engaged in the liberation of Christian captives from Muslim captivity. Their motto is «Glory to you, Trinity, and freedom to the captives».
The first Trinitarians appeared in Kamenets-Podolsky after the liberation of the city from the Turkish invaders (1699). They settled in estates inherited from Armenians Theodore Bogdanovich and Dominic Hotsimirsky. On the donated lands the Trinitarian monks built a wooden church in 1712. On voluntary donations in 1750-1765 on the same place were built a stone church and a monastery.
On November 8, 1789, Bishop Adam Krasiński consecrated the church; to commemorate this event, a plaque was erected inside the church. In 1842, the monastery was closed and the church was opened to parishioners. In the new church the main altar was dedicated to the Holy Trinity and Jesus Christ. Here there was a closed by a curtain figure of the Savior in prison which was opened only during divine service. Besides the main altar there were six more side altars with icons of the Virgin Mary and Christian saints.
The surviving main altar was built of local stone in 1907. The niche of the altar, in which the statue of the Virgin Mary is installed, is framed by four beautifully polished columns finished with Corinthian capitals. At the altar of the Mother of God there was a wooden ambo from which the priests delivered sermons.
During the years of Soviet power the church was closed. After the Great Patriotic War, the Trinitarian church housed the funds of the Khmelnitsky Regional State Archive. In 1992 the church was handed over to the Greek-Catholic community of Kamyanets-Podolsky and received the status of the Church of the Holy Martyr Josaphat. Regular services in the church have been held since April 26, 1992. Since that time the doors of this delightful attraction of Kamyanets-Podolskiy are open for all comers.