Monastery of St. Onufry (Jableczna, Poland)

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The Monastery of St. Onufry, also St. Onuphrius or St. Onouphrios, is a monastery of the Church of Poland located in village of Jableczna near Bug river, between Terespol and Koden. The monastery is under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan of Warsaw and All Poland. It is the only monastery in the area that has remained Orthodox since its establishment.

History

St. Onufry's Monastery was established during the fifteenth century. It was dedicated to a Egyptian hermit who lived during the fourth century. The monastery is located near the Bug River on the Polish, western side. Originally, the monastery owned land on both sides of the river with the main buildings on the eastern side. The relocation of the buildings occurred during the late 1830s when the facilities needed replacement and the decision was made to build a new on the left, western side.

At the time of the Union of Brest, 1596, the monastery maintained a strong opposition to the agreement. During the first half of the seventeenth century the monastery was the seat of the Bishop of Chelm. In the early years of the twentieth century the monastery was home to eighty monks, five schools, an operating farm, and a clinic. At the start of World War I, the monks were forced to leave as the monastery came to be in the front lines of the war.

During the highly nationalistic times of the re-founded nation of Poland after World War I, the monastery was able to maintain its Orthodox traditions and also remain open against strong Latin pressure. Again in World War II, the monastery was heavily damaged and suffered through the displacement of peoples by the communists after the war.

During the final decades of the twentieth century and especially after the collapse of the communist governments, the monastery was renovated and expanded to include a seminary. The central church of the monastery is St. Onufry Church that stands in the center of the monastery complex. It dates from the nineteenth century.

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