Old Poland - before war - was a multinational and multicultular. Catholics, Jews, Orthodox and Greek Catholics... all lived together in harmony. Orthodox and Uniate Churches were built near Catholic Churches. Today they stand empty...

Author: Aung

Author: Olek Remesz (wiki-pl: Orem, commons: Orem) under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

Now in Poland, there are still many of such temples. In some regions, for the obvious reasons like in south and east regions where non-catholic influences were stronger, there are many of them, but they can be found  all over the Poland. Moreover, they are under monuments protection program. Some of them are really beautiful.

Author: Marek & Ewa Wojciechowscy under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

Author: Marek & Ewa Wojciechowscy under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

Cerkiew is a building intended for the Orthodox or Uniate liturgy. It differs from the catholic church. Every element from interior and exterior has it's own, symbolic meaning.

Cerkwie are built on the cross, greek cross or the ship (symbol of human wandering to the God) or circle (infinity symbol) plan.

Author: Wampcia under Creative Commons Uznanie autorstwa 3.0

Characteristic thing in Cerkwie is shape of the dome roof. their number and shape has also symbolic meaning. They could look like helmet, be curved, bell shaped or even conical. The roofs could look like candle's fire. On the each of them there is a cross, because Cerkiew is built for the glory of the Christ.

Quantity of the roof's domes could be from 1 to 33. When on Cerkiew there is only one, it means one and truly God, when there are two-they are symbols of human and the God. Three domes means Holy Trinity. Four domes are never built, but 5 means Jesus and Evangelists. 7  roof's domes - 7 sacraments.. 13 domes - Jesus and his apostols and finally 33 domes means 33 years of Christ life on earth.

Author: Yarek shalom under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0

Author: Ludwal

Interior of the Cerkwie are divided on to three parts: vestibule, nave and altar. Important is the fact, that cerkiew was built in such way, that altar is on easter and vestibule on western part of the building. It is also common for the catholic churches - in cathollic tradition east is where the Eden is.

In the antiquity in vestibule, during the liturgy, stood the catechumens and non believers.

Nave (often without chairs) it is a place for believers. In the middle of nave, there is a table, on which the holy painting - the Icon - is placed. It is not an ordinary painting but personalization of the saint. It is believed, that the saint is present in Cerkiew, thanks to the painting.

The altar is behind the ikonostas - golden wall with the icons and the gate. Only men could walk there. Women could be only in nave. This is the most holy place of the Cerkiew with the marble table with all liturgic tools.

Author: spars under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported

Priest in cerkiew had to be gifted in music and sing, because whole liturgy (which could last even for 3 hours!) is singed by him. It is worth to participate in such liturgy at least once in life, because music and words are almost unchanged from the first ages of christianity, so the participant has the impression like he is back in those times...