Cathedral in the name of Archangel Michael
The Archangel Michael’s Cathedral in Mazyr, Belarus, is an Orthodox cathedral of the Eparchy of Turov. It began in the 17th century as a Catholic Bernardine monastery church, built in late Baroque style as a two-tower, three-nave basilica. In 1864 it was transferred to the Orthodox Church and reconsecrated in 1865.
From 1937 to 1941 the cathedral was used as an NKVD prison, with thousands of executions reported. It reopened in 1941, was officially registered in 1952, and was rebuilt later. The 1980s frescoes were painted by Alexander Isachev. Since 1992 the church has been part of the restored Turov diocese. A crypt dedicated to the victims of Stalinist repressions was consecrated in 2012 and contains remains of the murdered. The façades and roof were renewed in 2018.
Earlier history notes: Bernardines were allowed to establish a monastery in Mozyr in 1615. A wooden church was built in 1618, and a stone monastery began after 1645. The complex was destroyed in 1648 during conflict, and Mazyr was rebuilt by King John III Sobieski. The 18th-century church, funded by Kazimierz Oskierka, was likely consecrated in the 1760s–1770s and became a prominent Baroque church with a library and school. The monastery closed in 1832 and later served as a hospital. After the partitions, the Mozyr church was transferred to Orthodoxy in 1864 and rebuilt for its new role.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 18:35 (CET).