KUCICE - St Michael the Archangel Filial Church
CHURCH
IN KUCICE
The St Michael the Archangel filial church in Kucice has an octangular plan. From far away, it may look like a slightly bigger chapel. The nave and the presbytery were not separated as it is usually the case in sacral buildings. Also the windows are unusual. Their hill-like upper edges are round just like Moses’ Tablets, on which the Israelites received the Ten Commandments. The wall surrounding the church as well as the arcaded campanile made of red bricks are contemporary structures. The roof is covered with shingles, crowned with a ridge turret with an onion helm.
This octagonal church, according to the inscription on the rood beam, was erected in 1783, but it is not the first church in this place. According to old church documents, the parish in Kucice was already operational at the end of the 15th century. Most likely the first church was built here in 1598 and had the Holy Trinity as patron saint.
On the outside, the building seems to be sombre due to the dark brown colour of the wood. However, inside, it is quite the opposite and this may be quite a surprise for the visitors. Inside, the church is bright, bathed in white and sunny yellow. The current patron saint of the church can be found at the top of the early Baroque main altar. The sculpture represents St Michael the Archangel defeating satan depicted as a black monster.
Other eye-catching interior decoration elements are wooden sculptures: the group on the rood beam representing the Crucifixion, church hierarchs on the main altar and heads of angels adorning the wooden pulpit. The positive organ is also interesting. This instrument is used to give musical setting to a mass. It found its way to the church thanks to Franciszek Kanigowski, who owned the village and founded the church. The positive organ, sometimes called a regal (in French “rigole” or in English “rigol” meaning a manger, a trough) is a type of organ which was created in the mid-15th century. The instrument in Kucice has an exceptional number of stops (five) and is the only one of its kind in Mazovia.
In the 20th century the church was refurbished twice. Today, services are hardly ever held, however during holidays processions are sometimes organised and inside the church antique feretories participating in the festivities are kept.