Gréckokatolícky chrám Zosnutia presvätej Bohorodičky v Trebišove
The construction of the Greek Catholic Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos in Trebišov is closely connected with migration waves of population from the northeastern regions of Upper Hungary to the more fertile areas of Zemplín during the Ruthenian colonization in the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1720, there were only 36 burgher households in Trebišov, with many houses abandoned and fields neglected.
According to the Greek Catholic parish register, kept from 1776, there was an older parish in Trebišov, which suggests the existence of an earlier church in the town. This original church is believed to have been wooden, with a straw roof, and no longer sufficient for the growing number of believers after the arrival of new inhabitants.
Due to the increasing number of faithful, the foundation stone of a new stone church was laid on 28 August 1817. The architect was Jozef Turčáni, who designed a spacious interior suitable for the spiritual needs of the growing Greek Catholic community. The church was built between 1818 and 1825, and its solemn consecration took place on 28 August 1825, on the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, reflecting the strong Marian devotion in the town.
The church also experienced tragic events. On 3 July 1844, the church tower collapsed due to a natural disaster and was rebuilt in 1855. After a fire in 1876 destroyed the bells, both the crown and the Ministry of Culture contributed to their replacement. In 1886, the interior restoration was completed, including the installation of the iconostasis and pulpit carved by sculptor Peter Kovaliczky.
The central icon of the iconostasis is the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, accompanied by icons of Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, and St. Nicholas. The second row depicts the Last Supper surrounded by the Twelve Great Feasts of the liturgical year. The composition is completed with icons of the twelve apostles, prophets, and patriarchs, above which rises the Golgotha with the Sorrowful Mother and St. John the Baptist.
Over the years, the church was further improved. In 1901 a sacristy was added, the interior was paved with ceramic tiles, and in 1907 stained glass windows were installed. After World War I, when three bells were confiscated, a new large bell named Georgij was purchased in the 1920s. The church enclosure, including an ornate forged gate tower, was completed in 1903.
Source: www.trebisov.sk
