NEKDAJ CERKEV SV. KATARINE IN SV. VIDA
Cerkev sv. Lovrenca se nahaja v Željnah, manjšem naselju v bližini Kočevja. Stoji na dvignjeni legi sredi vasi ob križišču s cesto, ki vodi v Kočevje. Nastala je v začetku 16. st., pred letom 1526, ko je bila tudi prvič omenjena v seznamu kranjskih cerkvenih dragocenosti. Sprva je bila posvečena sv. Katarini, nato so v drugi polovici 16. stol. Zgradili novo stavbo, posvečeno sv. Vidu, od katere se je ohranil le prezbiterij. Leta 1717 so podaljšali ladjo in dogradili zvonik, ki sta bila zaradi požara po letu 1888 temeljito obnovljena. Takratni vaščani so uspeli rešiti le dva stranska oltarja ter prezbiterij. Leta 1967 in 1996 so cerkev zaradi posledic 2. svetovne vojne ponovno obnovili.
Od svoje prvotne oblike pa vse do danes se je cerkev veliko spremenila, še danes pa lahko opazimo sledove požara, ki so vidni na zvoniku. Cerkev je približno toliko velika, kot ostale podružnične cerkve v Kočevju in okolici. Do danes niso ohranjeni nobeni podatki o arhitektu.
Slika 1: Cerkev sv. Lovrenca v Željnah (Foto: Denis Delić)
Cerkev ima enoladijsko obliko s triosminskim prezbiterijem. Ladja ima v vsaki steni po dvoje pravokotnih oken. Glavna vrata v cerkev so preprosto kmečko delo iz 19. stoletja. Zunanjost je na novo ometana zaradi dotrajanosti in posledic 2. svetovne vojne.
Zvonik je visok 22 m in po vsej širini brez podzidka. Ima neogotsko korenasto obliko strehe, pokrito s pločevino, kjer je bila včasih vidna letnica 1717. Vhodno vežo tvori skromna zvonica, ki prehaja v ladjo, vhod je v obliki polkrožnega kamnitega portala. Cerkev je znotraj visoka je 5 m in dolga 22 m. Prezbiterij meri 3,6 m v višino in 4,9 m v dolžino in obsega eno obočno polo in petosminski zaključek. Obokan je z gotskim križnorebrastim obokom. V notranjosti so trije oltarji in enostaven lesen kor, pod katerim stoji spovednica. Zaradi svoje specifičnosti pride do izraza siva marmorirana prižnica, ki stoji v jugovzhodnem kotu cerkve, prislonjena ob zid.
Kot oltarna slika sv. Lovrenca je danes bandero[i], ki je nastalo leta 1904. Poleg oltarnega nastavka stojita kipa sv. Jožefa in svete Marije. Pod ometi se nahaja freska iz leta 1631, ki je bila videna in datirana po požaru leta 1888. Na freski je upodobljen pekel, ki prikazuje tedanje občutke prebivalcev, saj je nastala v času kmečkih uporov. Notranji strop z ometom so zaradi dotrajanosti zamenjali z novim lesenim stropom. Po zgradbi reber in služnikov lahko opazimo, da je ista delavnica (Mozeljska stavbarska delavnica) izdelala tudi prezbiterij kapele sv. Krvi v Mozlju. Danes cerkev nima večjega pomena, njena edina funkcija so občasne maše za vaščane Želnj.
Slika 2: Notranjost cerkve sv. Lovrenca (Foto: Denis Delić)
Cerkev sv. Lovrenca se mi zdi pomembna za umetnost na Kočevskem. Zaradi požara je izgubljenih veliko fresk in ostalih predmetov, ki bi lahko pričali o tedanjem načinu življenja na Kočevskem. Menim, da zunanjost cerkve v primerjavi z ostalimi vaškimi cerkvami ne pritegne večje pozornosti, medtem ko je notranjost veliko lepša. Ob vstopu v cerkev mi je všeč razmeroma nizek lesen strop, ki daje občutek topline in dobrodošlosti.
Denis Delić, 3. b (šolsko leto 2022/2023)
VIRI IN LITERATURA:
- AMBROŽIČ, M. (1967). Župnijska cerkev sv. Fabijana in Boštjana ter sv. Jerneja v Kočevju in njene podružnice. Kočevje: Občina Kočevje.
- ZUPAN, G. (1993). Cerkve na Kočevskem nekoč in danes. Kočevje: Župnija.
- RESMAN, B. (2010). Upravna enota Kočevje: občine Kočevje, Kostel in Osilnica.
1 Bandero je cerkvena zastava z verskimi simboli.
THE CHURCH OF ST. LAWRENCE IN ŽELJNE
FORMERLY THE CHURCH OF ST. CATHERINE AND ST. VITUS
The church of St. Lawrence is located in Željne, a small village near Kočevje. It stands on an elevated position in the middle of the village at the junction of the road, leading to Kočevje. It was built at the beginning of the 16th century, before 1526, when it was mentioned for the first time on the list of Carniolan church treasures. It was originally dedicated to St. Catherine, then in the second half of 16th century, they built a new building dedicated to St. Vitus, of which only the presbytery remains. In 1717 the nave was extended and the bell tower was added. They were extensively renovated after the fire in 1888. The villagers at the time managed to save only the two side altars and the presbytery. In 1967 and 1996, the church was renovated again because of the aftermath of World War II.
From its original form until today, the church has undergone many changes, and the traces of the fire can be seen on the bell tower. The church is about the same size as the other succursal churches in Kočevje and the surrounding area. No information about the architect has been preserved until this day.
Photo 1: The church of St. Lawrence (Photo: Denis Delić)
The church has a singe-nave shape with a three-eighth presbytery. The nave has two rectangular windows in each wall. The main door to the church is a simple rustic work from the 19th century. The exterior is newly plastered due to the deterioration and the consequences of World War II.
The bell tower is 22 m tall and has no plinth along its entire width. It has a neo-gothic root-like tin roof, where the year 1717 used to be visible. The entrance hall is formed by a modest bell tower, which extends into the nave, the entrance is in the form of a semicircular stone portal. On the inside, the church is 5 m tall and 22 m long. The presbytery is 3.6 m tall and 4.9 m long, with a single arch and five-eighth end. It is arched by a Gothic cross-ribbed vault. Inside there are three altars and a simple wooden choir, under which the confessional stands. The grey marble pulpit, which stands in the south-east corner of the church and leans against the wall, stands out because of its specificity.
Today a church banner serves as an altarpiece in the Church of St. Lawrence, which originates from 1904. Next to the altarpiece, there are two statues of St. Joseph and St. Mary. Under the plaster there is a fresco originating from 1631. It was seen and dated after the fire in 1888. The fresco depicts hell, which shows the feelings of the inhabitants at the time, as it was painted during the peasant uprising. The interior plastered ceiling was replaced with a new wooden ceiling due to the deterioration. From the structure of the ribs and the pylons, it can be seen that the same workshop (the constructional workshop in Mozelj) also made the presbytery of the Chapel of St. Blood in Mozelj. Today, the church is not of great importance, it only serves as the occasional venue for the masses for the villagers of Željne.
Photo 2: Interior of the St. Lawrence church (Photo: Denis Delić)
I consider the Church St. Lawrence important for art in the Kočevje region. Many frescoes and other objects that could testify to the way of life in the Kočevje region at that time were lost in the fire. I think that the exterior of the church is not very attractive compared to some other village churches, while the interior is much nicer. When entering the church, I like the relatively low wooden ceiling, which gives a feeling of warmth and welcome.
Denis Delić, 3. b (school year 2022/2023)
SOURCES AND LITERATURE:
- AMBROŽIČ, M. (1967). Župnijska cerkev sv. Fabijana in Boštjana ter sv. Jerneja v Kočevju in njene podružnice. Kočevje: Občina Kočevje.
- ZUPAN, G. (1993). Cerkve na Kočevskem nekoč in danes. Kočevje: Župnija.
- RESMAN, B. (2010). Upravna enota Kočevje: občine Kočevje, Kostel in Osilnica.