Supported projects

Bohumín - Restoration of the Cholera Graveyard Chapel by the Maryška Association

Project: Oprava kaple na bývalém epidemickém hřbitově a úprava prostranství ve Starém Bohumíně
Organization: Maryška, o.s.

One such “trace” is the chapel of Our Lady of Sorrow in Old Bohumín. Its story reaches back to the cholera epidemic of 1831 and stands on the last resting spot of many of the victims who were buried here en masse. The Hrušov architect Anton Schiebel designed a new Neo-Gothic chapel, but due to the onset of WWI its construction was never completed; only the foundations remain behind the existing chapel. The chapel had been maintained through donations from local churchgoers, but the communist government stopped that in the 1950’s. The chapel deteriorated rapidly and 2004 found the chapel in immediate danger of falling irrevocably into ruin.

The Maryška Civic Association in Bohumín, known in the region as the organizer of special cultural events and literary evenings, decided to do something about the chapel. The association was aided by a grant from the Via, as well as by the town, volunteers from the Old Bohumín parish, nature preservationists, and even ”ordinary” citizens of Bohumín.

Together, they began to work on the renovation of the chapel in July 2004, with new plastering and the installation of a new roof, doors and wrought iron railings. The interior was enhanced with a statue of the Guardian Angel by Tomas Malchar, made at the 2004 Summer- Circles Festival organized by the Maryška Civic Association. They also improved the area surrounding the chapel with a seating area for rest and contemplation.

All of the renovations were in keeping with the place’s character as well as the strict regulations of the National Institute of Care of Monuments, since the chapel is a registered national heritage monument. On the site where the new chapel was to have stood a wooden cross was erected, which had been made at the 2001 Summer-Circles Festival by film director Miloš Zábranský. In front of the cross stands a stone with a memorial plaque dedicated to the victims of the cholera epidemic.

The grand re-opening and ordination of the chapel took place four months after the work had begun, on the national holiday of October 28th 2004, with many of the town’s inhabitants in attendance. The names of those buried on this site between 1830-1832 were made public for the first time on two plaques. Members of the Maryška Association hope that in the future they will succeed in engraving the names of all two hundred victims of the epidemic on the memorial, in order to preserve the memory of the deceased. The chapel was also newly ordained on that day and carries the name of the Guardian Angel. Located next to one of the ”gates” to Old Bohumín, the chapel of the Guardian Angel looks over and protects not only the town’s inhabitants, but also all visitors. For this reason, many of those who come to visit leave a small angel in supplication or in thanks.

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