Wierszalin
Wierszalin | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 House in Wierszalin | |
  Wierszalin | |
| Coordinates: 53°11′47″N 23°42′16″E / 53.19639°N 23.70444°E | |
| Country |  Poland |
| Voivodeship | Podlaskie |
| County | Sokółka |
| Gmina | Krynki |
Wierszalin is a depopulated village in the administrative district of Gmina Krynki, within Sokółka County, Podlaskie Voivodeship, in north-eastern Poland, close to the border with Belarus.
History
[edit]The village (also called a hamlet, a colony, or a town) was founded in a forest near Stara Grzybowszczyzna by Eliasz Klimowicz, a Polish-Belarusian Orthodox cult leader. He wanted Wierszalin to be the "New Jerusalem" and a capital of the whole world.[1] The village's name, Wierszalin, originated from the Slavonic word sovershilos ("it is accomplished").[2]
Klimowicz's followers: Ilja Iwaniuk, Józef Miron and Michał Miniuk, started raising wooden houses and a shed for pilgrims. By the mid-1930s, tens of people decided to settle in Wierszalin.[3] Eventually, the village's population would reach a number of a couple hundred.[4]
Paweł Wołoszyn attempted to construct a wind farm that would supply the village with electricity. His plans failed due to a lack of wind near Wierszalin. An attempt to produce hydroelectricity also failed. Klimowicz planned to build a church, a hospital, a flower shop, a school, and monasteries at every edge of Wierszalin. The Polish government did not allow the construction of a church.[3]
People started leaving Wierszalin after Klimowicz was arrested by the Soviets in October 1939.[2] During the Second World War, the Germans demolished two houses in Wierszalin and rebuilt them in Ostrów Południowy and Leszczany.[5]
Up to the 1960s, at the crossroads near Wierszalin stood a cross with a Cyrillic transcription.[3] The last person living in the village was Borys Wołoszyn, a son of Paweł.[6][7] Reportedly, he was also Klimowicz's last believer.[1] A few buildings remain in Wierszalin. People interested in Klimowicz pay visits to the depopulated village.[5] Its territory belongs to the Krynki Forest District.[4] A historical theme park was created there.[8] Memorabilia from Wierszalin are stored in the Museum of Icons in Supraśl.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Horsztyński, Edward (2016-02-06). "Ilja, prorok z Sokólszczyzny". isokolka.eu (in Polish). Retrieved 2025-02-18.
- ^ a b c Chmielewski, Jerzy (2023-01-17). "„Prorok" Ilja. Historia prawdziwa (cz. 11)". czasopis.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2025-02-18.
- ^ a b c Pawłowski, Roman; Słobodzianek, Tadeusz. "Żywot proroka Ilji czyli krajobraz po końcu świata". labodram.home.pl (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2016-10-01.
- ^ a b Dąbrowski, Kamil (2020-03-13). "Osada Wierszalin. Zobacz jak wygląda tajemnicza miejsce w sercu Puszczy Knyszyńskiej!". Podlaskie24 (in Polish). Retrieved 2025-02-18.
- ^ a b Węgłowski, Adam (2019-11-07). "Imperium proroka Ilji na Podlasiu". National Geographic (in Polish). Retrieved 2025-02-18.
- ^ Mierzyńska, Anna (2004-08-05). "Koniec świata w Wierszalinie". Gazeta Współczesna (in Polish). Retrieved 2025-02-18.
- ^ ""Wierszalin. Wyprawa do Stolicy Świata" - reportaż Doroty Sokołowskiej i Wiesława Szymańskiego". Polskie Radio Białystok (in Polish). 2008-01-10. Retrieved 2025-02-18.
- ^ Sieradzki, Waldemar (2014-02-14). "Wierszalin". krynki.bialystok.lasy.gov.pl (in Polish).
