Hello Tad,

Attached are the photos, I told you I would be sending to you, so members can have copies of their ancestral parishes.

These were taken in the province of Podlaskie in 2003 and 2006. Barglow Koscielny is in the powiat of Augustowski. The rest are all in the powiat of Suwalski.

Bakalarzewo – The Bakalarzewo Church and the one in Filipow look like they were built about the same time, and most likely by the same construction crew. They look almost identical. This is the parish of my Jakubkowski, Michalczyk, Przemielewski, Szastaj, Szwarc and Wasilewski ancestors.

Barglow Koscielny – It was by accident that I found this church. When we were heading back to Warsaw, I accidentally took the wrong highway out of Augustow. This is the parish of Catherine Brewster’s ancestors. She is a member of the Poland Border Surnames mail list through Rootsweb.com, which I administrate. I told her it was an act of God that took me to this church so she could have some photos of it. She was very happy to receive them.

Becejly – Across the road from the church is a beautiful lake.

Filipow – This is where some of my Przemielewski & Szwarc family settled, after leaving the Matlak area.

Jeleniewo – The lower wall, closest to the street, in front of the Jeleniewo parish was built by my great grandfather, Jan Mackiewicz. This is the parish of my Borkowski, Dorochowicz, Galazin/Galazyn, Karaszewski, Kulik, Mackiewicz, Makowski, Misiukiewicz, Olowniuk, Pacewicz, Szejwa/Siejwa, Szeszko, Waszkiewicz, Wierzchowski and Zaborowski ancestors.

Przerosl – My 3rd great granduncle Kazimierz Mackiewicz moved to the Kruszki when he married Antonina Witkowska, which is in the Przerosl parish. I have Bogdan cousins still living in Kruszki.

Pawlowka – Thist is a small parish located west of Jeleniewo and south of Przerosl, in the powiat of Suwalski. It is a very rural area with farms and forests. These two photos were taken in September of 2006 by my cousin Grzesiek Borkowski of Krzemianka.

Suwalki – When I visited Suwalki in 2003, they were remodeling sw. Aleksandra. I did not get any photos of the inside of this beautiful cathedral. Across the street is a statue of sw. Jadwiga in a park. One of my cousins told me that beneath the park is an old cemetery. Some of my Mackiewicz and Siejwa family members were and are from this parish.

Wizajny – One of my Szwarc granduncles was born in Wizajny. Today I have a Mackiewicz cousin living in this parish.

Wodzilki – This church is an old Russian Orthodox Church. They are called the “Old Believers.” In the late 17th century, the Russian Orthodox Church introduced Greek Orthodox doctrines. The members broke away keeping the old faith. There are several old villages in this part of Poland where members still live. They still speak the old language and follow their faith.

Barglow Koscielny – It was by accident that I found this church. When we were heading back to Warsaw to leave Poland, I accidentally took the wrong highway out of Augustow. I wanted to go to Bialystok and see it one more time to get photos of the beautiful old churches and more modern ones. Barglow Koscielny is the parish of Catherine Brewster’s ancestors. She is a member of the Poland Border Surnames mail list through Rootsweb.com, which I administrate. I told her it was an act of God that took me to this church so she could have some photos of it. He was smiling down on her that day. She was very happy to receive them.

I hope people will enjoy seeing their family’s old parishes.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone.

Tina

List:

Bakalarzewo Parish – 2003

Bakalarzewo Parish Altar – 2006

Barglow Koscielny Parish through neighboring yard

Barglow Koscielny Parish

Becejly Parish – 2006

Filipow Parish – 2006

Filipow Parish Altar – 2006

Jeleniewo Parish – 2003

Jeleniewo Parish Altar – 2003

Pawlowka Parish – 2006

Pawlowka Parish Altar – 2006

Przerosl Parish – 2003

Przerosl Parish – Bell Tower – 2003

Suwalki – sw Aleksandra Cathedral – 2003

sw. Jadwiga Statue – Suwalki – 2003

Wizajny Parish – Jesus Statue – 2006

Wodzilki Russian Orthodox Church – 2003

Wizajny Parish – 2006