Heilig-Geist-Church Stargard

The Stargard Holy Spirit Church is located in the southwest of the city, outside the former city wall and near the Brama Pyrzycka (Pyritz Gate) on what was formerly Heilig-Geist-Straße, now ul. Księcia Bogusława IV. Stargard train station is a few hundred meters further northwest.

The first documented mention of the Holy Spirit Church – then still a chapel – dates from May 30, 1364, in connection with a report on the establishment of a Holy Spirit Hospital for the admission of the poor and needy elderly from the community. When, in 1633, during the Thirty Years' War, the Swedish commander had the suburbs demolished in anticipation of an attack by imperial troops, this also meant the demolition of the Holy Spirit Chapel. In 1651, the small church could be provisionally restored, initially in half-timbered construction, then the west gable was solidly built. An inventory from 1739 describes the entire complex consisting of the church, rectory, school, bell house, and preacher's widow's house. In the 19th century, the church became increasingly dilapidated, and repairs proved to be no longer possible. In 1869, the house of worship was closed by the police, and then the building was sold for demolition for about 1000 thalers. Just five years later, in 1874, the foundation stone for a new building was laid, which was consecrated in 1877 as the new Holy Spirit Church: a building in raw brick construction with a tower that was nevertheless 50.2 meters high. A clock was installed, a new organ was built, and the old church bell was also put back into service.

The new church was a total of 35 meters long and twelve meters wide. The construction costs amounted to 114,000 marks. The house of worship did not have a vault, but a wooden ceiling like a saddle roof, and above the pews were wide, staggered galleries around the entire church interior. The heavy staircases, which then proved to be disturbing, were later removed from the interior and housed on both sides of the tower in separate stairwells, as were the sacristy and storage room on both sides of the altar niche. Although the Neo-Gothic hall church was not a particularly handsome building, it was practical and sufficient. However, when it appeared increasingly neglected inside at the beginning of the 20th century, it was decided to renovate it and eliminate the greatest deficiencies. This was done under the direction of the architect Heinrich Deneke, who had already earned merit through the renovation of Stargard's St. Mary's Church. The painterly effort, in particular, proved worthwhile and created a tastefully pleasing interior: a subdued joy of color and a cozy atmosphere replaced a sober, cold monotony, reinforced by three large stained-glass windows in the enlarged apse. The stained-glass windows were created in 1926 by Professor Otto Linnemann from Frankfurt. The Holy Spirit Church, an evangelical house of worship since the Reformation, survived the Second World War undamaged and was taken over by the Catholic Church as early as May 20, 1945.

Until the beginning of the 20th century, St. Gertrud Church, which stood on the former Werder, and St. Jürgen (George) Chapel were part of the Holy Spirit parish. In 1940, with 11,000 parishioners, it was the second-largest Protestant community in Stargard after the St. John's parish. Two pastors last served here. The church patronage was held by the city magistrate. The Holy Spirit community belonged to the Stargard church district in the eastern district of the church province of Pomerania of the Church of the Old Prussian Union. Since 1945, there has been a Catholic parish at the church, where three clerics are active. It belongs to the Deanery of Stargard Zachód (Stargard-West) in the Archdiocese of Szczecin-Kamień of the Roman Catholic Church in Poland. At the same time, the house of worship is the parish church of the Parish of Świętego Jozafata Męczennika (St. Josaphat, the Martyr) of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church within the Eparchy of Wrocław-Gdańsk. Evangelical church members living in Stargard today belong to the Szczecin Trinity parish in the Diocese of Wrocław of the Evangelical-Augsburg Church in Poland.