The sacral buildings of Grobnišćina have exceptional cultural, historical and artistic value. They are monuments to the historical turmoil, the way of life and work of the people of this region, their language and script, as well as the devotion to their homeland and faith. A visit to one of the churches is a journey into the past infused with the spirit of past centuries.
The Church of St Bartholomew
The story of the church
The patron saint of the Parish of Cernik is St. Bartholomew, a disciple of Jesus who was prominent in the protection of the poor, sick and infirm. The first sacral building in the parish area was erected in 1538 on the site of today’s parish church. That year, inscribed in Glagolitic scrip on a plaque found in the old parish church, most likely refers to the year of the erection of the first Cernik chapel in the same place. The Glagolitic plaque itself disappeared in the early 20th century.
The first step towards the construction of today’s parish church was made by the parish priest Nikola Gršković in 1895. At that time, in a plea to his superiors, he pointed out the need to build a new church, since the old one became “tight, low and short” for the then “1,630 souls.” After many difficulties, the church was completed in 1909.
The space inside the church
In the presbytery, at the east end of the church, is a stone altar facing the people, whilst behind the altar there are three statues. The central statue represents St Bartholomew the Apostle, and alongside it are statues of St Stephen, the first martyr, and St Anthony the Hermit.
The side altars are dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and they also have three statues each. The statue of Our Lady of Lourdes in the garden was erected in 2008 on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of her apparition, and in the same year, a new clock was erected on the front of the church as a gift to the parish church on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of its construction..
Church of Sts Philip and James
A Historically and artistically significant building
The Church of Sts Philip and James was built in 1105 and is one of the oldest churches in the Grobnišćina territory. On the hill above Grobnik Field, the church shared the tumultuous history of the people of this region and Grobnik castle, from the administration of the Frankopans and Zrinskis and the Mongol conquests to the occupation during World War II.
The turbulent history also left a rich artistic mark on the church.The coats of arms of the Zrinskis and Frankopans add previously unknown details and are important for the study of Croatian history.The restored pulpit is the work of 18th-century artist Michelazzio.Likewise, on the church itself there are several Glagolitic inscriptions that speak of the events in the town of Grobnik during the 16th, 17th and 19th centuries, and the richly decorated tombs that date from 1589.
In 1572, the bell tower was added that was later restored in the Baroque style because it was damaged by lightning in the middle of the 18th century.It is interesting to note that the church had an organ and a choir in 1852, when organs were made in Ljubljana for church liturgy.
The church gained its current look at the end of the 16th century, and the last restoration was completed in 2008.
