The Basilica of St. Giles is located in the former royal town of Bardejov in the north of the Šariš region. The oldest written report related to the church dates back to 1247. The church took its present form during the 14th – 15th century, which was the golden age of Bardejov. The architecture of the church and its internal fixtures are typical of that time. The church is a three-nave basilica and also includes four chapels. What makes this church extraordinary are its eleven original Gothic winged altars, which are still preserved today and were a gift from the local guilds (1440 – 1510).
The Altar of Pieta, also of the Virgin Mary of the Seven Sorrows, dates back to 1485. It was donated to the church by the guild of masons. The statue dates back to 1430 which makes it older than the altar. The creation of the sculpture was influenced by the Bohemian Beautiful Style. It is the only stone sculpture in the church. The altar of the Holy Cross dates back to 1480 and comes from the hands of the guild of peasants. The central figure is of the crucifixion of Christ. To the sides of the sculpture is a scene of the Virgin Mary and St. John. Above Christ on the cross is a trilingual plaque, where is written, in Hebrew, Latin and Greek: Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. In the loggias on the sides of the altar cabinet are depictions of the Old Testament prophets Isaiah, Amos, Zachariah, and Jeremiah. In their hands they hold ribbons on which are written their prophecies of Christ's redemptive death. The altar is the work of an unknown master who was influenced by the work of the Dutch master Gerard of Leiden. It is also exceptional because of its golden background, which makes the whole altar unique.
The Church of St. Giles was declared a national cultural monument in 1970. In the jubilee year of 2000, together with the town of Bardejov, it was included in the UNESCO World and Cultural Heritage list. In the same year, Pope St. John Paul II declared it to be a Basilica Minor.
Marek Kreheľ / Dean and Priest
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