History

The earliest written mention of the parish comes from 1445. Most likely the first church already existed in the village at that time. Another one was built in the 16th century and was renovated before 1618 and in the last quarter of the 17th century. The current church was erected in 1774 at the efforts of the Castellan of Ciechanów, Władysław Grzegorzewski. Some sources provide that it could have been redesigned instead of being built from scratch, therefore it is recognised as one of the oldest churches in Mazovia. The church underwent restorations on numerous occasions, including in 1827, 1846, 1855, 1887 and 1889. In 1905 some parishioners, along with the parish priest, Rev. Jan Kaczyński, joined the newly established Mariavite parish in Lutkówka. It was then the brick sacristy was added to the church. After a year, a new parish administrator, Rev. Bronisław Szmidt, reclaimed it for the Roman-Catholic church by court decision. In 1919, owing to the parish priest Wacław Wolski, a school was built in Lutkówka for children from nearby villages. The most significant renovation of the feature in the 20th century took place in the years 1983-1989, when new galvanised sheet metal cladding was laid on the roof, new weatherboards were added to the walls and the interiors were refurbished. In 1990, by decision on Pope John Paul II, the parish was separated from the Warsaw Archdiocese and incorporated into the newly established Diocese of Łowicz. The most recent renovations of the feature took place at the turn of the 21st century and were carried out owing to the parish priest, Rev. Zbigniew Chmielewski.

Description

The church is located on a small elevation, on the north side and at a slight distance from the road running across the village, on a rectangular plot fenced with a plastered brick wall circumscribing the church graveyard (with entrances on three sides). A stone holy water font, with a date of 1744, is located at the south-east entrance, on the left, at a pine tree. The church graveyard is distinguished by a crypt with a tombstone of Józef Wiśniewski, an officer of the Polish-French guard, major of the 2nd Uhlan regiment, who died in 1864. A bell tower is located to the south-west of the temple.

The church is oriented towards the east and was built of wooden material in a post and beam structure, reinforced with vertical supports, with walls covered with vertical board-and-batten cladding. The sacristy and the chapel adjoin the chancel at the north and south ends. They were made of brick, are plastered and covered with vertical board-and-batten siding. There are crypts underneath the chancel. The roofs are of the gable, two-ridge type (three-sided above the chancel), in a rafter structure, clad in sheet metal and featuring an octagonal steeple situated in the nave ridge (near the chancel). The main block consists of a single-nave body, with a narrower and lower chancel terminating in a straight arch, added at the east end, as well as two annexes on both of its sides (all components were erected on a rectangular floor plan).

The interior of the nave and the chancel is topped with a flat ceiling partitioned by a rood beam (with a Baroque crucifix from the mid- 17th century). The choir gallery is located on the west side, above the main entrance to the church. It rests on two pillars and features a board balustrade with a slightly recessed middle part. It hosts a pipe organ casing from the second half of the 18th century. The interior fixtures and fittings are distinguished by: the Baroque Revival main altar from 1857, two Baroque side altars from the 1st half of the 18th century and a confessional from the 18th century.

A bell tower from the first half of the 18th century was made of wood as well, in a post-and-beam structure, and is covered with vertical board-and-batten siding, while the bell openings (two on each side) remain open. It is covered with a tented roof clad in sheet metal, with a centrally located crowning pinnacle.

A rectory erected in 1924 (renovated in 1997), supplementing the church complex, is located outside the church walls.

The building is accessible to visitors during masses and following previous arrangements with the parish priest in Lutkówka.

Author of the note Jerzy Szałygin, National Institute of Cultural Heritage, Regional Branch in Warsaw 23-11-2017 

Bibliography

• The Holy Trinity church, after: http://skarbiecmazowiecki.pl/obiekty/kosciol-pw-swietej-trojcy-mszczonowski-osuchow-lutkowka-4-89,1.html
• Lutkówka, Mazowieckie Voivodeship, Żyrardów Poviat: http://www.kosciolydrewniane.pl/pages/drewniane/lutkowk.html
• Katalog zabytków sztuki w Polsce, vol. X, issue 4, Powiat grodzisko-mazowiecki, Warsaw 1967.
• Record sheets of monuments of architecture: Kościół parafialny p.w. Św. Trójcy, Dzwonnica, prepared by Dorota Koszewska, Jerzy Domino, May 1980; Karta cmentarza Lutkówka, prepared by A. Siwiec, 1991.