St John's Lutheran Church

At ulica Sienkiewicza 60 in the centre of Łódź stands a former Evangelical-Augsburg church dedicated to St John, today a Roman Catholic church dedicated to the Most Holy Name of Jesus, run by the Jesuits.

Who built the church

Construction was initiated by industrialist Karol Scheibler, who declared 50,000 roubles for this purpose in 1876. The cornerstone was consecrated on 1 July 1880, and the church was consecrated on 8 October 1884. The design was prepared by architect Louis Schreiber, and the final stage of work was supervised by city architect Hilary Majewski.

Who paid for the furnishings

The interior and furnishings of the church were financed by families of Łódź manufacturers, including the Scheiblers and Herbsts. The church was the second Evangelical-Augsburg church in Łódź, after the Church of the Holy Trinity.

Change of denomination after the war

After the Second World War, the building was taken over by the Jesuits, and they became formal owners in 1989. The first pastor of the Evangelical parish was Wilhelm Piotr Angerstein; today the church serves as a Roman Catholic parish dedicated to the Most Holy Name of Jesus.

Monument protection

The church was entered in the heritage register on 20 February 1971. The neo-Romanesque structure of red brick remains one of the distinctive features of Łódź's ulica Sienkiewicza.

In the vicinity

It is also close to the Stary Rynek [Old Market Square], one of the historic points in the centre of Łódź.

Practical information

• Address: ulica Henryka Sienkiewicza 60, Łódź, Śródmieście [City Centre district]
• Getting there: city centre, on foot or by public transport to ulica Sienkiewicza
• What to expect: active parish church, access during Mass and services; it is worth checking the current schedule before your visit