Żerczyce

Żerczyce
Village
Żerczyce
Coordinates: 52°29′N23°5′E / 52.483°N 23.083°E / 52.483; 23.083
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Podlaskie
County	Siemiatycze
Gmina	Nurzec-Stacja

Żerczyce [ʐɛrˈt͡ʂɨt͡sɛ] is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Nurzec-Stacja, within Siemiatycze County, Podlaskie Voivodeship, in north-eastern Poland, close to the border with Belarus. ^[1]

According to the 1921 census, the village was inhabited by 271 people, among whom 19 were Roman Catholic, 248 Orthodox, and 4 Mosaic. At the same time, 27 inhabitants declared Polish nationality, 240 Belarusian and 4 Jewish. There were 51 residential buildings in the village. ^[2]

There is an Orthodox Church of St. Demetrius in the village. The church is a center of devotion to a venerated copy of the Theotokos of Tikhvin, believed to originate from Vilnius. The original icon was lost in the 1944 fire and replaced with a copy during the post-war rebuilding. The church grounds are enclosed by a stone wall with a main gate featuring a small icon of Christ and a cross. Nearby stand several trees, along with gravestones, votive crosses, and memorials for individuals killed during or after World War II. ^[3]

References

1. "Główny Urząd Statystyczny" [Central Statistical Office] (in Polish). To search: Select "Miejscowości (SIMC)" tab, select "fragment (min. 3 znaki)" (minimum 3 characters), enter town name in the field below, click "WYSZUKAJ" (Search).
2. Skorowidz miejscowości Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej: opracowany na podstawie wyników pierwszego powszechnego spisu ludności z dn. 30 września 1921 r. i innych źródeł urzędowych., t. T. 5, województwo białostockie, 1924, s. 23.
3. Siegień, E. "Historia parafii św. Dymitra z Tesalonik" [History of the Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki Parish]. cerkiew.pl (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2016-05-14.