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In the early 1900s, Białystok was reputed to have the largest concentration of Jews of all the cities in the world. In 1931, 40,000 Jews lived in the city, nearly half the city's inhabitants. The city is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Białystok. Establishment of the Diocese and the Archdiocese and the cities of Bialystok ended the period of the temporary church administration in the Bialystok region owned lands over the centuries to the Archdiocese of Vilnius, which after World War II remained in the Polish borders. The city is also the seat of the Bialystok-Gdansk Diocese of the Autocephalous Polish Orthodox Church. Bialystok is the largest concentration of Orthodox believers in Poland.
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Catholicism
The city is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Białystok. Establishment of the Diocese and the Archdiocese and the cities of Bialystok ended the period of the temporary church administration in the Bialystok region owned lands over the centuries to the Archdiocese of Vilnius, which after World War II remained in the Polish borders. Pope John Paul II on 5 June 1991, during a visit to Bialystok, announced the decision to set up the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Białystok. On 25 March 1992, Pope John Paul II in the Bull Totus Tuus Poloniae Populus reorganized Polish cities and dioceses. This document raised to the rank of diocese of the Archdiocese of Bialystok and Bialystok metropolis established, consisting of the Archdiocese of Bialystok, the Diocese of Drohiczyn and the Diocese of Łomża. The creation of the Diocese of Bialystok (1991) and raise it to an archbishopric and capital of Bialystok to the dignity of the metropolis (1992), was the culmination of the process become independent of the local Church. The first Archbishop of Bialystok on 25 March 1992 was appointed the former Bishop of Bialystok Dr. Edward Kisiel, whom the pope in a solemn Mass. Basilica of Saint. Peter in the Vatican City on June 29, 1992, the archbishop gave the pallium. Archbishop Kisel took a ceremonial ingress to the Basilica of the Metropolitan of Bialystok on 4 Oct 1992.
The city has 36 parishes, which are six deaneries. In Bialystok is also the Archdiocesan Major Seminary, and a branch of the Pontifical Faculty of Theology. At the University of Bialystok, there Interdepartmental Chair of Catholic Theology.
List of Catholic parishes
List of Parishes and Churches in the city:
Orthodoxy
The city is the capital city of Bialystok-Gdansk diocese of the Autocephalous Polish Orthodox Church. Bialystok is the largest concentration of Orthodox believers in Poland. There are 11 Orthodox parishes. Such work Centre of Orthodox Culture, Radio Orthodoxia, Brotherhood of St. Cyril and Methodius, the Fellowship of Orthodox Youth Choir Aksion and Orthodox Charity Centre "Eleos. The diocese has its own clinic. Are issued to the magazine: "Arche. Messages Brotherhood", "Fos" and "Overview of the Orthodox." Hosts numerous Orthodox festivals, including International Festival of Orthodox Church Music Days Hajnowka and Bialystok Orthodox Church Music Days. The structures of the University of Bialystok Department of Orthodox Theology works. In the nearby there is a male Supraślu Monastery of the Annunciation, in the village podbiałostockiej Zwierki - Female Monastery of the Virgin Birth.
In Bialystok is the biggest Orthodox church in Poland, the Orthodox church of the Holy Spirit. Since 2007, in Bialystok works Church Primary School. St. Cyril and Methodius. For now, the school has one class. Orthodoxy is mainly practiced by Belarussian minority.
List of Orthodox parishes
There are 11 parishes in the city:
Protestantism
In Bialystok are the following Protestant churches: a Lutheran parish, two Pentecostal churches, a Baptist church, a congregation of the Church of God in Christ and the Seventh Day Adventist church.
Other
Other denominations in Bialystok include Free Bible Students, Jehovah's Witnesses and Latter-day Saints.
Islam
The Muslim Religious Union in the Polish Republic was reactivated in 1947. It is currently involved in the Muslim religious community in Bialystok. The head of the Polish Muslims is mufti Tomasz Miskiewicz, Chairman of the Supreme College (based in Bialystok, Poland) was elected to that post - the first time in postwar history of a relationship - March 20, 2004 at the XV Congress of the Muslim Religious Association. Earlier, the presidents exercising the duties included Stefan Bajraszewski, Stefan Mucharski, Jan Sobolewski, and Stefan Korycki.
Judaism
In the early 1900s, Białystok was reputed to have the largest concentration of Jews of all the cities in the world. In 1931, 40,000 Jews lived in the city, nearly half the city's inhabitants. There were more than 60 synagogues and other Jewish institutions in the city.
During World War II most of the synagogues were destroyed because of a ruthless policy pursued by the Nazis of pillage and removal of the non-German population.
The synagogues destroyed included:
Several hundred Jews survived the war and returned to Białystok, and only three structures of significance to the Jews survived:
The last operating synagogue in Białystok was the Cytron Synagogue, which closed its doors in the late 1960s. In 2008, the University of Białystok Foundation established the educational Jewish Heritage Trail.