Voupa

Voupa or Volpa is a village on Voupa river, an attribute of Nioman. Voupa is located between Vaukavysak and Masty. Population (1990) = 1.544 inhabitants

Coat of Arms of the historic town of Voupa
Clearly the town stands on river bank with lots of beavers and other wildlife.

St. John ths Baptist Catholic Christian Church in Voupa, 1773.

Voupa Timeline

1773. St. John Baptist Church was built by Bishop of Infland.Ian Nepamuk Kasakouski on the foundation of the burned in Swedish war the XVI century cathedral. The construction of the church was sponsored by Kazimir Leon Sapega, son of the famous Belarusian political leader - Leu Sapega.

Late XIX century. The church was renovated. Two pentagonal chapels were attached to the sides and the main building was extended.The altar is entirely carved out of wood with intricate ornaments. This wooden altar is registered as a cultural monument of the 1st half of XVII century.

The church has three main icons - "Crucifiction" in the central hall and St. Kazimir (Belarus and Lithuania Saint Protector) and Jon the Baptist in the side halls. The internal columns are decorated with gold-plated grape vines, carved out of wood. The black polished altar surfaces are contrasted with goldplated ornamental decoration throughout the church.

The added later chapel houses an icon of the Virgin of Ruzhancova painted in the first half of the 17th century.

Read also about the rich  Jewish history of Volpa from Schtetlinks