Painted Churches of Texas - Dubina

Saints Cyril and Methodias Church

Dubina was the first Czech community in Texas and its name is derived from a term for “oak grove.”  The original church was built in 1877 and was destroyed in the 1909 hurricane.  The old iron cross forged by freed slave and blacksmith Tom Lee was salvaged from the ruins and sits atop the new church steeple.

The present Saints Cyril and Methodias Catholic Church, one of many on the Painted Churches ofTexas tour, was completed in 1911 and painted with frescoes and the entire church was stenciled.  This wood frame church, like many others in the area, was designed by Leo Diehlmann in the Carpenter Gothic style.

Restored Interior of Dubina Church

It now features some beautiful murals that were uncovered by a local parishioner in 1981 after being covered over in 1952 during a whitewashing remodeling phase.  The murals were recreated by the parishioners themselves to depict winged angels and elaborate stencil patterns of flowers and vines trace the arches.

Detailed Stenciling

The spectacular ceiling is a bright blue sky with glistening silver stars.  Colorful angels adorn the arches and wooden columns are painted to resemble marble.  No records survive to identify the original artist.

The church is decorated with many religious statues brought over from Europe in 1910, as were the elaborately carved stations of the cross with the text in Czech.

The church at Dubina was the only church not completely open to the public.  Due to vandalism, visitors must view the interior through a locked inside iron gate.