The church of Saint James in Częstochowa has an interesting history. Originally, there was a sixteenth-century chapel of the same patron, and in its place, a brick church was built in the following century. During the partitions, on the site of the demolished chapel, tsarist authorities erected an Orthodox church of Saints Cyril and Methodius, which was somewhat a demonstration of power. After being returned to the parish of Saint James, the building was rebuilt, but has retained the characteristic features of the neo-Byzantine style.