Wooden Churches of the Rusyns 3

Dr. Michele PARVENSKY, USA

In Poland, the Lemko churches in Berest, Hancova and Polyany exhibit a style similar to those in Slovakia. However, the variation in roof structure which one sees in Slovakia is not as prevalent. The majority exhibit the tripartite plan with descending towers from west to east which are topped with cupolas. One of these occurs in the church of St. Paraskeva in Kwiatoń. Its' middle room has three pyramidal structures decreasing in size as they go upward. The roof is capped with a large cupola. Its eastern room has two pyramidal structures topped by a cupola. Kwiaton is the only totally wooden church which I have seen with these features, although the churches in Uscie Gorlickie and Wysowa whose roofs are sheathed in tin possess the same pattern. In most churches, the three cupolas are usually the same size (especially if they are quite large). In Dubne, however, the cupolas found on the central and eastern roofs are larger than the one on the western tower. Most times, it is the other way around with the smaller cupolas located on the eastern roof. Even if three roofs were not built on the church, they still had the three cupolas, whereas in Slovakia only two cupolas are seen on many of the churches. This is especially prevalent in those churches along the eastern border of the country.

Bell towers are as unique as the churches themselves. Unlike the churches, the post and beam method was used in their construction.

The wooden bell tower in Yasinya is the only one of its type in Transcarpathia. In Hutsul churches, the bell tower is separate from the church, although most of the Lemko churches have bell towers standing apart from the church. In Slovakia it is unusual to find the bell tower as a separate building from the church. Bells are usually found in the tower located on the western end of the church. Separate bell towers can be found in the villages of Korejovce, Ladomirova and Potoky although, these tended to be built at a much later date than the church itself. In Poland, one sees a contrast between the two countries. In those churches which have bell towers, the building material was either stone or steel. The bells have some type of canopy but for the most part, they are exposed to the elements.

An example of one, is the beautiful bell tower from the church in Kožuchovce located in the musuem in Košice.

Danylovo, St Nicholas, 1779 ( bell tower)

The most common type of bell tower is the two-storied tower. The walls of the bottom story were usually built in the solid-timber technique and had a gate to gain entrance. The first story of the tower seems to be utilized for storage of church materials used for holidays or funerals one can find plastic flowers and wreaths, candle holders and once in a while a cart for holding the coffin.

The bell tower may be topped with a shingled tent like roof topped by a shingled cupola or nowadays, a tin sheathed cupola, or it may be a miniature version of the church roof itself. The second story has the appearance of a gallery. In some bell towers, the gallery is exposed to the elements, in others, it is enclosed. Transcarpathian churches for the most part have preserved their bell towers (which were usually built after the construction of the church), although new masonry bell towers are slowly replacing the wooden ones. They seem so totally out of place for they upset the church symmetry and its connectiveness with the environment.

All of the churches have metal crosses on the steeples. Most have a Rus' eight pointed three bar cross. The bottom bar may or may not be slanted (on the Greek Catholic churches, this bar is always straight across, whether the church is located in Lemkovyna, Slovakia, or Zakarpathia). One notices the creativity of Rusyn metalworkers on this basic type, for a variety of symbols can be found on the crosses.

The cross' arms may bear smaller crosses or stars or flowers, etc. The arms of the cross may be lily or clover shaped. On several of the crosses, five smaller crosses are placed around the arms. These signify where Christ was pierced.

A symbol for the sun can also be found in the center of the cross or represented in some other fashion. A unique symbol is the inverted crest forged at the bottom of the cross. This symbolizes the victory of Christianity over Islam and the Turks. Crosses with this symbol are found on the churches in Bodružal, Fricka, Jedlinka, Kožechovce, Nova Polianka, Potoky and Tročany in Slovakia; Banica, Berest, Bogusa, Czarna, Hanchova, Yastrebyk, Kun'kova, Mylyk, Nowica, Pryslop, Skwirtne and Uscie Gorlickie in Poland.

Typical crosses on many Lemko churches in Poland and churches in Slovakia

The churches in Transcarpathia for the most part have the three bar cross on the steeple with none of the fancy ornamentations that are found on the churches in Slovakia and Poland. These crosses also serve as lightning rods; they contain cables which run over the roof and down the sides into the ground and help to minimize the chance of fire from lightning. (see photo of church in Mirol'a).

Windows are a sparse feature on wooden churches as glass was a rare and valuable commodity. They only played a utilitarian role. The small openings merely served to bring in light. In the Lemko churches, one will notice two windows which function to focus light on the iconostasis. There may or may not be other windows in the building. The Church of St. Nicholas in Kolodne possesses an unusual quatrefoil window in the east apse wall. It contains no glass and probably was derived from Gothic masonry structures.

Especially in Transcarpathia, the windows are quite small and high up on the walls. It is impossible to see the inside of the building. The later churches have larger windows and may even have one on the eastern end, but due to their location on the walls, one would need a ladder to look inside the church. However, in Slovakia and Poland, the churches have more windows, even on the eastern end. Since they tend to be located closer to the ground, it is easier to see inside the building.


Kolodne, the Church of St. Nicholas (1470)

The church in Kolodne possesses an unusual quatrefoil window

Other features of Rusyn churches include the hand carved doors and archways with their hand forged hinges and locks, hand forged metal bars or grates which cover the windows and wooden racks used for hanging coats which are found on the outside walls; the list is endless The door to the church in Inovce has the original lock which is in the shape of a fish. This type of lock is now starting to be seen in the construction of new wooden churches in Transcarpathia. One also sees especially in Transcarpathia on the lintel the date of construction of the church written in Old Slavonic. Pagan symbols are also carved not only on the lintel but on the wooden frame surrounding the door. If the church was reconstructed or any repairs were done, the dates are specified somewhere on the building. We saw several church towers which had the repair date on the tower itself.

Lintel above the door of the church in Oleksandrivka

with Old Slavonic carvings


Uličske Krive, the church of Archangel Michael, wooden door of herringbone design with hand forged lock		Bottom handle on door for Inovce church

Window from Shelestovo church		Window is from the Church of the Archangel Michael built in 1764 - church is from Nova Sedlica - transferred in 1977 to the skansen in Hummene, Slovakia


*Beautiful blacksmith job on the entrance gate to the church in Lazy, St. Michael Archangel,* (outside and inside door handles)**

As one travels throughout Rusyn territory, one sees a pattern so to speak in regards to the architecture of the local wooden church. The Hutsul type churches tend to be found among the Hutsuls while the Boyko churches are found in Boyko inhabited villages in Transcarpathia. Gothic style churches are found in the Tysa River Valley, while the Baroque style flourished among the Lemkos. That doesn't imply that you won't see another style in a particular area. It is just that in specific areas, one style tends to dominate.

The church in Siget, Romania is typical example of Gothic style

All of the wooden churches in Slovakia have been proclaimed by the government as historical cultural monuments. In the year 2000, the country paid for an extensive renovation of the churches. While many just received a new coat of stain, others were completely restored - interior and exterior. These included Krajne Cierno, Jedlinka, Korejovce and Prikra, while the church in Bodruzal was renovated in 2004 and is now classified as a UNESCO Heritage site. The churches in Kozany and Ruska Bystra are also Heritage sites. They look like the old churches but the old roof shingles and sheathing have been replaced due to the deterioration of the original logs and wooden shingles. Church interiors were endangered due to leaking roofs. When you go inside these churches you can see the sky through the shingles on the roof, however, the wood swells when the humidity is high and therefore, moisture will not enter the building. In regards to the churches which were totally reconstructed, their shingles had deteriorated due to wood rot and insect damage that water started leaking into the sanctuary. Since their iconostasis' were in danger of major water damage, total replacement was the only solution. The replacement shingles were impregnated by a preserving solution before they were placed on the buildings. Thus the natural color of the wood will be preserved. Visitors will be able to see the actual appearance of these buildings before the dark preservation stains were adopted. If one consults the photographs in Zapletal's book, it is apparent that none of the churches which he photographed after WWI had their wood stained. All of the churches in Slovakia have also had their iconostasis' repaired or renovated. However, there are no words to describe the restoration of the inside of the church in Prikra except unbelievable! Its beauty is beyond words. Slovakia recognizes the value of her wooden churches and established a Carpathian Wooden Church route for hikers, bicyclists and tourists. The churches are listed in all the top guide books. They have even been written about in The New York Times.

Krajne Cierno

Krajne Cierno, St. Basil The Great, 18th century
(restored in 2000)

One has also noticed a change in Lemkovyna in regards to the wooden churches. Even though for the most part, our churches are under the jurisdiction of the Polish Catholic Church, they are being restored to their original grandeur, i.e., before the expulsion of the Lemkos. As a result of the government's recognition of the significance of these wooden churches, they have instituted a program to save the most valuable structures. All across Lemkovyna, renovations may be seen from the tiny villages of Przyslop and Nowica to Bogusa, Andreyivka and Mylyk. The church of St. Demetrius in Bogusa underwent extensive renovations both inside and out. The church which was consecrated in 1558 was in need of extensive repairs. We watched in awe as master artisans worked on the icons above the altar. Scaffolding was everywhere enabling them to reach both the top of the iconostasis and the walls and ceiling. The first thing we noticed was that the iconostasis was not painted white (typical in Slovakia and the churches in the larger cities in Transcarpathia). The color was more of a hunter green with gold leaf used throughout. This same color as well as a robin's egg blue is found on iconostasis' in older churches in Transcarpathia. Extensive repairs were done to the church towers and cupolas. A new coat of stain to preserve the wood was applied.

The churches in Andreyivka, Mylyk, Polyany and Bil'tsareva are among the elite when it comes to their interiors. They have original polychromes on their walls.

Many of the churches in Poland now have a tin sheathing over the wooden roof shingles although, there are still churches one can visit which do not have a tin roof. In the case of Poland, one also sees a change in attitude towards Rusyns and Lemkos by the Latin Rite priests. The priest who serves the parishes of Mylyk and Andreyivka knows all the about the history of his churches. He knows the names of the Lemko families, Lemko religious who are buried in the local cemeteries and everything and anything you want to know about the paintings and even the plascenitsa on the church walls. His two parishes have restored the exteriors of the churches. Both have their octagonal cupolas painted in red, blue and green trim. The painted ornamentation extends as well to other parts of the hipped roof and cupolas. This supposedly was how the early Lemko people decorated these church buildings.

Likitsary, St Basil the Great, 1746, side view

The newly restored church in Likitsary - no tin on the roof.
The village did a nice job of restoration

Likitsary, farer back view

Inside of Likitsary church, St Basil the Great, iconostasis

The Lemko churches in Poland are now all tourist attractions. They are on the Icon Trail Route for bicyclists, hikers and tourists. New signs have been posted at all the churches which tell their history. The churches in Kwiaton, Powroznyk and Owczary are listed as UNESCO Heritage Sites. Their architecture cannot be destroyed. Tin roofing is slowly being replaced. The church in Krempna was totally dismantled several years ago and redone (see photos). Kotan and Swiatkova Mala have also undergone extensive renovations. Organizations are now studying the icon screens digitally to make certain that any restorations will not destroy the original structures.

Many of the villages in Transcarpathia are poor and with little help from the government needed to pay for repairs to the church, repairs go by the wayside. The church in the village of Ruska Kuchava, is a primary example of how the original architecture and beauty of a building can be destroyed by placing a hideous sheathing on the roof in lieu of the original wooden shingles. The church had its' baroque tower blown off during a storm which was never replaced. Since the village is in an isolated area of Zakarpathia where are the funds going to come from for restoration?


Church of St. Michael the Archangel in Ruska Kuchava built in the 18th century possibly around 1733

Huklivy, Holy Spirit, 18 century (before restoration)

Huklivy, back

Huklivy, back view (after restoration in 2003 y.)

The churches in Transcarpathia are slowly being repaired by both local villagers and outsiders. Road signs are now located along the highways indicating the location of many of them. The churches in Uzok and Yasina are now recognized as World Heritage Sites In fact, the church in Uzok is rated as one of the top tourist attractions by people who live in Transcarpathia. Parishes which have both a masonry church and original wooden are starting to recognize the importance of the buildings. One of the best examples of this is the Rusyn Gothic church which is located in the village of Sokyrnytsya. When the new masonry church was opened, it was felt that the village could not support both so the wooden one started falling to decay. After a few years, something changed the attitude of the villagers because the sanctuary which was in danger of collapsing was totally redone as was the construction of a new fence around the structure. The village of Izky is building a brand new masonry church right next to the wooden one. However, the wooden church is being taken care of because the bishop recognizes the historical value of the building. . In fact, the bishop of the Mukacevo Eparchy has built many wooden churches throughout Transcarpathia and will continue to built them because they can be built in a relatively short period of time - thus the villagers can get into a building much faster. One thing which is puzzling is the type of architecture of some of the churches which are starting to show up in some of the villages and towns. A Hutsul church was constructed and consecrated in November 2016 in the village of Rakoshyno, which is located several miles from Uzhorod. A Gothic church has been built in a cemetery in Uzhorod while in another village, the church is a combination of both Boyko and Gothic I've already asked who was the architect behind that church. However, there are churches which do adhere to the proper architecture for the village such as the churches in Mizhiria (Boyko) and Velikyi Bychkiv (Hutsul).

The new wooden churches constructed in Transcarpathia

Rakoshyno, the church of Nativity of St. John the Baptist (Hutsul type)

Rakoshyno, the church of Nativity of St. John the Baptis, front view

Hand forged crosses are still being made and put on the church


*Lazy, the church of St. Michael Archangel,* front view**


*Lazy, the church of St. Michael Archangel,* back view**

	oooo

Mizhiria, the church of the Resurrection, side view ( Boyko type)

Mizhiria, the church of the Resurrection, back view

The church in Veliky Lucky (Boyko style)

The church in Volosianka

Uzhorod, the church of the Annunciation, (Gothic style)

The church in Soimy (Gothic style)

The church in Soimy, front view

Several years ago the beautiful Gothic style Church in Steblivka was set on fire and burned. The skeleton remained, i.e. the logs which formed the walls of the church plus the stone altar. A group of villagers recognizing the importance of the church hired an architect, put on a new roof and hope to restore the church to its former glory. Liturgies have been offered in the church since the new roof was installed. An attitude change toward these buildings has definitely occurred. The village of Abranka did away with the hideous yellow paint and put all new wooden shingles on the church. The village of Svaliava-Bystra put logs on its masonry bell tower so that it blends in better with their beautiful Lemko Church. All is not rosy, however. . The Orthodox who control some of the wooden churches are destroying their ancient character by installing features that don't belong on the building. Even the local internet site out of Uzhorod is complaining about this destruction. Kostryna is an example. The Orthodox constructed a wooden canopy that looks like it belongs in Russia above one of the side entrances. They also constructed a humongous wooden walkway from the road up to the building. Why this desecration? You don't see this in the Greek Catholic churches. The villagers are repairing the structures but not deviating from the original design. The churches in Pylypets, Sil, and Bukovets are good examples of this stewardship.


Restored church in Jedlinka, Mother of God, Slovakia
Oxblood is no longer used as a preservative; wood and shingles are dipped in chemicals to preserve against insect damage. Wood is left to age gradually - wood turns to a soft gray. In Transcarpathia, they are using linseed oil and chemicals to dip the wood in and to also coat it and protect it from insect damage.

*Refurbishing of the church - St. Luke the Evangelist* in Krive , Slovakia**


Krempna in Lemkovyna was totally dismantled and redone


Krempna restored


Krempna restored, differen views

Most of the wooden churches have been around since the 1700's. Hopefully, they will be around for another 300+ years. The attitude of the villagers will be the deciding criteria as to whether they can survive. When one sees the beautiful wooden cerkovs which have been built and are being built, hopefully, this will convince the people that the old structures must be preserved. When one looks at 100+ year old photos of the churches and notices that nothing much has changed about them, hopefully, the same statement will be able to be made 100 years from today.