An ancient church in Transcarpathia is in danger

One of the architectural pearls of Transcarpathia is threatened at the moment. An exclusive wooden church of the 17^th century has been a tourist attraction of Novoselitsa village for 50 years now. The church building is an active museum and the village residents are incredibly proud they’ve been able to preserve for so long the most valuable artifact that catches an eye of fastidious travelers. However, an arbitrary decision of the village council head to transfer the church to a small Greek-Catholic community can pose an existential threat for the museum complex.

One of the architectural pearls of Transcarpathia is threatened at the moment. An exclusive wooden church of the 17^th century has been a tourist attraction of Novoselitsa village for 50 years now. The church building is an active museum and the village residents are incredibly proud they’ve been able to preserve for so long the most valuable artifact that catches an eye of fastidious travelers. However, an arbitrary decision of the village council head to transfer the church to a small Greek-Catholic community can pose an existential threat for the museum complex.

Natalia Vamosh, director of the museum complex in Novoselitsa village

I was told people want to pray here. But I am dead set against it. Firstly, the church here is very small. It was built without any nails. This is the smallest church in Ukraine with such mural painting.

Protopriest Mikhail Golubka, senior priest of the Holy Assumtion church in Novoselitsa village

Architecture should be for tourists, for them to come and watch how our ancestors and great grandfathers used to build it. You know, this is the 17^th century and not a single nail was used in the building. That is why tourists visit this place, they leave their comments which tell how much they like it here.  

I am totally against making this church active. Furthermore, we have no congregation here. All in all there are 7 people whom I gave the entrance door keys because I did not want to have an argument with them. Almost every Sunday I come here to check how many people have gathered. No more than seven.

The Greek-Catholic congregation numbers about 7 persons – namely they can now dispose of the church with the original mural painting. Yet the issue of security measures did not become primary for the community. They entered the church for the first time on Easter – with food baskets and burning candles.     

I’d like to draw your attention to this crucifixion. As I have already told, our church was built in the 17^th  century. But if take a closer look at this crucifixion, it is clear the church was built as Orthodox.

The second visit of the church took place on May 15, when 30 vans with the residents from neighbor villages of the district and region came allegedly to the church service.

They gathered plenty of people. It looked like a real show. The people could not understand what they had to do, what church they have to go to. 

They filled the yard of the museum complex, waving a piece of paper, which had been purportedly issued in Kiev! Actually, what the document was and whether it was a document altogether remained vague for both the deputies and the villagers.   

I neither held the documents nor saw them. I just saw the decision of Novoselitsa village council.

Ivan Ratsyn, village council deputy of Novoselitsa village

We’ve got some information that certain documents were purportedly received from Kiev, which authorize to hold worship services inside the church. We are in protest against this decision. We believe it is either fictional or nonexistent at all. We demand to be shown the relevant documents which authorize divine services in the church.

Documentarily the museum complex is administered by the village council and all decisions on its transfer on any user or rent rights have to be adopted via deputy voting. However, we found out that the deputies themselves have no idea of where the Greek-Catholic congregation got permission to use the church.    

I have no idea what they have in the village council. So far the head of the village council hasn’t shown any documents to me.

We are outraged indeed. How was it made possible? We do not know who gave this permission and where it came from. We’d better ask the head of the village council on this matter. As far as I am informed, this is pressure on the village, the residents knew nothing about it. They allegedly came to our village council from the district one, but we are not sure. There is no deputy’s resolution but somehow there is permission thereon. What were the grounds is still unclear.

From the documents, which the village head handed over without any explanations to the museum director, it becomes clear that on February 26 thefollowing decision was approved by the fifth session of the village council deputies: to grant the Greek-Catholic community of Novoselitsa village the right to hold Sunday and holiday worships in the church provided there is a protection agreement. The deputies affirm they did not take such decision. The point was to make it possible for a small Greek-Catholic community to hold worship services exceptionally on the adjacent territory of the museum. 

There was held a session of the village council where we made some concessions. According to the decision adopted at the session, a Greek-Catholic community of Novoselitsa village is allowed to hold worships on the village territory or on the church territory at the weekend and on holidays. However, it was not allowed to have services inside the church which is an ethnographic museum.

As there have arisen a lot of questions, we asked for an appointment with the head of the village council. According to him, the deputies tell a lie because it was they who adopted this resolution, and now they’re trying to dodge folk outrage. All the documents are in due and proper form: here’s a resolution of the village council, an agreement between the village council head and representative of the Greek-Catholic congregation, plus a mysterious document from Kiev – a protection agreement, signed by the first deputy minister Mr. Likhov.     

Piotr Tarkani, village council chairman of Novoselitsa village

The deputies were not notified there is a title of protection, signed by the first deputy minister. Without this protection document the Greek-Catholic community cannot be authorized to conduct their divine worships in the church. Yet there are a number of deputies who frequently change their viewpoints.

Answering our question, who bears a material responsibility for the preservation of the architectural landmark, the chairman replied it is a priest that is specified in the respective paragraph in the agreement. The agreement also contains fire prevention regulations which were obviously violated by the congregation during the Easter service. Is the village priest really able to repair damages which might have been caused by burning candles? The chairman failed to answer this question, saying the deal is made and he no longer bothers about it.    

The responsibility was assumed by Taras Burlaka, a priest of the Greek-Catholic community.

It seems somewhat mystical – there is a resolution adopted by the deputies – yet nobody can confirm its adoption in fact. Mysterious Transcarpathia never fails to amaze with its mysteries. But what implications it’ll entail for the museum and the village, and if Novoselitsa villagers will be able to defend their right to cultural legacy go unanswered.

Anna Shutko, resident of Novoselitsa village

We used to pray together and we had no problems. At the moment I can’t understand what’s happened and who needs this split. Though the church is empty, noone drives them out. Anybody can enter there if there is a desire to pray.

They simply want their church. And they said the church is visited only by tourists. Why should tourists come here if they can come here to pray? That is what they declared.

Read also