A desolated church in Nyzhniy Bystryy

The village of Nyzhniy Bystryy, of Khust region has been known since 1668. It is situated on the bank of the river Rika at an altitude of 308 m. above sea level. It is a well known village, primarily due to the location of Tereblya-Rikska HPP in the pre – village of Protyven. In addition, there is a monument to the soldiers of three wars (WW1, WW2 and the Great Patriotic War) in the village; there are two water mills in the center of the village, one of which is 300 – year – old and desolated; and there is a stone church by the way – the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The first church of the village which was wooden and with a gothic peak was built in 1794. By one of versions, the church was a gift from the villagers of Bukovets. Once a stone church was built and consecrated in 1890, the wooden church was sold to the village of Vuchkove, of Mizhhirya region, where it had stood until the 1930's and then fell into disrepair.

Appearance of the stone church is presented with the high tower with a spire in the style of "baroque".



Arrow-shape windows are with metal frames. Most of the glasses are absent.



Part of the window openings are trite immured.



Wall plaster has been preserved only in few places. Huge cracks break the walls apart.



The church is in complete desolation.



A landfill "in Bystriansky” is at 10 meters behind the place from which the above photo was made. Locals stupidly dump household and construction debris from a cliff into the river. And they don’t do it on the far outskirts of the village, not hidden from prying eyes, and at 15 meters from the old church and 50 meters from the new. "Water comes and takes all away." While I have been preparing the article, I have read the note on the site of a newspaper that, a tourist information booth was opened in the village and as many as 10 villas have already offered their services to tourists. Under this aegis, they say, a round table has already been held where the problems of attracting tourists to the village have been discussed. Tell me, why does the village need tourists if they spit on the church and throw rubbish into the river at 15 meters away from the temple? Why has FORZA been investing in this village for five years, building different drainage facilities, etc.? As for me, I do not understand.



Judging by the photos of 1992, the desolation began long ago. In 1935 the Orthodox Church was built in the village but with the advent of Soviet power the Greco-Catholic Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary ceased to act and in 1953 it was removed from the register of existing churches. Since then the fall process has begun.







By the way, as the locals told us, already in the time of Ukrainian independence village activists started to make repairs at the church. When they set about the repairing of the cross, they found a note in the dome underneath, read, and immediately, changed the cross over the church to the Orthodox one, without comment. History says nothing about what was written in that note and a few persons know about it. The repairing has gone on till today. And the church comes into the breakdown state more and more.

There is another amazing fact which should be noted. There was a 100-year old iconostasis in the described Catholic stone church. It was with elegant wood carvings, of western-style, covered with gold leaf. So this iconostasis is in the Orthodox Church now, located nearby.

Chronological. The article was written according to the materials, interviews with people and photos of the late 2008th year. I doubt very much that something has changed over the last year, however, it is necessary to chorography dates.

Related Links: A desolated Greek-Catholic church in the village of Nankovo .

10.02.2011. 14:50

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