The Church in the village Roztoka. Part two. Bad story.

It is the continuation of the story about the Church of Vvedenie (Introduction) of the Blessed Virgin. It was built in 1759 in the village Roztoka Mizhgirya district. This is a negative part of the article but it should start definitely by reading positive Part one.

Now let`s start with something bad. In 2001 in the Transcarpathian media were series of articles about a theft of the iconostasis of the Church Vvedenie (Introduction) of Blessed Virgin in the village Roztoka. Later in the media were other articles about the iconostasis that it was not actually stolen but was sold by the decision of the church community which did not have enough money to build a new church. When we have arrived in the village and were talking with the local people I have found several versions of what had happened. For example, that the local priest sold the iconostasis under the guise of the need to raise money for new church. And he has done it without consulting with the majority. According to one version it was not for sale but it was exchange ... a few cubes of timber. Another grandfather retold us that the priest made a decision and called the "thieves" then he opened the church. But he has gone away not to see how they would "disrupt" the iconostasis. I have heard another version from the people who were close to the law enforcement agencies attesting to the fact that the iconostasis was actually sold illegally for several hundred dollars or for a few thousand for some wheeler-dealer from Lviv region. So which version is more truthful let it remains on the conscience of the inhabitants of the village and the church community of the village Roztoka.

As a result, the old church stands almost empty. There are some church plates, a pair of benches and some pictures on the walls inside it. A new church which was built in 1996 looks disgusting than the old beautiful church and stands on a hill.



A head of the church community Ivan Leshenda (ua: Іван Лешенда) was sleeping and suddenly he had a prophetic dream that he had to build a new church. Moreover, he saw the place in the sleep. I will not be surprised if later it will turn out that Virgin Mary went to the meadow from the slope above the village in his dream. Vanya has woken up and decided. In 1993 the work on the construction of a new church began. The masters were changed. The local people were working badly with a roof above the nave as they have made it flat. Therefore the craftsmen from Frankivsk were called. In 1998 bell tower was finished and they moved the old bells of 18th century into it. And then the iconostasis of 17th (!) century was lost from the old church. And one of the icons "Last Judgement" even was moved to a new church. The old church was closed and left under the snow and rain. They threw (put) some new shingles on the roof of it as a "sop".

There are a few photos for hronografirovaniya. No comments. Just pay attention to the spot from the iconostasis of the church and traces of arson. How can it be that so religious people are blind and stupid?























I want to finish this article with such photo...It looks like it is time for the "vіrnikam" (believers) of the village Roztoka to think about the new Cross and the absolution.




Beginning: Church in the Village Roztoka. Part one. Good story.

19.04.2011. 09:19

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