Over the years, Slovaks settled inside the Ukraine in 2 amounts

At the end of brand new eighteenth century, the first of them – new Liptaks – came to Velykyi Bereznyi, a community which was upcoming element of Austria-Hungary and from now on based in Zakarpattia. The fresh new Slovak community off Zakarpattia arises from right here. Additional Slovak settlers, answering a good Soviet promotion, moved of Czechoslovakia in order to Volyn just after World war ii, selecting a far greater lifetime. Today, according to individuals present, there are of six so you’re able to seventeen thousand Slovaks during the Ukraine, and most him or her live in Zakarpattia. Here he’s got an effective Slovak university, a beneficial Slovak vocabulary television and you may a wireless transmit, dancing Slovak men and women dances and you can follow Slovak way of life.

O letter Saturday-night, the town away from Storozhnytsia sleeps. Every now and then within neighbourhood, new voices of children are heard. Regarding old an element of the community, agreements to your Week-end provider are complete on Roman Catholic church.

Slovaks inhabited that it house early in the fresh new nineteenth millennium by the invite of Uzhhorod prefect. But in those days they moved to Jovra, an old protect settlement close Uzhhorod Palace. After several other payment, Derma, are oriented regional, along with 1894 Jovra and you can Derma had been joined towards the you to settlement. For the Soviet months it was rebranded Storozhnytsia.

Daryna remembers well a narrative towards Mary and Joseph figurines and therefore the girl pops got introduced out of overseas toward church’s reopening:

The brand new Nativity of one’s Blessed Virgin Mary Chapel within the Storozhnytsia is actually among the not many Roman Catholic church buildings into the Zakarpattia in which the services are given inside the Slovak. Equivalent church buildings have been in Huta and Turia Remeta towns.

Daryna Habor, a city resident, remembers the way the chapel and its related city played for her an equivalent role since family from community do to possess the current pupils in the Storozhnytsia:

– We spent my personal youngsters here. Children of all ages gathered here. Many came across its boyfriends and you can girlfriends exactly who they after partnered.

For 40 years (1949–1989), the new church during the Storozhnytsia held zero characteristics. Soviet bodies grabbed new church strengthening regarding town area and tried it due to the fact a food storage. Daryna Habor’s grandfather, Ivan Zyzych, campaigned toward chapel are recovered as it is very special into the local Slovak society. The guy sent letters towards the bodies asking for permission in order to upgrade this new church’s derelict strengthening, Daryna recalls:

– My dad and you can clergymen was basically the first to ever revive all of this, and later the youth joined her or him. My mom [Myroslava], Milan Tovt, who today performs during the Television facility, their sis and you can members of the family formed a small grouping of on the 10 in order to twenty anyone. Each of them showed up right here so you can hope near the ruins. There is certainly nothing else here however, spoils.

By way of their joint services and the fresh new contributions out-of neighbouring Slovak communities, the brand new Roman Catholic Chapel was reopened into the Storozhnytsia on christmas Eve within the 1989

– Brand new church have two figurines – of Virgin Mary and you may Saint Joseph. Due to the fact church was prohibited in the Soviet Commitment, bringing them across the edging are unlawful. Very, since the my personal grandfather informed me, they place such figurines in the rear of its automobile and you will covered all of them with a piece. To start with, the new edging protect also thought that they certainly were lifeless authorities…

Following the service, parishioners create usually go back home for dinner. After which it, Daryna’s parent, whom next lived nearby the chapel, manage bring out a little body organ:

– The fresh new means is actually therefore loud it could be read everywhere the road. Old anyone their age – individuals – carry out come-out and you will sit on new benches claiming, “Continue, Janos, wager you!” They would create wants specific music, “Play me personally this, play me you to”.