Wooden Church of the Intercession in Manyava

Many of us who hear the name "Manyava" immediately associate this village with the famous Manyava Skete and the equally famous Manyava Waterfall. However, it turns out that this is one of the oldest settlements in the Ukrainian Carpathians and has another interesting attraction - the wooden Church of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary, which would be a sin not to visit while in Manyava.

History of the Church of the Intercession

The Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary was built in 1819. Like all the other churches of that time, the Church of the Intercession in Manyava has a wooden masonry. It is known that the church existed here before. In particular, maps of 1783 show the church a little to the south of where it is now.

The wooden church, which today is the centerpiece of the village, was built in 1819 or, according to other sources, in 1812. The value of the church is that it has remained virtually the same as it was 200 years ago. Today, the Church of the Intercession of the Maniava is an architectural monument of local significance that belongs to the Orthodox community of the UOC-KP.

Architecture

The altar of the Church of the Intercession traditionally faces southeast, as Christians believe that it is from the east that Christ will come at the end of time. Unfortunately, after a recent renovation, the authentic appearance of the church was somewhat compromised when part of the walls were covered with plastic. However, most of the church remains covered with boards and platbands with the original blue pattern.

On the western side of the Church of the Intercession, you can see an old wooden bell tower with three tiers covered with tin. Researchers believe that it was built at the same time as the main church. Near the church is the grave of the wife of the local priest Thaddeus Levytskyi. Oleksandra Levytska (1861-1898) came from the noble family of Koroliv.

Getting there.

It is very easy to find this church, as it is located in the very center of Manyava on Nezalezhnosti Street. You can get here by bus from Ivano-Frankivsk, Bohorodchany, or Nadvirna, or by your own car.

Next to the Church of the Intercession, we recommend visiting the Dominican Monastery, which is located in the district center of Bohorodchany, 30 km from Manyava, as well as the Mud Volcano in Starunia, a unique natural attraction that you should definitely see while in this area.