- Source: Simeon Stylites church, Dubivka, Ternopil Oblast
Simeon Stylites church (Ukrainian: Церква преподобного Семиона Стовпника) Greek Catholic parish church (UGCC) in Dubivka of the Skala-Podilska settlement hromada of the Chortkiv Raion of the Ternopil Oblast, and an architectural monument of local importance.
History
It was built of wooden logs. According to legend, it was originally a church in Skala-Podilska, then it was brought to the village of Tsyhany. It was under the protection of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker. In 1895, the Ukrainian prominent poet Ivan Franko read the liturgical book "Apostol" in the church and sang with the choir. When a new stone church was consecrated in 1905 in Tsyhany, it was dismantled and moved to Dubivka. The main patron of the church was Semen Velychko. He donated land for the church and made a significant financial contribution. Therefore, on 14 September 1909, after the construction was completed, it was consecrated on the feast of Saint Simeon the Pillar as a thank you to the benefactor.
The priest used to travel from Bosyry, Chortkiv Raion, to conduct services. Priest Saveryn Matkovskyi made a significant contribution to the formation and development of the village parish. During the World War II, a shell hit the southern part of the church, but the fire miraculously subsided and did not cause much damage.
Until 1946, the parish and the church belonged to the UGCC. In 1946–1957, it belonged to the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1957–1990, the church was inactive – it was closed by the state authorities. In 1990 the parish and the church returned to the UGCC.
On 31 October 2021, the restored church and the new stone bell tower were consecrated with the participation of at. Dean Mykhailo Hrytskiv, at. Liubomyr Pavlyk from Kotsiubynchyky, and at. Oleh Sushelnytskyi, the parish priest. The donors were the villagers and Vasyl Hradovyi, director of PAP "Dzvin"; the restoration work was supervised by Mr. Vasyl's son-in-law, the head of the Burdiakivtsi-Losiach department of PAP "Dzvin", Oleh Gundzik. Stepan Dytko and Lesia Kolomyia, natives of the village, donated a bell for the bell tower.
Priests
at. Saveryn Matkovskyi (1909–1932)
at. Volodymyr Kovalskyi (until 1957)
at. Yosyp Antkiv (1990–1999)
at. Oleh Sushelnytskyi (since 14 October 1999)
References
Sources
(in Ukrainian) Г. Івахів, Н. Мизак, Дубівка // Ternopil region. History of cities and villages: in 3 v. / Ternopil: "Terno-graph", 2014, V. 1: А—В, S. 501—503. — ISBN 978-966-457-228-3.
