FOCUS ON PHILATELY: The wooden church of Yasinia (12/12/99)

FOCUS ON PHILATELY

by Ingert Kuzych

The wooden church of Yasinia

The author dedicates this column to Andrij Solczanyk, the dean of Ukrainian philatelic topical collectors, in appreciation for his many years of unstinting service to the hobby as an indefatigable researcher, writer and exhibitor.

Spot quiz: Which province (oblast) in Ukraine is renowned for its lovely wooded mountain vistas, while at the same time being one of the poorest areas of the country, dependent largely on raising livestock? If you answered Zakarpattia, you are right.

But did you know that just prior to World War II and during the close of the conflict, this area was the independent country of Carpatho-Ukraine and that it issued its own postage stamps?

This article will focus on Carpatho-Ukraine's very first stamp, an attractive issue showing the wooden church in Yasinia. The story behind the creation of this issue, as well as the subject of the stamp itself, are both quite fascinating.

Background on the stamp issue

During early February 1939, the daily press and certain philatelic magazines in Czecho-Slovakia published news items about the proposed issuance of a stamp to commemorate the opening of the first Carpatho-Ukrainian National Assembly (Soim) in Khust. This part of eastern Czecho-Slovakia (referred to as Ruthenia by the Czechs), although overwhelmingly populated by Ukrainians, had opted to join the Czecho-Slovak state in 1919, in part to escape from the turmoil and fighting on the rest of Ukrainian lands. Autonomy was promised, but consistently deferred by Prague; it was not until 1938 that self-governance was granted as part of a federated Czecho-Slovakia.

Over the course of the next several weeks in February 1939, more details of the stamp became known. The design was to be a modified version of a red, 60 haleru Czecho-Slovak stamp first issued in 1928 (Figure 1). The new stamp was to be blue and have a high value of 3 krone. On the upper part of the stamp, under the name "Cesko-Slovensko", would be the Ukrainian inscription of "Karpatska Ukraina" (Carpatho-Ukraine). Along the bottom, between the values, would be the commemorative announcement: "l.SOIM 2.III.1939" or "First National Assembly, March 2, 1939." The date corresponded to the scheduled opening of the Soim in Khust (Ruthenia's capital). Special commemorative cancellations also were prepared for the stamp release, which would take place simultaneously in Khust and in the national capital of Prague. A total of 200,000 completed stamps were sent to Khust on March 1, and a further 100,000 a few days later (see Figure 2); 600,000 were retained in Prague.

On February 12, 1939, elections to the Carpatho-Ukrainian Assembly saw the overwhelming victory of candidates from the Ukrainian National Union, a coalition of Ukrainian parties seeking national self-government. Alarmed, the Prague leadership refused to permit the Soim to convene on March 2. Outside forces, however, soon altered the situation.

Czecho-Slovakia, already partially dismembered by the Munich Agreement of September 1938, began its total dissolution on Tuesday, March 14, 1939, when Slovakia declared itself independent. That same evening, the government of Carpatho-Ukraine followed suit in Khust. On the following day the declaration was ratified and various state-founding laws were passed. Msgr. Augustine Voloshyn was elected president of the new country.

On the morning of the March 15, President Voloshyn forwarded a handwritten decree to the Khust post office ordering the commemorative stamp to be put on sale. At around 10:30 a.m., the post office telegraphed Prague, informing it of the situation and suggesting that it should also put the stamps on sale. The 600,000 new stamps were made available at the philatelic section in Prague on March 15 and sold out in about 10 days.

Meanwhile, back in Khust, even while the Carpatho-Ukrainian Assembly was setting about founding a new state, battles were being fought only seven miles away. The Hungarian army had demanded the capitulation of Carpatho-Ukraine and had begun an invasion when its terms were refused.

The face value on the Carpatho-Ukraine stamp, 3 Krone, was sufficient to send letters by registered mail; by the end of the morning of March 15 about 1,800 registered articles had been handed in. The registered mail could not be dispatched since the only possible route to the west, the Khust-Presov highway, was no longer functioning. However, it appears that at least one shipment of ordinary mail did get through by bus to Presov in Slovakia before the highway was cut.

By 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 16, 1939, Khust was occupied by the Hungarian military; the first mail released by them was sent from Khust to Berehiv on March 18. This dispatch also included all registered mail that had been handed in on March 15. All the mail was then sent to Budapest and forwarded from there to the addressees. The unsold remainder of the stamps in Khust, as well as the cash takings, were confiscated by the Hungarian authorities. Examples of mailings from these first days of Carpatho-Ukrainian independence are obviously highly valued and of considerable rarity (Figure 3). The stamp itself is far easier to obtain and retails for about $10 U.S.

Just prior to the complete occupation of Khust, President Voloshyn and part of the government fled the country. By March 20, most of Carpatho-Ukraine had been occupied by Hungarian troops, but partisan skirmishes continued in the mountains for another month.

Interestingly, the design of the church at Yasinia was used a third time. In 1943, a Red Cross souvenir sheet was issued by the Czecho-Slovak government-in-exile based in London. The sheet, released at a stamp exhibit marking the 25th anniversary of Czecho-Slovak independence, shows the Yasinia church in the lower right (Figure 4). Although the central stamp vignette is the same as in the previous two issues of 1928 and 1939, a number of changes were made in the frame design.

A description of the stamp subject

The building depicted on the Yasinia stamps is the Church of the Ascension with its prominent bell tower (on the left). A Ukrainian account of the origin of Yasinia and its church was translated into English by Andrij Solczanyk and included in the Marian Philatelist of May 1969; it is this latter version that is quoted below:

"Archaeological investigations and historic documents demonstrate that the village [site] has been in existence for over 4,000 years. A story told by inhabitants states that in 1535 Ivan Struk traveled from Galicia (Halychyna) to Hungary to purchase sheep. On the way back, crossing the Carpathian Mountains, he came to the gorge of Yasinia and was caught there, under the Bukovynka Mountains, by severe winter weather. Since he and his shepherds had only light clothing, they were forced to flee, leave the sheep, and return to Galicia. Ivan Struk, presuming his sheep had perished, returned to skin them the following spring. When he and his companions entered the gorge, they found, much to their surprise, that the sheep were alive and the herd had actually increased [in size] with the arrival of lambs. The shepherds perceived this as a magnificent gift of God. In thanksgiving, Ivan Struk built a wooden bell tower from nearby ash trees. In Ukrainian, the ash is called yasen. From the word yasen came the name of the village, Yasinia.

"In 1557, the companions of Ivan Struk settled on the slopes of the Bukovynka Mountains and at the same time constructed a church. The wooden structure - erected without any wedges - was strengthened by bolts in the 19th century. The church pictured on the stamp is still preserved today. Inside are four icons: one represents the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the second and third show the Apostles, and the fourth depicts the Mother of God. Traditionally, only the faithful who lived on the right bank of the Chorna Tysa River (i.e., on the bank on which the church is located) were buried in the cemetery."

Although the chronicle is charming, I was initially skeptical of its reliability since a number of other sources I had checked mentioned 1824 as the year of construction. Consultations with Titus Hewryk, author of "Masterpieces in Wood - Houses of Worship in Ukraine," helped clarify matters. Acccording to his research, the church was indeed built in 1824. However, he stressed that these facts do not disprove the traditional account of the 16th century founding of the church and village. Many wooden structures have been rebuilt after decades or even centuries of exposure and use, often in the shape of the original structure, though sometimes in a new style. The church at Yasinia, which is still referred to as "'The Struk Church," was most likely reconstructed in 1824, perhaps reusing many original timbers. A hint of this rebuilding survives in the traditional account which states that "the wooden structure ... was strengthened by bolts in the 19th century."

Although closed to worshippers in 1962, since Ukrainian independence the church once more serves an active congregation.

The two Yasinia church stamps and the souvenir sheet described in the foregoing paragraphs were the first philatelic issues of any type to depict a Ukrainian church. Thus, they form the core of Ukrainian topical collections for religion on stamps or churches on stamps. In addition, they are also necessary to any collector of architecture on stamps.

Dr. Ingert Kuzych may be reached for comments or questions at P.O. Box 3, Springfield VA, 22150, or by e-mail at [email protected]. One of his favorite collecting topics is Ukrainian wooden churches on stamps or stationery.

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