Komańcza
Komańcza [kɔˈmaɲt͡ʂa] (Ukrainian: Команча, Komancha) is a village in the Sanok County, in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship (province) of south-eastern Poland. It is situated in the Bukowsko Upland mountains, located near the towns of Medzilaborce and Palota (in northeastern Slovakia).
History
Komanycza, Crziemyenna – 1512, de Komancza – 1524. The village was first mentioned in historical records in 1512. In 1785, the village lands comprised 8.93 km2 (3.45 sq mi), with a population of 450 Greek Catholics, 16 Roman Catholics, and 15 Jews. [1] After World War I, this village was the site of the ephemeral Komancza Republic (November 1918 – January 1919). In 1936, the village had 878 Greek Catholics (Uniates). The Ukrainian parish priest, Rev. Orest Venhrynovych, was murdered by the Poles in 1945, and the village was burned down 1946 during border disputes with Ukraine.[2] Many members of the village were forcibly deported to the Ukrainian SSR in 1946. Other were removed from Komancza on 29 April 1947 as part of Operation Vistula and moved to the Silesia area of Poland.
Culture and Religion
The wooden village church, "Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary", considered a pearl of Eastern Lemko architecture, was built in 1802, and was on the Polish Register of Historic Buildings. The church was occupied by the Uniates(Greek Catholics) until 1963, when it was taken over by the Orthodox. Uniate(Greek Catholic) services were then held in a Roman Catholic Chapel, until a new Uniate(Greek Catholic) church was built in 1987. The old wooden church was totally destroyed by fire on 13 September 2006, but the belfry is still standing. A number of liturgical books, dated 1638 to 1793, were also severely damaged or destroyed in this fire. http://www.ppoz.pl/down/pwa/fr1006a.pdf
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/Poland_Komancza_-_wooden_church.jpg/220px-Poland_Komancza_-_wooden_church.jpg)
Geography
Komańcza village and commune are located in Sanok County in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship. Filial churches are located in Czystohorb (3 km or 1.9 mi away) and Dołżyca (4 km or 2.5 mi). The municipality lies at an elevation of 482 m (1,581 ft) and covers an area of 8.3 km2 (3.2 sq mi). It has a population of about 880. Time zone : UTC+1/SummerUTC+2
- Ethnic Groups
Hiking trails
- European walking route E8
- Prešov - Miháľov - Kurimka - Dukla - Iwonicz-Zdrój – Rymanów-Zdrój - Puławy – Tokarnia (778 m or 2,552 ft) – Kamień (717 m or 2,352 ft) – Komańcza - Cisna - Ustrzyki Górne - Tarnica - Wołosate.
References