Chapel for the Governor?

Bordering on the four East European states of Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, and Poland, Zakarpattia (Transcarpathia) oblast has enviable chances of Ukraine’s becoming a champion in terms of border and international cooperation with the countries to its West. The more so that tangible achievements have already been made at the top international level, embracing various projects implemented within the framework of the Carpathian Euroregion Organization along with expansion the of border traffic and cargo shipments infrastructure, including such key elements as the modernized bridge across the Tisza and Chop Autoport joint venture’s terminals whose opening was attended by Presidents Leonid Kuchma of Ukraine and зrpЗd GЪncz of Hungary.

There were also attempts, albeit less successful, to carry out several cultural projects. One of them was the construction of a monument in commemoration of the millennium since the coming of Hungarians to the Pannonian Plain. The project, however, did not get off the ground due to political controversy surrounding the monument. Luckily, this conflict had no negative impact on relations between Ukraine and Hungary, with the idea to erect an interfaith chapel to symbolize the friendship and cooperation of the adjoining countries on the eve of the 2000th anniversary since the birth of Christ looking like something that could save the day.

The idea seemed perfect, had it not been for the need to carefully coordinate and agree various historical, political, legal, and canonical aspects of its practical implementation. This consumed quite some time, almost a year. Originally, it was decided to build the chapel in mountainous Rakhiv district close to the village of Dilove, near which Europe’s geographical center is marked by a small obelisk. But soon additional problems began to surface. First, there is the remoteness of the spot from the Hungarian and Slovak borders. Secondly, somebody also had to involve the Romanians in the project, since the district in question also has a common border with Romania. Finally, with all the problems sorted out, the site of the future chapel has been relocated to a place near Chop in Uzhhorod oblast. In the spring of 2000, the project seemed to have finally begun to move forward, with the head of the Presidential Administration giving his official blessing to the project. This was followed by the Transcarpathian governor’s decision to start construction. Unfortunately, the idea, which had been agreed upon at the highest level, received a most illogical and distorted extension. Either the local officials had overestimated their potential or lacked rudimentary organizational skills and dedication, but the construction of the chapel, which was to have been ceremoniously inaugurated by the presidents of Ukraine, Hungary and Slovakia has turned into a protracted epic.

In the initial stage, when the project’s cost estimate was being prepared, the oblast governor, incidentally, one of the country’s poorest regions, decided, while obviously caught in an strange outburst of giant mania, to allocate UAH 400,000 for construction. The likely source of funding as well as the governor’s reasons for building a full-scale church instead of the originally proposed symbolic chapel are among the oblast chief executive’s most closely guarded secrets. Then even with a much tighter construction budget, the problems still did not quit piling up. Throughout the summer, the project continued to shrink in terms of its cost and size. The organizers, however, continued to send soothing report to the capital, saying that everything was all right and construction was continuing as scheduled. In reality, no construction had taken place and the chapel’s opening date had been put off under various pretexts several times. When deadlines began to burn, the builders urgently laid the foundation, put up walls and a dome.

It was then that considerable flaws due to the ill-conceived (sometimes irresponsible) decisions of the oblast leadership came to light. First, it became evident that those carrying out the project could have chosen a better location for the chapel. As it was, the chapel was built on a solitary lowland next to a road that was higher than the chapel’s base structure. From the artistic and architectural points of view this could be interpreted as disrespect towards a sacral building at best.

Second, in their rush to meet the deadlines, the builders slipped on the canonical design of the chapel, making it impossible for the Reformed (Calvinist) Church faithful, who predominate among the Hungarians in Zakarpattia, to hold services in the chapel. One can only guess at the reaction of the predominantly Calvinist local Hungarians. The result is that the newly-built chapel has every chance of becoming a desolate empty structure visited only by VIP delegations on the days of some celebration or another. Should this be the plight of a symbol of friendship and cooperation among peoples?

Third, was it really necessary to build such pompous twenty-two meter high structure which apparently defies the standards of simplicity and modesty accepted in Europe?

Or did so much money really have to be spent on a new church, given so many unfinished cathedrals and churches scattered throughout Zakarpattia. Some of this money might better have been allocated to complete village churches, that have scenes of property claims between the Orthodox and Greek Catholic communities.