History

The village of Luhy is the most remote mountain settlement first mentioned in the 17th century. Until 1969, a narrow-gauge railway operated here, transporting timber. On the Usteryky–Ust–Hoverla section, passenger trains also ran, with two daily pairs of trains. The main branch, which ran through the Bilya Tysa valley from Usteryky to Bohdan, Luhy, and the Stih tract, reached a length of 32 kilometers in the 1950s.

Unfortunately, no traces of the railway remain today, except for the memories of local residents. According to the village head, until 1957, timber was floated down the Bilya Tysa River on darabas (rafts). Remnants of the old dam and barrier system used to regulate water levels for timber rafting can still be seen on the river and its tributaries near Luhy. A symbolic model of a daraba with bokorashes (raftsmen) is preserved in the village club-museum, representing an important chapter of the village's history.

Natural Wealth

Apart from breathtaking landscapes and fresh air, the mountainous Luhy region is known for its abundance of mineral springs in the surrounding area.

Church of the Ascension of the Lord (1946)

In 1795, under parish priest Ivan Kalynskyi, who visited Luhy once a month from Rakhiv, master builder Hryhoriy Kozurak constructed a wooden Church of the Ascension of the Lord.

A new wooden Church of the Holy Trinity was built nearby in 1855 and consecrated on February 11, 1856. After interior decoration, it was reconsecrated on February 16, 1857. This church, in the mid-Hutsul basilica style, featured an elongated nave, an open porch, and a tower topped with a four-sided pyramidal roof.

The priest at the time, Ivan Brana, served for 67 years and lived to be 92 years old (passing away on April 12, 1901). This church was deregistered on January 9, 1953, and dismantled in 1958 as “dilapidated” under the initiative of the village council head.

Stone Church Construction

A brick basilica-style church was started near the wooden church in 1936 during the service of Father Ivan Egreshi. The foundation was consecrated in 1938, and construction was completed in 1946 under Father Ivan Pushkash (though major work may have been finished in 1942). On October 10, 1946, Bishop T. Romzha consecrated the completed church on the Feast of Christ the King. Later, the patronal feast was changed to the Ascension of the Lord.

The church was designed by architect Emilian Egreshi, who skillfully planned the facades. The lead builder was a Hungarian named Balogh, assisted by local craftsmen Bochkory, Hrynyky, and Veklyuk.

The iconostasis was crafted by I. Pavlyshynets in the 1950s. From 1986 to 1988, during Father Vasyl Popovych's tenure, significant renovations were made: the roofs were covered with tin, walls replastered, and the interior painted by artist Y. Yahnyuk.

Tyschora

Tyschora, a former village, was merged with Luhy by the decision of the Zakarpattia Regional Executive Committee (No. 155) on April 15, 1967.

The Monastery of St. Seraphim of Sarov, located in the Tyschora tract, is one of the highest-altitude religious sites in Ukraine.

Historical Notes

In 1939, Luhy was part of Carpathian Ukraine, later occupied by Hungary.

Soviet authority was established in October 1945.

Since 1991, it has been part of independent Ukraine.