Let us go back to Presov -memories from Stiudium Carpato-Ruthenorum

On Saturday, 5 November 2016, the Carpathorusyn Society from the USA (North Carolina affiliate) is organizing an event, within which the present Rusyns will have the occasion to visit Presov and its area, without leaving their seats.

It will be an event led by one of the participants of this year’s International Summer School of Rusyn Language and Culture – Bonnie Kobec Burke. The speaker intends to present her recollections and reflections concerning the brief event of the interesting research in Presov. The virtual visit to the Presovian Rus’ is not only about showing its architectural beauty, the most important Rusyn science and cultural institutions, museums, schools or open-air museums. Most of all, it is about presenting the sacral diversity of the Carpathian Rus’ region – the wooden churches. Some parts of the presentation will be dedicated also to Rusyn events, mainly festivals that take place cyclically in Slovakia. Bonnie Kobec Burke is going to teach the participants a few Rusyn words which she learnt wtihin the last edition of the School in Presov. The address and contact to the organizers are available here.

Presov is the main cultural, institutional and science centre of Rusyns in Slovakia. It is here that the oldest Rusyn organizations function, as well as a professional Rusyn theatre – Alexander Duchnovic Theatre and the Institute of Rusyn Language and Culture at the University of Presov. The headquarters of the following organizations are located here: Cultural and Educational Association of Alexander Duchnovic, The Circle of Rusyn Writers of Slovakia, as well as a member of the World Rusyn Congress – Rusyn Obroda in Slovakia. There are three bishops in the city: a Greek Catholic, Orthodox and Catholic one. Presov is characterized by antique architecture, including some buildings related to the Rusyn history or the religious life. The name “Presov” has been in use since the XVIth c. The city is an administrative centre of the Presov District and the Presov State that appears to be the biggest state of Slovakia and simultaneously, it is an administrative entity where the biggest number of Rusyns live within that country. Since this year, the official website of the Presov State is available in Rusyn, apart from Slovak, English, German, French, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian and Hungarian.

phot. the city of Presov; visible the Greek Catholic cathedral of St John the Baptist; source: Wikipedia