St. Anne's Parish in Ustrzyki Górne

The parish of St. Anne in Ustrzyki Górne, located in the Archdiocese of Przemyśl and the deanery of Lutowiska, has a rich history dating back to 1580, when Ustrzyki Górne was established under Wallachian law. Initially, the faithful had to travel 20 km to the church in Lutowiska, so masses were celebrated by Fr. Stanisław Wawrzkowicz in private homes. In 1953, the parish was visited by Fr. Karol Wojtyła, who climbed Mount Tarnica with local youth. In 1984, construction of the church began, and four years later, on August 3, 1986, the newly built filial church of St. Anne was consecrated by Bishop Ignacy Tokarczuk. A retreat house was built in 1993, and a rectorship was established in 1994. The decree erecting the parish, issued by Archbishop Józef Michalik, followed on May 3, 1999, separating it from the parish of Lutowiska. Architecturally, the church and retreat house, designed by architect Stanisław Zurych, are controversial due to their modern style, which does not reference traditional features of Bieszczady sacral architecture. These buildings were constructed on the site of a leveled Greek Catholic cemetery. The parish serves approximately 420 faithful from seven localities, including Ustrzyki Górne and Stuposian, and has several filial churches: in Pszczeliny, Muczne, and Tarnawa Niżna. Among the rectors and parish priests of the parish are Fr. Stanisław Węglarz, Fr. Andrzej Pokrywa, Fr. Adam Boruta, and the current parish priest, Fr. Prelate Marek Typrowicz, who has held this position since 2005. An interesting fact is that the parish is home to the Archdiocesan Retreat House named after Blessed John Paul II, highlighting the spiritual significance of this place.