Looking at the past of the Bieszczady Mountains, one may be tempted to say that they are a "factory" of myths and legends, which for the purposes of this study have been divided into two categories.
The first will be the pre-displacement stories related to the beliefs of the indigenous people (Boykos). An example is the creation myth "God and Satan" noted by Oskar Kolberg in the village of Bóbrka in volume 51 of Complete Works.
The inhabitants of Boykovshchyna were also characterized by developed demonological beliefs. There were beliefs about the lively activity of witches, familiars, the dead (ghosts), leading astray in error. Belief in the supernatural powers of orderers and swarms. Boyko demonology is a separate, very extensive topic. It is somehow specific to this geographical area, as archaic beliefs persisted in these areas until the 20th century. More information on this subject can be found in the works of Oskar Kolberg and the publications of Andrzej Karczmarzewski, Hubert Ossadnik, and Wołodymyr Danyliwa.
Another type of stories are legends related to belief in God and his interference. An example is the cult of Our Lady of Łopień, whose genesis lies in the story of the miraculous revelation of the Mother of Christ, which a little girl had. The mute child, as a result of the intercession of the Mother of Christ, was to regain speech. This legend gave rise to the cult of the place. You can read more about it, among others in the publication entitled: "Madonna Borderland" by Aleksander Sałapata.
Another story from Zwierzyń is related to a limousine cross found in a well by a woman. This legend, described by Oskar Kolberg, contributed to the cult of the place - faith in the healing power of water in the zoo's water. The Zwierzyniecki limousine cross is in the Archdiocese Museum in Przemyśl. It is an example of an arts and crafts center in Limoges, France. The legend has been "found" in recent years, and the spring has been revitalized. The place is very popular.
The second, listed category of stories about places and people that do not exist, but which are left with material mementos, belongs to the legends and myths related to Boykovshchyna. The first and most striking examples are the villages of Solina, Teleśnica Sanna, Horodek, Sokole, Chrewt and Wołkowyja, which were flooded to create the Solina dam
in the 1960s. The awareness of the fact that there are villages under water still arouses many emotions in tourists. Tales of church towers emerging from under the water or human remains washed ashore are also duplicated by local guides. They are a kind of a modern legend, referring directly to the former Boyko villages, which have remained relics in the form of icons, and liturgical vestments stored in museums (including the Historical Museum in Sanok and the Castle Museum in Łańcut). The issue of "flooded villages" was taken up by Zbigniew Kozicki in the publication "Solina: there was like that", and in the autobiography of Józef Pawłusiewicz entitled "On the Lake".
Another example of a "mythical" place is the village of Lutowiska, or rather the church in Lutowiska. This national-Ukrainian temple, the largest in the Bieszczady Mountains, was demolished only in the 70s of the twentieth century. The church in Dwernik was built from the material of the demolished church. There are a lot of memorabilia in the form of icons and liturgical paraments left after the church, which were transported to the MBL in Sanok.
Another undertaking from 2012 that fits in with the myth of non-existent villages is the walking trail called "Bieszczady Discovered" covering the former villages of Jaworzec, Łuh and Zawój.

The text comes from the study "INVENTORY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES OF THE BORDERLAND - THE ETHNOCARPATHIA PROJECT" realized by the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University for the District Museum in Rzeszów.

Author: Mrs. Helena Urbanczyk.