DOWNING – EXALTATION of the HOLY CROSS Parish – Парафія Воздвиження Чесного Хреста
The church and the cemetery are situated on 10 acres of land. The church (20’ x 20’) was built in 1911-1912 by Mr. Halaychuk with a bigger dome in the centre and smaller ones in the front ; a bell tower (dzvinytsia) was also built. The parish also owned a hall (60’ x 36’), worth approx. $2,500.00 in 1940. At that time there were 20 members. The Parish founders were: I. Himko (Khimko), D. Car (TSar) and L. Wynnyk.
The first priest to visit the faithful was Fr. Philip Ruh, OMI, and a Polish priest Fr. Ksenofont Rozdolsky followed by the Basilian Fathers: Fr. Naucratius Kryzanowsky, Fr. Josaphat Tymochko, Fr. Basil Kamenetsky, Fr. George Zydan (1936), Fr. Dionisius Dzygolyk, Fr. Bessarion Andreychuk, Fr. Lawrence Dzygolyk, Fr. Athanasius Chimy, Fr. Damascene Popovych and Fr. Isidore Kohut. Later the Eparchial clergy provided the spiritual care: Fr. Yaroslaw Fedunyk (1951-1953), Fr. Omilian Nakonechny, Fr. Volodymyr Slaby (1954-1955), Fr. Constantine Stangret (1956-1968) and Fr. Peter Lytwyn (1979-1984). In 1984 or shortly after, the parishioners closed the parish and joined the Parish in Stry.