The Assumption Church in Shepel is a wooden temple built in 1780 in a small village by the Serna River, west of Lutsk. This is one of those old Volyn churches that survived empires, wars, and Soviet times, and still gathers believers for services. The village is part of the Lutsk territorial hromada, making it easy to drop by from the regional center.
How the Church is Built
The temple is wooden and tripartite, with three log cabins standing one after another, as in most Volyn churches. A drum rises above the central cabin on a low octagonal base, crowned with a lantern and a dome. Entrances are arranged from the south and north.
In the 19th century, a narthex was added to the babynets, and another transversal volume was attached to it, above which a high tented bell tower was erected. Since then, it has dominated the entire structure and somewhat "overshadows" the massive central dome. At the same time, the church was supplemented with an aisle dedicated to the Apostle James. The church has preserved 17th-century paintings and 18th-century wood carvings. The church is mentioned in the book "Folk Architecture" by the architect and restorer Leonid Prybieha.
Patron Saint's Feast Day
The church celebrates its feast day on August 28, on the day of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God. This is the best day to see the temple alive and full of people.
The Settlement on the Serna
Shepel is an ancient place. On the northern outskirts of the village, in the "Val" tract, on a high cape over the Serna stands an Old Rus hillfort dating from the 11th–13th centuries—an archaeological landmark of national significance. A site measuring 140 by 160 meters is surrounded by a rampart 5–6 meters high and a ditch 6 meters deep. Nearby lies the "Mohyla Perelianytsi" barrow. Archaeologists have found traces of much older settlements here, dating back to the Stone Age, and even a mammoth tooth.
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Nearby
Lutsk is about 20 minutes away by road, and Torchyn is to the west. More can be found in the article Lutsk Raion.
How to Find It
Shepel lies between Lutsk and Torchyn, not far from the Lutsk–Volodymyr highway. The church stands in the village and is visible from afar thanks to its high bell tower.
