The original wooden cross was erected in memory of three men who were shot during the so-called Semeteš tragedy on April 20, 1945. Jozef Cipka and brothers Jozef and Štefan Kaduch were shot by Vlasov army soldiers directly in the settlement of Ovčovce.
Date of construction: 1945 (?)
Location: Vysoká nad Kysucou, Semeteš, Ovčovce, GPS: 49.3623154N 18.5763161E
Material: wooden cross
Corpus: metal sheet
Date of blessing/consecration: the restored cross on October 10, 2010
Consecrator: Restored cross was blessed by Mgr. Peter Hrenák, parish priest of Vysoká
Dimensions: Beam 18 x 19 cm, height 347 cm
Description: The original wooden cross was erected in memory of three men who were shot during the so-called Semeteš tragedy on April 20, 1945. Jozef Cipka and brothers Jozef and Štefan Kaduch were shot by Vlasov army soldiers directly in the settlement of Ovčovce. At the place of execution, their relatives erected a wooden cross and planted a small birch tree next to it. Over time, the cross succumbed to weather conditions and the wear of time. Local women—Anna Pupíková, Emília Miklušová, Justína Mehešová, and Anna Kozlíková—decided to replace the cross they regularly prayed at, at their own expense. The new cross was made from larch wood, crafted by a master carpenter from Veľké Rovné. The original corpus was also replaced.
The new wooden cross is painted brown. The crossbeam is protected by a metal roof attached directly to the beam, painted red on top. The top of the cross is similarly protected with a metal roof. The corpus is painted on metal and coated in white paint. Above the crossbeam is a vertical plaque with the inscription INRI.
Surroundings: The cross is located in the local part of Semeteš, in the settlement of Ovčovce, to the right below the main road from Turzovka to Bytča. The small birch tree planted at the time of the original cross's construction is now a tall tree. There is a small enclosure around the cross, consisting of four metal posts (painted brown) connected by chains. In front of the cross is a simple wooden bench.
Masses or worships (for which feast, regularly/irregularly): Private only.
Author of the text: Mgr. Drahomír Velička, PhD.
Photographs: Štefan Strýček
Map:
