The origins of this historic church are linked with the simultaneous formation of the congregation that founded the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church at Star-Peno.
In 1897 the Edna-Star colony, northeast of the present day town of Lamont, was visited by a Ukrainian Catholic priest, Fr. Nestor Dmytriw. He held the first Eastern Rite services in the fledgling colony. At that time, he called upon the settlers to undertake the construction of a church and manse. Ten weeks later, two Russian Orthodox missionaries arrived from Seattle and likewise encouraged the newcomers to build a place of worship. This was an endeavour which the entire community enthusiastically supported. Everyone worked together to construct the original Star church, though some intended for it to be served by Catholic priests, while others wanted it to be served by Orthodox clerics.
The sanctuary was completed in September 1899, and consecrated by a Ukrainian Catholic missionary priest, Fr. Ivan Zaklynsky, in August of the following year. However, the church was subsequently also used by Orthodox priests sent to minister in the Star colony. This uneasy and ultimately untenable situation continued until both groups wanted to use the church at the same time to celebrate Easter in 1901, resulting in a protracted court battle. The disagreement was only resolved in 1907, when the Privy Council in London finally gave possession of the church to the Orthodox.
The Catholic followers left the congregation and built their own church nearby. By 1913 the original log structure had been outgrown by the Holy Transfiguration Orthodox congregation. It was dismantled and its logs were cut into timber that was then used to construct the present church. An early cruciform structure, this sanctuary has a large central dome on an octagonal base and round headed windows, features common to Ukrainian Canadian churches.
A tower was put up to house the church bells, and in recent years a finished basement was added beneath the church. The richly decorated interior features an ornate, three-tiered iconostasis.
Of interest is the cemetery behind the church, which is the burial place of the four founding families of the Star colony, including that of Ivan Pylypiw, one of the two initiators of Ukrainian emigration to Canada.
Also noteworthy is the shrine built in the form of a small church by the Pullishy family in 1998 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Star church. The church was registered as a historic resource in 1991.
See HERE for more information and detailed history of this parish.
See HERE for more information on Ivan Pylypiw.
Play Memory Eternal Chants
Visit this Cemetery
GPS Co-ordinates: 53.862288, -112.729075
Affiliation: Orthodox Church in America
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