The Ukrainian settlers, who homesteaded the area immediately north of the modern-day town of Mundare, referred to this district as Beaver Lake. At the end of the 19th century an arm of Beaverhill Lake extended nearby. In 1901, Beaver Lake residents embarked upon the construction of St. Jacob’s Church (now commonly known as St. James), which they completed the following year.
In 1903 the sanctuary was consecrated by Bishop Tikhon of the Russian Orthodox Mission who, from 1917–1925, served as the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. Renovated and placed on a concrete foundation in 1942, the church, one of the oldest sanctuaries in Lamont County, is adorned with hung icons painted by the artist, Peter Lipinski.
The age of this well-maintained structure is reflected in the fact that it is based on a tripartite plan, rather than on the more architecturally sophisticated cruciform pattern that was usually adopted for later churches. St. James is unusual because the belfry, which is situated over the narthex, is an integral part of the church, whereas the majority of the churches built by the Ukrainian pioneers have freestanding bell towers, as was the tradition in the Old Country.
See HERE for more information on this parish.
See HERE for more information on Peter Lipinski.
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GPS Co-ordinates: 53.63302, -112.36163
Affiliation: Patriarchial Parishes of Russian Orthodox Church in Canada
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