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The first Ukrainian Orthodox service was held in the recreation hall in 1943. For four years, the parishioners raised funds for the construction of a church. Concerts, plays, raffles and bazaars were held. Each Christmas carolers visited the homes where generous donations were received.

At the 1944 Annual General Meeting, the parish was named The Ukrainian Greek-Orthodox Church of Holy Trinity. Construction of the church began in 1947. In 1948, the first Divine Liturgy was held in the partially completed church. 

In 1953 the domes and iconostasis were completed. Later cathedral glass windows were installed, and a large lighted cross was placed above the main door. 

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GPS Co-ordinates: 53.712037, -111.746703
Cemetery Co-ordinates: 53.715837, -111.725916
Affiliation: Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Two Hills, AB

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In 1907 the Orthodox settlers of the Szypenitz area acquired 45 acres of land for a cemetery (at NW 22-55-13 W4), that same year erecting a small log church to serve as their place of worship. The interior of this simple, gable-roofed structure, which did not have a dome, was finished with wide boards purchased in Vegreville. Priests with the Russian Orthodox mission based in Shandro and Boian initially attended to the needs of the faithful, whose resolve was soon tested when their modest sanctuary mysteriously burned to the ground sometime in 1909-1910. A new and larger church was subsequently constructed in 1913 on the site of the cemetery under the supervision of Harry Osiecki (Hryhorii Osietski). Each member donated $5 toward the lumber obtained from Vegreville, and afterwards assisting with their volunteer labour.

On 14 June 1916, three days after the Pentecost, Szypenitz church again burned down due to suspicious but unknown causes. It was believed by many area residents that the destruction of the church was provoked by confessional rivalries. 

This time the new church was erected across the road from the cemetery (at SW 27-55-13), in the hope that the new sanctuary would escape the unhappy fate of its predecessors. Forty acres of land were purchased for $80.00 from Petro Eliuk. Once more Harry Osiecki was commissioned to oversee construction, using mostly volunteer labour and materials obtained from Gordon's Hardware Store in Vegreville. The tripartite structure with an apse, completed in 1919, is said to resemble the church in Osiecki's native village, featuring a large central dome, with a small dome over the narthex, as well as an entrance that is on the southwest side of the church. The design of the new edifice was also apparently based on the wooden variant that preceded it, providing a measure of continuity for beleaguered churchgoers and serving as a symbol of their determination in the face of adversity.

A wooden bell tower was subsequently put up in the southeast corner of the churchyard, and while its three bronze bells occasionally used to be rung to signal trouble in the community— such as a fire, or an emergency—they now only peal during customary religious observances.

St Mary's church has been a place of joyous and solemn commemorations marking the spiritual life of the Szypenitz community since the first decade of the century. As in most rural congregations, the number of the faithful has dwindled with urbanization, especially since the Second World War.

However, the pride which members feel about their sanctuary is still evident in the well-maintained churchyard and cemetery, which in the 1980s were further enhanced by the addition of two wrought-iron gates donated by Dan Lutzak and Frank Lakusta. In 1987, recognizing the historical importance of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, the government of Alberta granted the church official designation as a historic site. Various repairs were then made to restore and preserve the structure for future generations, while a generous donation from member John Taschuk in 1986 helped to establish a Trust Fund devoted to the perpetual care of the cemetery.

The Cemetery

The first burial was that of Metro Wenechuk, followed a week later by the interment of two children who had died in a local diptheria outbreak, Kondrat Rusnak and Maria Eluk. The early crosses were made of wood, the inscriptions being applied with a tar-based black paint called 'antramate' that very effectively permeated the wood. As was customary, controlled grass-burnings were periodically used to clean the cemetery before major religious observances that focussed on the graveyard. Unfortunately, in the course of being prepared this way for Easter one year, an unexpected flare-up resulted in the destruction of almost all of the oldest wooden grave markers. This prompted many Szypenitz church-goers to purchase more durable markers from a Boian-area man named Tkachuk who specialized in the manufacture of cement crosses. Although some members of the congregation obtained metal crosses instead, these proved to be less popular because of their long-term susceptibility to rust.

Of special interest are the graves of Maria (1877-1960) and Symeon Megara (1871-1958), which are separated by a booth-like structure with a door and glass window. Inside this little "chapel", on a small table, there is a colour reproduction showing the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Josef and his family. This military service document, on which apparently there was written a dedication to Hryhorii and Elesaveta Verenka and their deceased children, is a testament to the strong sense of loyalty which many immigrants from Western Ukraine felt toward the Hapsburg monarchy.

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GPS Co-ordinates: 53.773487,-111.849963
Cemetery Co-ordinates: 53.772789,-111.850125
Affiliation: Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

St. Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Szypenitz, AB

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Congregational life was initiated at a meeting of local community activists on August 19, 1933, when a resolution was passed petitioning the Consistory of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada for membership. A reply was finally sent on February 1, 1934, along with the forms necessary to officially register a new parish. The congregation formally requested acceptance into the ranks of the UGOC at a meeting held on October 30, 1940, by which time the parish had adopted as its name, Descent of the Holy Spirit.

In the meantime, Rev. I. Mayba began providing pastoral care to the Ukrainian Orthodox faithful of Stry, who in 1934 established a cemetery on land adjacent (to the west) to site of the future church. For eight years services were held at the second Stry National Hall (constructed 1931), the first hall (built at the same site in 1928-9, on land that had been donated by Nick Bunda) having been destroyed by fire in 1930.

In April 1938 the Stry congregation applied to the Department of Lands and Mines for permission to cut 20,000 feet of lumber on a nearby timber reserve to obtain wood to erect a place of worship. The lumber for the structure was cut at the Kutash sawmills in McRae, Alberta, after which church members took turns hauling material to the building site with their horse-drawn sleighs and wagons. According to a letter to the UGOC Consistory, the sanctuary was largely completed by the end of 1941, having been constructed by volunteers working under the supervision of master builder Ivan Mnoholitny.

 The official blessing of the Descent of the Holy Spirit Church took place during a visitation by Archbishop Ioan Theodorovich on September 30, 1945 [another photo suggests the consecration took place in June 1943).

In the 1980s the interior and exterior of the church were repainted, the floor refinished, and broadloom laid down on the aisles and around the altar. A new iconostasis and new altars also enhanced the appearance of the church, as did draperies for the windows. Other improvements included the addition of an entrance porch and the installation of extra pews. During his tenure as the Stry parish priest, Rev. Lorne Kubin did a painting on the interior of the dome, as well as some large icons behind the altar.

The Cemetery 

Land for a cemetery was donated in 1934 by Yakym and Victoria Mernonenko just west of the site of the future church, on the north side of TWP 585, at SW 28-58-13 W4. The first interment was that of Maricia Shysh in 1934.

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GPS Co-ordinates: 54.035430, -111.862715
Cemetery GPS: 54.035169, -111.874281
Affiliation: Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

Holy Spirit Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Stry, AB

 
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Fr.Meroslaw Kryschuk first began holding services at St. Paul while he was the pastor of the Myrnam district. It was probably on his initiative that at a meeting was held in St. Paul on 17 September 1960 to adopt the charter and bylaws of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada. This marked the formal incorporation of the All Saints parish.

In 1961, the congregation was attached to the Glendon Parish District, which was then being served by Fr. P. Dorosh-Zmiyiwsky, though he was succeeded the following year by Archmandrite J. Vitenko. Although these early years were trying, by 1962 the congregation reported celebrating ten Divine Liturgies over the course of the year. Although scant information is available about parish life during these early years, a letter from 1968 indicates that there were just eight active members, who were finding it difficult paying the money that they owed to the Consistory and asked to have several years’ debt written off. Communication from the parish remained sporadic into the 1970s, but it was obvious that financial difficulties were continuing to challenge the St. Paul faithful. Finally, in 1973 the situation stabilized to the point where the executive was able to finally provide figures for its paid membership during the previous years: 1965 – 5; 1966 – 13; 1967 – 12; 1968-1969 – 9; 1970 – 7; and 1972 – 12. The fluctuations were largely attributable to the fact that some people who were members of neighbouring congregations, occasionally also paid memberships at All Saints. Regardless, by 1973-1974, when membership stood at 11, All Saints was finally able to settle its outstanding account with the Consistory.

Within a year, however, the situation took a turn for the worse after St. Paul was briefly left without the regular services of a priest. At this time, the congregation considered discontinuing paying membership to the Consistory. Perhaps instead helping neighbouring congregations by attending their services. Fortunately this crisis quickly passed, and such drastic action was successfully averted. And despite these early difficulties, the congregation gradually gained strength, undoubtedly benefiting in no small measure from the fact that it was based in a growing town that was a regional hub and a county centre.

Thus, as the 1988 millennium of Ukrainian Christianity approached, All Saints Church began to think boldly about its future. Writing to the Consistory in December 1986, the executive requested Winnipeg’s support for its ambitious plans to build a major multi-use facility that would have “…the potential to serve the cultural and social needs of Canadians of Ukrainian ancestry, not only in the town of St. Paul, but also its surrounding communities, counties, and municipal districts.” Incorporated in the centre’s design would be a “…library, meeting rooms, dance training facilities, offices, theatre, hall, kitchen, and kiosk for the retail centre of Ukrainian arts and crafts.” Obviously, part of the intention was to use the centre to generate income and support for the congregation, by making it available for rent by outside groups. Although considered a risky move by some in the parish, the majority decided to proceed with the plan to construct the state of the art structure, which also included a domed area that could serve temporarily as a place of worship. Until this time, the congregation had been using an old church which had been outgrown and was in a dilapidated state.

After the centre was completed, it became a very difficult task to find sufficient volunteers to staff functions held at it and to raise money to pay off the large mortgage. A few individuals even quit the congregation because they had opposed the decision to build the facility and felt vindicated by the struggles to operate and pay for it. Nevertheless, a stalwart core of parishioners soldiered on in their efforts, though it eventually became obvious that the centre was not going to attract a large group of new church members capable of building a modern new sanctuary on the same property.

Consequently, it was decided instead to purchase the no-longer used Holy Ghost church in Willingdon and move it to St. Paul for restoration and use as the All Saints parish sanctuary. This was done over a two-day period on 26-27 March 2002, when the church was carefully lifted from its foundations and transported slowly by truck more than eighty kilometres to the north side of the Saskatchewan River and its new home beside the All Saints Ukrainian Cultural Centre. Originally built in 1938 under the direction of the talented Ivan Mnoholitnay, the five-domed cruciform structure was placed on a foundation adjacent to the centre, where it was subsequently restored and attached to the cultural complex through a vestibule and walkway. The first liturgy was celebrated in the rededicated church by Fr. J. Lipinski on Palm Sunday, 4 April 2004. It was formally blessed at a hierarchical service officiated by Archbishop John on 18 September 2004. 

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GPS Co-ordinates: 53.998436, -111.298967
Affiliation: Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

All Saints Ukrainian Orthodox Church – St. Paul, AB