By 1904, with local volunteer labour, a small traditional church had been constructed at this location. Priests from the Basilian Order in Mundare began ministering to the people. However, by 1911, Russo Orthodox and Greek Catholic adherents were both claiming the right to hold services. They could not reach an agreement and the church was closed until 1918. Several searches of the title made between 1906 and 1918 resulted in a series of certificates being issued and cancelled, each giving possession to a different group. The dispute was resolved when the last title was issued in the name of “Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church of St. Nicholas of Wostok”.
Divine Liturgies resumed at the church in 1918 and the small sanctuary soon became overcrowded. In 1922 members started planning a larger building, and the present red brick structure, designed in the Byzantine style with one large dome in the centre and two smaller domes at the front and back, was completed the following year. A new bell tower was also built containing three fine-toned bells.
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GPS Co-ordinates: 53.802141, -112.574282
Affiliation: Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton
St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church – St. Michael, AB
This church is often referred to as “Moskalyk’s”, after the pioneering family whose quarter section was subdivided to create a churchyard. The Basilian Fathers provided pastoral care in the district, with the founder of the mission, Fr. Platonid Filas (1864–1930), travelling back and forth from the Order’s early mission to hold services in people’s homes. The settlers soon decided a proper place of worship was needed and erected a small chapel in 1904. This burned to the ground in 1924 while the present church was being built.
This second sanctuary, constructed in the shape of a cross, with one large dome in the middle and one smaller dome on each side of the facade, was officially blessed in 1926. A wooden belfry was put up in 1938, and the mission cross beside the church was erected in 1964. The interior of this sanctuary, which now holds only one major service at the end of May each year, is maintained in its original condition.
The “Spas” church, as it is also known, was registered as an official historic resource in 1994.
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GPS Co-ordinates: 53.62438, -112.21424
Affiliation: Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton
Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church – Spas Moskalyk, AB
This parish, originally known as the “Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church of Chesnoho Khresta at Skaro”, was initiated on May 25, 1900. The first church, which was completed in 1917, was destroyed by fire in 1942.
The present Holy Cross Church, built in 1945, is one of the three magnificent churches of the rural community of Skaro. It is a cruciform structure with four smaller rooms added to the angles between the arms of the cross so that the plan consists of nine distinct parts. The result is a rectangular building with domed towers on each of the corners.
The parish retained the original bell tower, constructed in 1920, which stands immediately to the northwest of the present church.
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GPS Co-ordinates: 53.894749, -112.828480
Affiliation: Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton
Holy Cross Ukrainian Catholic Church – Skaro , AB
The town of Radway is located 77 km. northeast of Edmonton. The first Ukrainian settlers arrived at the turn of 1900. The beginnings of the Parish go back to 1910 when T. Wenger donated 4 acres of his land for the church and the cemetery. The title of the property was originally issued for: Bishop Nykyta Budka, T. Wenger, H. Sulyma, and I. Faryna. In 1918 Bishop Nykyta Budka during his visitation in Radway asked the faithful to reconsider and transfer the possession to the Ukrainian Catholic charter in Alberta.
The church and the cemetery are located 3 km. south of Radway. The contractor of the church building was P. Harapniuk having the support of T. Wenger, I. Faryna, I. Sulyma, H. Sumka, I. Kozowy, A. Kowal, and other volunteers. The church (45’ x 24’) was completed in 1914, and Fr. Philip Ruh, OMI did the inside finishing work. Paintings were done by Peter Lypynsky in 1931. Bishop Basil Ladyka consecrated the church on May 29, 1932.
A new church hall was built in the 1950s when Fr. Volodymyr Zholkewych was the parish priest. The Basilian Fathers built a rectory in 1940 and 2 priests were assigned to live there and serve the surrounding parishes and missions. After the Basilian Fathers, the residence and the land were purchased by the Parish in 1954.
In 1981 the parishioners, together with their parish priest Fr. Michael Kowalchyk, celebrated their 70th Jubilee and invited Bishop Demetrius Greschuk of Edmonton and Bishop Jerome Chimy of New Westminster (a native of Radway) to concelebrate on this occasion. A dinner with speeches and greetings concluded the celebration.
The Parish was always proud of the positive work of the UCWL in their midst. BUCC and UCYC were also active in earlier days. In 1973 the Parish donated 2 acres of land to the Roman Catholic Sisters for a future hospital. The Sisters sold the land without building a hospital. It was a very disappointing situation for all the parishioners.
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GPS Co-ordinates: 54.036125, -112.952485
Affiliation: Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton
