Ardill SK †Russo-Ukrainian Orthodox Church 1912-1940
Ardill Saskatchewan, †Russo-Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 1912-1940
Formation of the community, 1910
Ardill, Saskatchewan, Canada, was a small village located about 62 km (39 mi) slightly southwest of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and about 125 km (77 mi) southwest of Regina, Saskatchewan. It was situated a short distance south of Old Wives Lake, and near Frederick Lake.
At the beginning of the 20th century, this region, which had previously been settled by immigrants from Western Europe, received an influx of settlers from what is now Poland and Ukraine (at that time, parts of the Russian Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire). This settlement was large in number around 1910.
Construction of the Temple, 1912
In about 1912, a Temple was erected at Ardill by the settlers in the village and on the nearby farms. It was a very simple structure, but it served its purpose. This parish community’s dedication is not now known, but it was served by clergy of the Canadian deanery of the “Russian Orthodox Mission” of North America, the Diocese of New York and the Aleutians of the Church of Russia.
The Temple was situated at land description site SW 21-11-28-W2nd, in the Rural Municipality of Lake Johnson.
It was built along the north-south road. The structure was finished with cedar shingles on both the walls and roof. A page wire fence surrounded the churchyard.
There are no available records at this time, but it is known that a wedding took place there as late as 1931.
Depopulation and closure
As with many other communities, when rural depopulation began to occur during and after the 1930s, this community shrank until by the 1990s its population fell to 0.
It is likely that this parish community was closed by 1940.
The Temple was later dismantled, and the lumber was used to build a farm building that was itself destroyed later. Sometime ago, a few church items had been found in a storage area of a private home.
The only image of the Temple is a drawing made by the recollection of a former parishioner.
Particular parish information
This community was part of the "Russian Mission", which then became the Archdiocese of North America and the Aleutians, and then later the "Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in North America".
Within this Church, the parish was also part of the Diocese of Canada (following its formation in 1916).
The first bishop under which this parish lived was Archbishop Platon (Rozhdestvensky). Bishop Alexander (Nemolovsky) was the next bishop, in 1914. He became the first Bishop of Canada in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1916, and later Archbishop of New York and North America. These and other bishops were responsible for providing priestly pastoral service for the parishioners of Ardill.
References
“The Russian Mission in North America”
Tarasar, Constance J, ed., “Orthodox America 1794-1976 : Development of The Orthodox Church in America” (Syosset, NY : The Orthodox Church in America Department of History and Archives, 1975). ASIN : B000ZLZAUE.
Additional information
Orthodoxwiki article about the Archdiocese of Canada
The Orthodox Church in Canada Chronology 1890-1988
The “Russian Mission” in North America
Orthodoxwiki article about The Orthodox Church in America
Archbishop Platon (Rozhdestvensky)
Archimandrite Arseny (Chahovtsov)