Edson AB Saint Andrew the First-called Apostle Russo-Orthodox Church 1922

Edson, Alberta, Saint Andrew the First-called Apostle Russo-Orthodox Church,1922

Edson, Alberta, Church of Saint Andrew the First-Called Apostle, 1922

Establishment of the parish, 1922

The Russo-Orthodox Church of Saint Andrew the First-called Apostle in Edson, Alberta, Canada, was gathered and established in late 1922 by the Priest Alexander Kiziun (Kizyun). At the time, he was the rector of Saint Barbara’s Church in Edmonton, Alberta. He had written to New York City (site of the central office) to request the blessing to establish this community, and the request had been referred to the administrator, Archimandrite Benjamin (Basalyga), who was at that time still the administrator of the Canadian diocese. He lived in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Significant personalities in the early history

By this time, the settlement of this region included some Orthodox Christian believers. Of them, some were daughters of Theodore and Anna Fuhr of the Nisku area (south of Edmonton). A small Temple was erected in Edson, and named for the Holy Apostle Andrew, the First-called, and the community continued to be served by the regional clergy.

Theodore and Anna Fuhr

Daughters of Theodore and Anna Fuhr

The daughters of Theodore and Anna Fuhr were "pillars" or "mainstays" of the parish. Two are most significant. Mary Kowalchuk (Michael) and Katherine (Peter) Madick. Peter Madick was a Serb. Mary's home was only half a block up the street from the Temple. She, her husband Mike, her daughter Naddie (Nadezheda) Ewachniuk, husband Alex Ewachniuk, and their grandchildren all spent most of their spare time cleaning, repairing, landscaping and preparing the Temple for the services which were conducted there (but not on a regular schedule). The visiting clergy always stayed overnight at Mary's house. Especially in the autumn and winter months, she or one of the relatives would be up early in the morning to light the pot-bellied stove in the Temple in order to make it cozy (or at least bearable) for the services. This was much the way also with the other 2 sisters, Katherine and Elsie (who was later tonsured to be a nun with the name Varsonofia). However, by the 1950s, they had both moved to Edmonton.

Prince Leo Golitzin

In addition, for a time, a significant person came to the region in the person of Prince Leo Golitzin (also spelt Galitzine). After he had escaped from sovietised Russia after the Bolshevik Revolution and World War I, he arrived in Canada, and by 1929, he had settled near Edson. He and his wife purchased 420 acres of land, one-quarter section from M Silva and a half-section from Neil Armstrong. Most of the property bordered the McLeod River. Other than the 110 acres of farm land, they owned 5 pairs of foxes, poultry, horses and cattle. Prince Golitzin, together with his wife, an Egyptian Princess, bought an airplane and started a charter company, Great Bear Airlines. By 1933, Prince Golitzin was living in Edmonton. After the Princess died during a vacation to Europe or Egypt in 1934, Prince Leo moved to Hollywood, California, where he was seen acting in various films as an extra. Other members of his extended family had already moved to California. His most notable works are "The Razor's Edge" (1946 film) and "The Chocolate Soldier" (1941 film).

Prince Leo Galitzine

Archbishop Adam (Philipovsky)

Another personality of long-term influence in the life of the parish was Archbishop Adam (Philipovsky). He had earlier been an administrator of the Canadian diocese, and he had travelled to the Edmonton area for this reason, and he was therefore known. However, he had by the 1930s become a controversial personality, who had become involved in various disputes in the USA. When, in 1937, the parish requested from Metropolitan Theophilus (Pashkovsky) the blessing to have Archbishop Adam mentioned during the Divine Liturgy, just after the name of the ruling bishop, this request was denied. Archbishop Adam was at that time living in the USA, and there was no canonical justification for granting the request. Furthermore, it was at about this time that Vladyka Adam was involved in a dispute in the eastern USA with Metropolitan Theophilus.

Vladyka Adam (Philipovsky)

Archbishop Joasaph (Skorodumov)

It was also during these years that Archbishop Joasaph (Skorodumov) was living in Alberta. In all likelihood, it was in the wake of this denied request that the community began to turn to him. It was at about this same time that there were confusing jurisdictional disagreements amongst the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in North America (ROGCCNA), which later became The Orthodox Church in America, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR), and the Russian Exarchate of North America, which had been established in the USA in 1933 under Metropolitan Benjamin (Fedchenkov). All 3 entities were daughters of the same mother (the Russian Orthodox Church). After the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution which overthrew the Russian Empire, as a consequence of conflicting politics, several groups developed, which each had a different perception of how to behave towards the Mother Church (which was enduring severe persecution during that time).

With Vladyka Joasaph, the parish continued its life after 1946 in the ROCOR, until his transfer to Argentina in 1951.

Vladyka Ioasaph (Skorodumov)

Metropolitan Vitaly (Ustinov) ; Archimandrite Seraphim (Filimonoff)

After the arrival in Edmonton of Bishop Vitaly (Ustinov) in 1954, the Monastery of the Dormition of the Mother of God was established near Wildwood, Alberta, some 80 km (50 mi) to the east. The monks from this monastery began to serve in Edson and in other communities, but after the 1959 departure of most of the monks to Québec, Archimandrite Seraphim (Filimonoff) began to care for the community. He did this until his repose in 1980. After that date, other ROCOR clergy in the region continued the pastoral care of the community.

Vladyka Vitaly (Ustinov)

Particular parish information

This parish is part of the Metropolis of America of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece. The bishop is Metropolitan Demetrius (Kiriacou).

This parish follows the Old (Julian) Calendar.

The Altar Feast-day of this parish is the Feast of Holy Andrew the First-called Apostle, 30 November/13 December.

In 2022, this parish is served by Archpriest Andrew Kencis.

Glenwood Cemetery

Although it is not a cemetery directly related to the parish, the Glenwood Cemetery in Edson has memorials that bear names of persons from traditionally Orthodox Christian countries : Greece, Ukraine, Romania, Russia.