Hairy Hill AB Saint Mary Romanian Orthodox Church and Cemetery 1911

Hairy Hill, Alberta, †Saint Mary Romanian Orthodox Church and Cemetery, 1911

The following summary of the history comes mostly from the writing of the Archpriest Mircea Panciuk and Michael Toma, "Never far from Eagle Tail Hill".

Prehistory

About 5 km (3 mi) south of Saint Mary’s Romanian Orthodox Church of Boian, Alberta, Canada, stands a small grey and blue Temple, with a cemetery less than 47 m (150 ft) behind. This is “Biserica Ortodoxa Romana Nasterea Fecioarei Maria” of Hairy Hill (which got its name from when railway workers spotted a large amount of bison hair on the hills).

For such a small community of Romanians, one may wonder why there are 2 Romanian Temples so near to each other.

When one studies the history of religious groups, it is not unusual to find conflicting opinions and strong disagreements amongst the members. Then, if 2 strong personalities emerge there is too often a split, a division. Such a situation occurred at Boian. The first Temple which was constructed was for a long time under the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Mission in North America. This was before the time of the present multiplication of jurisdictions. However, some of the members became dissatisfied with the situation, and they very much wanted a truly Romanian church. Further, in contrast with their Slav neighbours, Romanians have been and are accustomed to being able to understand the language of worship.

It is important to keep in mind that these families came mostly from the province of Bucovina in the region of Moldavia. This region has always been principally Romanian and Romanian-speaking. However, in the northern part of Bucovina in particular, there has been a mix of languages. Some spoke Romanian, and some spoke a “Little Russian” dialect, which was not precisely modern Ukrainian. Many were able to speak both languages. It was not until World War II that the northern part of Bucovina was taken from Romania by means of an agreement between J Stalin and the western powers in the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. This whole region of Ukraine (called the Chernivtsi Oblast) still retains a very large number of Romanian-speakers.

By the year 1908, approximately 60 families of Romanians had gathered at Saint Mary’s Church of Boian. It had been in the Russian Orthodox Mission which had from 1898 established parishes in this region, mostly to the west, and which attempted to find priests to serve the many communities that then developed. At that time, there were far fewer Romanian-speaking priests available in Western Canada, and because of the greater number of Russian- or Ukrainian-speaking clergy, Saint Mary’s Parish was served by clergy of the Russian Mission. During the years leading up to 1908, the Romanians were developing a greater and deeper longing for their own language in their Temple.

Finally, after 3 years of trying (from 1908), the Romanians were able to persuade Father Benedict Iliescu to come from Rouleau, Saskatchewan to serve their spiritual needs. This was a distance of approximately 700 km (435 mi), and his sojourn in Boian was of only 2 months’ duration. Rouleau is 50 km (31 mi) southwest of Regina, Saskatchewan, and 52 km (32 mi) southeast of Moose Jaw. The 2 months during which Father Iliescu served did not make those who did not understand Romanian happy, for Father Iliescu served in Romanian and not in Slavonic.

After the departure of Father Iliescu, the Romanians and the Slavs became entangled in misunderstandings which led them to civil court. Three years passed after 1908, and during that time the Romanian-speakers hoped that their right to their Temple would be recognised and upheld, for they had built it with their own hands and with many sacrifices. That hope did not materialise. The judge, seeing that the 2 groups could not agree on anything pertaining to church affairs, and seeing that the Slavs were more numerous and much stronger, advised the Romanians to build their own church.

Foundation of the new community, 1911

On 13 February, 1911, after having received word from Father Archimandrite Silvestru (Ionescu) (the Romanian priest in Regina, Saskatchewan), the Romanians held their first organisational and formal meeting, which met in the house of Vasile Moroz.

About 15 members attended this meeting, and a parish council was elected :

 Vasile Moroz - President
 Vasile D Toma - Vice-President
 Petru Bandur and Teodor Chelba - Comptrollers
 Lazar Nichiforeac - Secretary

The name “Parochia Romana Ortodoxa Nasterea Fecioarei Maria din Hairy Hill, Alberta, Canada”, was chosen. A constitution was also drawn up, and it was later registered.

Sanctification of the new Temple, 1914

After 2 years of hard work and many sacrifices, the Temple was built on a 3-acre plot of land that belonged Vasile Moroz. The finished Temple measured 11 m (36 ft) long and 7.3 m (24 ft) wide. The sanctification was performed in the Romanian Orthodox manner by Silvestru (Ionescu) on 11 August, 1914.

In 1913, Father Ionescu had established a Romanian Orthodox Deanery which was under the direct canonical jurisdiction of the Metropolitanate of Moldovia and Suceava (what is now Chernivtsi Oblast in Ukraine, the country Moldova, and the Suceava County in Romania), and the regions of Bessarabia and Bucovina. The formal approval for this sanctification was given by Metropolitan Pimen (Georgescu) of Iaşi, Romania. From Regina, Father Ionescu occasionally served at Hairy Hill.

The Temple was also served by Hieromonk Teodosie (Nica), who was serving primarily at the Holy Ghost Romanian Orthodox Parish of Hamlin. Following the repose in Christ of Father Silvestru Ionescu in 1918, Father Teodosie was called to Regina to replace him. Thus, Saint Mary’s lacked a priest. A lay reader, Dumitru Feica, led Matins services only on Sundays or feast-days.

The new Temple and bell-house

In 1919, Father Dumitru Iastremschi, along with his family, came from Lethbridge, Alberta, to serve the congregation. He convinced the Boian parish that it would be better that he serve both parishes. After 2 years, the parish again was lacking a priest, since Father Dumitru returned to Romania for several years.

During the intervals when no priest was available, a priest would somehow be found to serve at least for the annual grave-blessing after the Feast of Pascha, and perhaps on some other occasions.

Early view of the Temple

Effects of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution

In 1917, the Bolshevik Revolution took place in Russia, and the Ukrainian people in Canada were beginning to organise themselves into a national church. Many Ukrainians travelled around the continent in order to help that cause.

One of the priests who came to serve at Boian was Father Dr. Lazar Gherman (†1929), who had both studied and taught at the famous Romanian Theological University in Cernăuţi in Bucovina. He was a strong teacher and leader, and he had a very good relationship with the bishops of the Russian Mission. Through his activities, he led at least 39 men to become Romanian Orthodox priests in Canada and the USA. He served in the parish of Saint Elias at Lennard, Manitoba (103 km/64 mi east from Yorkton, Saskatchewan), and finally at the Hairy Hill Temple in about 1923, just before he moved to the USA.

Father Lazar Gherman guided and advised Dumitru Feica to enter the priesthood. Dumitru followed the advice, and he was ordained to the Holy Priesthood in the Romanian Orthodox Church of Hairy Hill by a Syrian Bishop, Metropolitan Germanos (Shehadi).

Greater co-operation with Boian after 1924

Up until this time, the parishes of Boian and Hairy Hill were separated. After a petition was sent to Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1924, the bishop of Winnipeg, Bishop Arseny (Chahovtsov) sent the Priest Vasile Cohan to serve at Boian. In the years leading up to the arrival of Father Cohan, the Romanians were able slowly to affirm themselves in the Boian Church Council. The Slavs had to accept Father Cohan, for he was sent by their own bishop. Father Cohan, being Romanian, was also able to serve at Hairy Hill. As time progressed, the Slav presence was felt less and less, and in time, there were only 2 or 3 Slavs left in the Boian parish.

The day came when the Romanians saw themselves "masters in their own churches". Father Cohan served 2 terms at Boian and Hairy Hill : 1924-1929 and 1932-1937. Services within the 2 parishes were usually divided equally whenever a priest was available. Occasions did arise on which each parish had its own priest. However, the parish communities were small and they could not support a priest for very long. In any case, the priests who served at Saint Mary’s would also serve in other Temples from time to time.

At the time when Father Cohan was serving at Hairy Hill, in 1937, the first Romanian bishop in North America, Bishop Polycarp (Moruşca), visited the western Canadian parishes including Hairy Hill.

In 1940, the parish reported that it had 60 members and 137 families.

Temple interior

Saint Mary's 1950s

Between 1958 and 1963 Saint Mary’s was visited by Bishop Andrei (Moldovan).

In 1967, Bishop Victorin (Ursache) made a canonical visit and served the Divine Liturgy in the Temple.

On 21 July, 1973, Archbishop Victorin, the clergy and delegates of the 42nd Annual Congress of the Romanian Orthodox Missionary Episcopate in America, along with the “Casa Romana” from the Holy Trinity Romanian Orthodox Cathedral of Detroit, stopped at the Temple, and prayers were read for those pioneers who helped found and build the Temple, and who now are resting peacefully in the parish cemetery.

Two amongst the “old-timer” members of the parishes, who were later ordained and served in this Temple were Father Dumitru Feica and Father Vasile Toma.

The parish’s first vice-president, Father Vasile Toma, later helped to organise and found the parishes of Pierceland and Marcelin in Saskatchewan.

Saint Mary's Church viewed from the cemetery

Reconciliation, 1970s

The members of Saint Mary’s in Hairy Hill are now members of Saint Mary’s in Boian, and both parishes are one.

Services are performed at the Hairy Hill Temple on the Altar Feast-day, and on the day of the blessing of the graves after the Feast of Pascha. This is one of the rare cases in Canada in which communities have reconciled and re-united after a division.

The last executive :

 Mrs. Sara Toma - President
 Lawrence Ionetz - Secretary Treasurer

Archpastoral visitation, 2022

On 14-23 May, 2022, Bishop Ioan-Casian (Tunaru) made an archpastoral visitation to some communities in Alberta. This visit included the historic parishes of the Edmonton area, and the newly-established Calgary Parish. He visited the parishes of Saint Mary, Boian ; Saints Constantine and Helen, Edmonton ; Holy Ghost, Hamlin ; Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Shepenitz (Malin) ; Saint Mary, Hairy Hill ; Saint Andrew, Calgary ; Holy Trinity, Calgary.

On Tuesday, 17 May, the hierarch together with Father George Bâzgan, diocesan-vicar and Father Mircea Panciuk, archpriest for Canada-West, went to the area of Boian village where the first Romanians who came at the end of 19th and early 20th century settled. Amongst the other Temples, the bishop and clergy visited Saint Mary's Church at Hairy Hill.

The interior of Saint Mary's during the bishop's visit

Archpastoral visitation, 2025 : new activity

From 29 May to 2 June, 2025, Bishop Ioan-Casian (Tunaru) made an archpastoral visit to the Western Canada Deanery of the Romanian Canadian Diocese.

As reported by the Nun Ana (Bulgariu), the main purpose of this visit was to sanctify the site of the future Saint Metropolitan Dosoftei Centre (a diocesan metochion, and a religious, cultural, and mission centre). The title of the project is "New Generations, Same Roots".

The “New Generations, Same Roots” Project

With this blessing, the new Saint Metropolitan Dosoftei Centre was, established on the territory of the Nativity of the Theotokos Parish.

Historically, in October, 1972, the Temple and the Cemetery at Hairy Hill were donated to Bishop Victorin (Ursache), and the Romanian Orthodox Missionary Diocese of America. The purpose of the donation was in view of the eventual foundation of a monastery, which might serve for the continuation of the Faith, and a testimony to the efforts and sacrifices made by the Romanian pioneers to preserve their spiritual and cultural identity in Canada.

However, the fulfilment of this hope took a long time because of the great lack of resources. Then, at the beginning of 2025, the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada (established in 2016) took all necessary steps to take possession of the Temple and the land at Hairy Hill, the land on which the present project is intended to be carried out.

In this year, the Boian/Hairy Hill area, and the historic Saint Mary's Church, are points of reference for the approximately 84,000 Romanians living in Western Canada. They serve as an important link between Romanian traditions and the new life of Romanian immigrants in Canada.

However, the existing religious and cultural infrastructure in the region is limited ; and the phenomenon of cultural assimilation, and loss of identity is increasingly evident, especially among the younger generations. Thus, the need to create a place of pilgrimage, prayer, and reconnection with Romanian traditions was seen to be becoming increasingly urgent. The project to build the Saint Metropolitan Dosoftei Centre came as a response to this need. It will offer not only a place of worship, but also an opportunity to preserve Romanian identity in an increasingly globalised and diverse social environment.

The realisation of this project began to take shape in the year which remembers 1700 years since the First Ecumenical Council (325); 140 years of autocephaly of the Church of Romania (1865), and 100 years since the elevation of the Romanian Orthodox Church to the rank of Patriarchate (1925).

This turn of events returned the parish to active status.

Second Archpastoral Visitation, July, 2005

Word and Deed United with Prayer at Hairy Hill and Boian

Monday, 13 July, Tuesday, 14 July, and Wednesday, 15 July, were days of joy, spiritual effort, and concrete work in the historic area of the first Romanian settlers in the Hairy Hill/Boian region.

These days are part of a new initiative of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada to develop the project New Generations, Same Roots, which aims to strengthen religious, spiritual, cultural, and community ties among Romanians in Alberta and Western Canada.

An important step in the realisation of this project is the establishment of the “Saint Metropolitan Dosoftei Centre” – a missionary, educational, and cultural centre meant to support religious and liturgical, cultural, and historical activities for everyone, but especially for youth and the new generations.

The Centre aims to play a vital role in ensuring the continuity of Romanian Orthodox life and in preserving the spiritual and historical heritage of the Boia/Hairy Hill area, a region with special significance in the history of the Romanian community in Canada.

During these 3 days, the local community was blessed by the presence of Bishop Ioan Casian (Tunaru), Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Canada ; Father Petre Busuioc (Oshawa) ; and Father Lucian Azoiței (Mississauga). With the financial support of priests, parishes, and monasteries from the Toronto area, the 3, along with other local volunteers, took part in the effort to clear and prepare the land for the future project.

In addition to the 3 clergymen, the following also took part logistically and practically in the activities : Gerry Hill, and Bob Dushenski, who generously provided the necessary equipment ; Doug Shapka, who transported the equipment ; Andrei, who helped with all the tasks ; Jackie Toma, who contributed with enthusiasm and valuable knowledge. Georgina Porozni, and Darline Shelemey also joined the initiative by helping with meal preparation. Father Călin Marincaș (dean), and Preoteasa Simona Marincaș prepared in advance all that was needed for the smooth organisation of the entire action. Several members of the Hairy Hill/Boian community also stopped by and showed interest in the future project.

On Wednesday evening, Bishop Ioan Casian, Fathers Petre Busuioc, and Lucian Azoiței, joined by Father Gheorghe Petrovan, celebrated the Holy Unction (Sacrament of Anointing) at the Dormition of the Mother of God Parish in Boian. Members of the community from the area, and from the city of Edmonton, attended the special prayer for the sick.

Over the course of the 3 days, those who visited the site learned more about the project and were encouraged to stay involved and, to the extent possible, to participate in the next stages of its development.

Parish cemetery, 1911

The Saint Mary Romanian Orthodox Cemetery was established in 1911 on the same property as the Temple. The cemetery is quite close to the Temple.

The GPS co-ordinates for the cemetery are : 53.79569, -112.00888

Cemetery view

Saint Mary's Romanian Orthodox Cemetery

Priests who served the parish

The priests who served the parish of Saint Mary’s Romanian Orthodox Church at Hairy Hill from its founding were :

 1.  Father Silvestru Ionescu (periodically)			1911-1914 
 2.  Father Teodosie (Nica)						1914-1915 
 3.  Father Dumitru Iastrimschi					1919-1921
 4.  Father Dr. Lazar Gherman					1921 
 5.  Father Dumitru Feica						1923 
 6.  Father Vasile Cohan						1924-1929 
 7.  Father Vasile Baleca						1930 
 8.  Father Vasile Cohan						1932-1937 
 9.  Father Grigoriu Costea (Grigore Coste)			1938-1940 
 10. Father Vasile Toma (periodically) 				1944-1968 
 11. Father Eugeniu Banciu						1946 
 12. Father Samoil Lunga							1954-1956 
 13. Father Dumitru Dianconescu					1958-1963 
 14. Father Mircea Panciuk (from Edmonton)			1969-1990  
 15. Father George Bâzgan (from Edmonton) 		1970-____    
 	     and Father Mircea Panciuk (from Edmonton)

Early morning at Saint Mary's, Hairy Hill

Particular parish information

In 2024, the Temple was standing and intact, but mostly unused. It has become part of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada of the Romanian Orthodox Patriarchate. The dean has been the Protopop Mircea Panciuk. The bishop is Bishop Ioan-Casian (Tunaru).

This parish has followed the New (Revised Julian) Calendar.

The Altar Feast-day of this parish is the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos, 8 September.

In 2025, the priest in charge of the Temple and cemetery is Archpriest George Bâzgan.

Address :

Romanian Orthodox Church of Saint Mary

Land description site NW32-55-14-W4.

(Township Road #560 and Range Road #143)

Two Hills County, Alberta

Directions :

Saint Mary’s Church is northeast of Vegreville, Alberta, and it is about 130 km (80 mi) northeast of Edmonton. From there, it takes 1 hour and 30 minutes.

From Edmonton, drive eastwards on Highway #16 (Yellowhead) as far as Mundare. Turn left (north) on Highway #855. Drive north until Highway #29. Turn right onto Highway #29. Drive eastwards on Highway #29 to Range Road #143. Turn left (north), and drive north to Township Road #560.

Drive on Highway #29, past the junction of Highway #29 and Highway #45. Continue straight on to Range Road #143. Turn left and drive north to Township Road #560.

From Willingdon, drive eastwards on Township Road #560 until Range Road #143. Otherwise, drive southeast from Willingdon on Highway #45 and after the junction with Highway #29, turn left on Range Road #143 and travel north to Township Road #560.

The mailing address of the Temple is the address of the priest.

Please contact the priest for any specific information.

Archpriest George Bâzgan

Telephone : 780-473-0029

E-mail : geobazgan@gmail.com

The unused Temple