Lethbridge AB Saint Silouan Orthodox Mission 2025
Lethbridge, Alberta, Saint Silouan Orthodox Mission, 2025
Prehistory
It is not clear when Orthodox Christians began to settle in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. It is likely that there were Serbian people in Lethbridge from time to time after 1900, since there were many newcomers to Canada who were working in coal mines and on the railways. However, their connexion with the Orthodox Church was only in Calgary, Alberta (either at Saint Vladimir's Ukrainian Orthodox Church, or at All Saints Russian Orthodox Church). It is known that Ukrainians began to arrive in the region in the earliest part of the 20th century, although many were migrant workers, much as were the Serbs. Orthodox Ukrainians sometimes travelled south from the main Ukrainian Bloc Settlement in Central Alberta in order to find work in mines or with the railways.
The first visible presence in Lethbridge came in 1920 with the establishment of Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church. It was a frequent occurrence that in the early days of Ukrainian settlement in Canada, the Ukrainian Catholic Church appeared first. This was largely because of the historical situation in the Ukrainian homeland.
Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church
On 22 April, 1942, the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Parish was officially approved and was incorporated. It was at that time accepted into the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada.
Then, after the end of World War II, there was an influx of newcomers to Canada, displaced Ukrainians, who, on immigration to Canada, arrived in southern Alberta in search of work in the sugar beet fields. It was then that the Holy Trinity Temple was built. This community celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2022.
Holy Assumption (Dormition) Orthodox Church
It was at about the same time as that construction that the Russian Orthodox Assumption of the Holy Virgin parish was established in Lethbridge. This community, belonging to the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) was established.
This parish was never large, but it was steady, and continued on as a witness past its 60th anniversary in 2025. Although this parish had become a bilingual community that used both Ukrainian and English a great rise in immigration increased the proportion of Ukrainian used.
Establishment of the mission, 2025
In 2025, it was decided by Archbishop Irénée (Rochon) and the Archdiocesan Council of the Archdiocese of Canada to establish a missionary venture in Lethbridge, Alberta.
The name of the missionary community was determined to be "Saint Silouan Orthodox Mission".
Saint Silouan of Mount Athos was a hermit-saint of the 20th century, whose spiritual son, Saint Sophrony of Essex, England, made him well known. Both were deeply concerned with the nurture of a loving relationship between the Lord Jesus Christ and His creatures, us humans, His rational sheep.
The sponsoring parish was the Parish of Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne (established in 2006) in Cranbrook, British Columbia, a parish of the Archdiocese of Canada, of The Orthodox Church in America.
In May, 2025, Patrick McLean was ordained to the Holy Diaconate, and then to the Holy Priesthood at Rawdon, Québec, by Archbishop Irénée (Rochon).
Upon returning to Alberta, he and Matushka Donna McLean travelled frequently to Cranbrook for further training under the supervision of Priest Andrew Applegate. Father Andrew Applegate continued to serve as mentor to Father Patrick McLean while the mission developed.
The first public services of the mission began to be offered in Lethbridge in early September, 2025. Soon, the community began its steady growth and development.
Particular parish information
This missionary parish is part of the Alberta and Northwest Territories Deanery, of the Archdiocese of Canada, of The Orthodox Church in America. The dean is Archpriest Vincent Lehr. The bishop is Archbishop Irénée (Rochon).
This parish follows the New (Revised Julian) Calendar.
The Altar Feast-day of this parish is the Feast of Saint Silouan of Mount Athos.
In 2025, the pastor of the parish was Priest Patrick McLean.
Address : Place of Worship :
Saint Silouan Orthodox Mission
Meeting at Anderson Hall on the campus of the University of Lethbridge
4401, University Drive West
Lethbridge, Alberta
T1K 3M4
Web-site : https://saintsilouan.ca/
E-mail : dmdmclean9@gmail.com
Telephone : 403-345-9699
Directions :
From Highway #2, turn east on Highway #3, and drive on Highway #3 until Lethbridge. In Lethbridge, turn right (south) onto University Drive. Continue straight on past Whoop-up Drive until Aperture Drive. Turn left onto Aperture Drive. Anderson Hall is on the right.
Telephone : 780-996-7343
E-mail : dmdmclean9@gmail.com
Resources
Archdiocese of Canada parish listing
Additional information :
Isajiw, Wsevolod ; Boshyk, Yury ; Senkus, Roman (eds.), “The Refugee Experience : Ukrainian Displaced Persons after World War II” (Edmonton : Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies Press, 1992)
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.
About Saint Silouan of Mount Athos
Article about Saint Sophrony (Sakharov)
Archdiocese of Canada web-site
Archdiocese of Canada Facebook
Orthodoxwiki article about the Archdiocese of Canada
Orthodoxwiki article about The Orthodox Church in America
Wikipedia article about Lethbridge, Alberta
Canadian Encyclopaedia article about Lethbridge, Alberta
History of Alberta Coal Mining
Wikipedia article about the University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta