Mitred Archpriest Peter and Matushka Elizaveta Kurzemnek

Mitred Archpriest Peter Kurzemnek (1891-1978)

and

Matushka Elizaveta Louise Yakovlevna (born Dess) Kurzemnek (1885-1954)

Elizaveta may be spelt Elizabeth, Elisabeth, Elizabete, Yelizaveta.

Louise may be spelt Luiza.

Peter may be spelt Pēteris, Petr, Petr. Petro.

Kurzemnek may be spelt Kurzemniek, Kurzemnieks, Kurzemnik, Kurzemnk.

“Kurzemnieks” is very common in Latvia and means “originally from Kurzeme”, i.e. from Courland, Western Latvia.

Many details of the following article are thanks to Professor Alexander Gavrilin's book about Archbishop John (Garklavs) of Chicago.

Early life of Pēteris Petrovich Kurzemnieks

On 22 March, 1891, Pēteris Kurzemnieks was born in Medzula volost' (Mēdzūlas pag.), Venden (Cēsis, since 1925 - Madona) county of the Livonian province (Vidzeme, i.e. Central Latvia). This region was at that time par of the Livonian Governorate of the Russian Empire. (The Latvian districts of Vidzeme since the 1840s, i.e., from the mass conversion of Latvians and Estonians to the Orthodox Christian Faith, have been a place of concentration of Latvian Orthodox parishes.) His forebears, peasant workers, were likely amongst those who left Lutheranism for the Orthodox Christian Faith in those days. The peasant Latvians have the reputation of being silent, probably because of the solitude in which they live.

Pēteris Petrovich was raised as an Orthodox Christian within the bosom of the Russian Orthodox Church in Latvia.

The parents of Pēteris Kurzemnek dreamed that their son would receive a good education and “get out amongst the people”. For Orthodox Latvians, this path, as a rule, lay through the parochial school and the Theological School, after which the best continued to study at the seminary. Thus, the Kurzemnieks sent their son along this path. Peter Petrovich graduated from the volost and parochial schools. By this time, the liturgical books and the Holy Scriptures had been translated into Latvian and Estonian. Latvian, Estonian, and German were compulsory courses in the curriculum for all students.

Higher education

Then, in 1907, Pēteris Petrovich graduated from the Riga Theological School.

Soon afterwards, he enrolled in the Riga Theological Seminary, from which he graduated in 1913 (in the 2nd category).

Riga Orthodox Theological Seminary

The Riga Theological Seminary was considered one of the best secondary educational institutions in the Baltic provinces. In addition, the seminary opened in 1850 had 120 state scholarships, with the help of which the children of the poor in the Baltic provinces could receive a secondary education free of charge.

The seminary provided thorough knowledge in a number of theological and humanitarian disciplines : Holy Scripture ; comparative/accusatory theology, liturgics, homiletics; on basic, dogmatic and moral theology; painting ; drawing and icon painting ; philosophy ; Russian literature ; General and Russian history ; Biblical and Church History ; logic ; didactics ; German ; Latvian ; Estonian ; French ; Hebrew ; Latin ; Greek ; and others. The seminary was distinguished by its strong, competent teaching staff.

The diocese of Riga was considered to be a missionary district. Therefore, the best graduates of the leading Theological Academies of the Russian Empire were engaged to prepare future shepherds in Latvia.

Most of the graduates of the Riga Seminary after graduation became priests ; but there were those who, having received a seminary education, continued to study in secular educational institutions. Amongst these was Pēteris Kurzemnieks.

Other training

After having completed the seminary, he completed Paegle's accounting courses in order to take up accountancy in the future.

World War I, 1914-1918

It was about the same time that World War I began, and this war affected Latvia directly from 1915.

It was at this time that the German Empire invaded and controlled the 3 Baltic States (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia). Many people were evacuated into Central Russia (including the seminary).

In Latvia, on 17 June, 1915, Pēteris Kurzemnieks received the rank of collegiate registrar, i.e. the youngest civil rank of class 14, corresponding to an ensign.

During World War I, Pēteris P. Kurzemnieks continued to work in the commissary service.

Despite his purely civilian position, Pēteris Kurzemniks took part in hostilities and in the preparation of military operations. In addition, he repeatedly came under artillery and machine-gun fire.

On 27 March, 1916, he was awarded the Order of Saint Stanislav, 3rd degree.

On 18 September, 1916, he was awarded for “excellent, diligent service and labours incurred during hostilities”.

On 12 February, 1916, he was awarded the Order of Saint Anna, 3rd degree.

In 1917, he was awarded the Order of Saint Stanislav, 2nd degree.

Bolshevik Revolution, 1917

On 25 October/7 November, 1917, the Bolshevik October Revolution began in Petrograd (Saint Petersburg), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia [Russia].

This led to the dissolution of the Imperial Russian Army by the Bolsheviks, and Pēteris Kurzemnieks was demobilised in February 1918. This period of time was followed by the Russian Civil War.

From 1918 to 1922, he was in Soviet Russia, where, as he wrote in his personal file, “he was in the public service”.

Marriage, 1918

On 22 September, 1918, Pēteris Kurzemnieks was married to Elizaveta Louise Yakovlevna Dess.

Elizaveta Louise Yakovlevna was from a family of Courland refugees that were evacuated in 1915 to Central Russia. Louise was 6 years older than her husband, originally from the Bledensky Volost of the Tukums district.

Pēteris Petrovich Kurzemnieks insisted that the wedding be in the Orthodox Church, so Louise converted to Orthodoxy. Priest John Bichevsky, the young rector of the Orthodox Church in the village of Rudnya, Smolensk Governorate (Province), Russia, blessed the marriage.

Elizaveta Yakovlevna Kurzemnieks was in poor health, so she never worked outside the home. There were no children in this Kurzemnieks family ; however, apparently, Pēteris and Luiza loved each other dearly. Throughout his life, Pēteris Kurzemnieks referred to Louise in his letters only as “my beloved wife”.

Return to Latvia ; government service, 1922

In 1922, the Kurzemnieks returned to Latvia, and Pēteris began a new period in his life, that is, a career as a government official. The Republic of Latvia had achieved independence through a War of Independence which ended in 1920.

From 3 October, 1922, to 7 February, 1923, Pēteris Kurzemnieks worked as a non-staff official in the office of the Tax Department of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Latvia (LR) ; from 7 February, 1923, to 2 July, 1940, he worked in the Administrative Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. At first, he served as a clerk of the Passport Department ; from 1925, as a senior official for special assignments ; from 8 July, 1925, as head of the Administrative Department of the Passport Department ; and finally, from 1 April, 1928, as head of the Passport Department.

In parallel, he completed the fourth year of study in the Faculty of Law of the People's University of Latvia.

The salary of an official of high category allowed Kurzemnieks to rent an apartment in the very centre of Riga.

Parish life

Pēteris Kurzemnieks participated actively in the parish life of the Riga Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ. He was elected repeatedly as a member of the Parish Council of the cathedral, and for several years he was vice-chairman of the Parish Council.

Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ, Riga

In 1935, Pēteris Kurzemnieks became a member of the Synod (administration) of the Latvian Orthodox Church (LPC).

World War II, invasions

With the approach and beginning of World War II, during this period, the Soviets were exerting pressure, as were the Nazis of Germany. Sometimes, persons (including some clergy), would disappear or die under unexplained circumstances.

In 1940, the Soviet Union invaded and occupied Latvia.

The Nazis arrived in 1941, and they began immediately changing the nature of Latvian society.

End of government service under Soviets

On 18 July, 1940, Pēteris Petrovich Kurzemnieks applied to the Pension Department of the Ministry of Welfare of Latvia with a request that he be granted a sickness pension, since he could no longer work due to “impaired health”, and since he “cannot work without constant medical assistance”. That a 49-year-old man suddenly decided to retire due to illness is unusual. Unusual also is that during the paperwork for retirement, P P Kurzemnieks referred to the fact of his long-term treatment by 3 physicians, but that he nowhere indicated the diagnosis of his disease.

It is quite likely that the true reason for his retirement was that the Soviet government, which had come to Latvia on 17 June, 1940, had begun already in July to purge the ranks of officials. It is likely that P P Kurzemnieks had understood that sooner or later he would be dismissed from the state service ; and that the story about the “undermined state of health in the service” had been invented for the purpose.

Nevertheless, from 1 December, 1940, the Soviet authorities, considering that it had been accrued to him illegally, interrupted the payment of the pension to Mr. Kurzemnieks. It is indicative also that this former head of the Passport Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, after having received a pension, moved from the capital (Riga) to the small Vidzeme town of Lubāna, in Madona Municipality.

Under the conditions of mass arrests launched by the Soviet authorities, such a move can hardly be explained only by P P Kurzemnieks' concern for mending his "health undermined in the service". From the beginning of the German occupation, the Kurzemnieks returned to Riga ; and from January, 1942, the pension of Pēteris Kurzemnieks' was resumed, as a consequence of which he did not work during the German occupation.

By the summer of 1944, war again came to the territory of Latvia. This time, the Nazis were evicted by the Soviets ; and at that time, there occurred a great upheaval and displacement of peoples. All those who could escape did so, many of them taking only what was possible to carry by hand.

According to the plan of the German command (developed at the beginning of 1944, in the event that the front line approached the Latvian land), it was necessary to depopulate the land completely within 4 weeks. However, the rapid advance of the Soviet troops made it possible only partially to implement this plan. From August, 1944, all persons over 48 years of age had the right to leave the Latvian territory. The Kurzemnieks couple took advantage of this opportunity, and they decided to evacuate for the duration of the hostilities. In August, 1944, they left the Latvian territory.

Exile, 1944

During this period, those who were evacuated from Latvia were sent away on passenger ships or by railway trains to other territories occupied by the Germans, where they were provided with housing, food cards, medical care, and other necessities. Until the middle of autumn, 1944, the German evacuation system functioned very well. However, already in the second half of October, due to the huge influx of people, it began to malfunction. Finally, it broke down in the spring of 1945.

The Kurzemnieks were blessed in that they were provided with housing and food. In the autumn to winter of 1944, they lived in Berlin, Germany, after which they moved to Bavaria in the south. There they lived in the status of evacuees until after May, 1945, when they were classified as “displaced persons” (DPs), the ancestor of the more recent term “refugee”. It was now impossible for them to think of returning to Latvia.

By the end of World War II, there were about 7,000,000 persons in Central and Western Europe who had been classified as displaced persons who were from the territory of the USSR. The number of displaced persons in general had been increasing since 1 September, 1939, the beginning of World War II.

It was intended that they be repatriated to their homeland. However, the Western Powers were aware that when the war began, the Baltic countries were not part of the USSR. They did not consider these refugees and evacuees to be Soviet subjects, nor did they force them to “repatriate”. Many who were returned to the USSR perished there.

In the autumn of 1945, over 150,000 immigrants from Latvia were registered in the camps of the western zone of occupation (and in 947, 120,000). They were scattered across 294 DP Camps across Germany, Austria, and Denmark. The Kurzemnieks found themselves in the American zone of occupation, where 55% of the Latvian refugees were located.

Generally, those who were DPs had shelter (mostly in a common barrack), and ration cards (purchased only in the camp of registration). Although no-one is reported to have died of hunger, most DPs suffered from diseases such as anemia, various pulmonary, neurological and stomach diseases due to malnutrition. Many camp residents were in a depressed psychological state. Thus, they were willing to go anywhere, if only to get away from the camp. In addition, most displaced persons were afraid of extradition to the USSR, which for many (even most) meant certain death. In this situation, DPs united around churches, from which they received spiritual help.

Parishes in the camps

On 31 August, 1945, a group of Latvian clergy headed by Bishop John (Garklavs) of Riga, arrived in the Bavarian camp at Amberg. They, along with the ROCOR clergy, began to minister to the Orthodox Latvian DPs. By the beginning of 1948, the Latvian Orthodox clergy, headed by Bishop John (Garklavs), served 18 permanent camp parishes, as well as individual groups of Orthodox who did not have the opportunity to register parishes in their camps (the total number of parishioners was 2,800 people).

Latvian Orthodox Church in Exile

On 20 November, 1946, at a meeting between Bishop John of Riga and the provincial Latvian Metropolitan Augustine (Petersons) (held at the sanatorium in Fellbach (near Stuttgart), where the Metropolitan was undergoing treatment), an agreement was signed about the creation of a new church structure, the Latvian Orthodox Church (LOC) in Exile.

According to this agreement, the LOC in Exile was an autonomous ecclesiastical organisation, the head of which was considered to be Metropolitan Augustine. In the event of his illness or other circumstances that prevented him from fulfilling this duty, the Church was to be managed by Bishop John (Garklavs). Metropolitan Augustine was at that time constantly in a tuberculosis sanatorium, so his leadership of the LOC in Exile could only be “on paper”. In practice, the Church was governed by Bishop John and the Synod of the Latvian Orthodox Church in Exile.

Spiritual care in camps ; beginning of emigration

From February, 1947, until May, 1949, the Synod of the Latvian Orthodox Church in Exile held 12 meetings, at which practical matters of Church life were decided. Some Orthodox Latvians were transferred from one camp to another ; some emigrated to other countries, and some individual parishes ceased to function. At the same time, it was necessary to equip Temples in those camps to which the Orthodox were transferred. In 1947, the Synod of the LOC in exile decided to sanctify new Temples in the following DP camps : in Fulda (Hesse) ; in Ansbach (near Nuremburg) ; in Schorndorf (near Stuttgart) ; in Valk (named for the town in Latvia, the Orthodox parish in this camp was founded on 30 November, 1947). Nevertheless, the total number of parishes that recognised the Synod of the LOC in exile was decreasing (at the beginning of 1948, there were 18 parishes ; by the end, only 11 parishes). Because of the emigration of the clergy and the transfer of various Latvian priests to ROCOR, only 8 priests remained with Bishop John (Garklavs) by 1948. New priests were needed, but there were no suitable candidates.

Change of direction in life

From 1947, the Kurzemnieks lived in the Valk camp (near Nuremburg), where they took an active part in the life of the Holy Ascension parish there.

It seems that the idea of ordination of Pēteris Kurzemnieks to the Holy Priesthood was mutual in its arrival : Bishop John needed shepherds for the care of new parishes. At the same time, Pēteris Kurzemnieks himself had always felt a calling to serve ; but because of life-circumstances, he had not been able to take on the responsibility of the Holy Priesthood. Nevertheless, he knew the entire liturgical cycle ; he knew choir-singing ; he had an education appropriate for ordination ; he had sufficient experience in Church life.

Petition for ordination, 1948

On 23 April, 1948, Pēteris Petrovich Kurzemnieks wrote a petition to Vladyka John (Garklavs), in which he asked him “to investigate and recognise me worthy to take on a high and full responsibility task, and not to interfere with my initiation into the priest of the Holy Ascension Church of the Latvian camps Valk and Fischbach (near Nuremburg). The parish council asked me to take on the responsibility of the pastor of the Ascension Church”.

The very next day, the most experienced cleric of the Latvian Orthodox group, Archpriest Nikolai Perekhvalsky (1874-1966), heard the confession of Pēteris Petrovich, and he took his oath of service.

Diaconal ordination, 1948

On 25 April, 1948, in the Orthodox Temple of the Amberg camp, Bishop John (Garklavs) of Riga ordained Pēteris Petrovich Kurzemnieks to the Holy Diaconate.

Diaconal service

Deacon Pēteris Kurzemnieks served as a deacon in the Valk and Fishbach camps.

It is characteristic of the times that the ordination of Deacon Pēteris Kurzemnieks to the Holy Priesthood was delayed by the fact that it was impossible to find another priestly robe in the camps. Neither Deacon Pēteris Kurzemnieks nor the Synod of the LOC in exile had the means to buy it. Only after repeated appeals to the The International Refugee Organisation (IRO) did they manage finally to get a soutane and rason.

On 5 May, 1948, Archpriest Nikolai Perekhvalsky again received the confession and oath of service from Deacon Pēteris Kurzemnieks oath.

Presbyteral ordination, 1948

On 6 May, during the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy in the Temple of the Holy Ascension in the Walk camp, Bishop John (Garklavs) Deacon Pēteris Kurzemnieks was ordained to the Holy Priesthood.

Pastoral Service

Priest Pēteris Kurzemnieks was assigned to serve as the priest of the camp parishes at Valk, Fischbach, Dinkelsbül, and Amberg, in the capacity of rector. Later, the camps at Augsburg, Karlsruhe and Ulm were added to the list of camps served by him.

Since Father Peter lived in the Valk camp, his main parish was considered to be Walk-Fishbach, in which camp the Holy Ascension Church was located. He later wrote that the parish consisted of former Latvian, Estonian, and Russian citizens. In 1948, the total number of parishioners was 211 people. On 26 December, 1948, the Parish Ladies' Committee organised a “Yolka” (Christmas tree) where 72 children were presented with gifts. Divine services in the Holy Ascension Temple were held every Saturday-Sunday, except for the first Saturday-Sunday of each month, when Father Pēteris served in the Karlsruhe camp. Divine services in the Holy Ascension Temple were regularly attended by about 40 people. The choir under the direction of A. Panteleev sang at the divine services. Akathists were read every Wednesday. In addition, Divine Services were celebrated on all holidays and on their eves, as well as on public holidays of the Republic of Latvia. Father Pēteris noted also that he taught the Law of God (catechism) in the gymnasium of the Valk camp (3 students, 2 hours per week), and in the basic school (13 students, 2 hours per week) Valka, as well as in the basic school of the Fischbach camp (5 students, 1 hour per week). In the summer, Father Pēteris held weekly conversations with young people on religious and ethical topics.

On 21 November, 1948, Father Pēteris Kurzemnieks was elevated to the dignity of archpriest for “zeal in the performance of his duties”. At the same time, he received the preceding awards of the right to wear a purple kamilavka and a golden pectoral Cross.

Transfer process of Bishop John (Garklavs), 1947

As early as 1 October, 1947, Bishop John (Garklavs) of Riga appealed to Metropolitan Theophilus (Pashkovsky), Metropolitan of All America and Canada, of the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church of North America (ROGCCNA), also known as "the Metropolia". He requested that he the clergy subordinate to him be accepted “into the clergy of your Autonomous Church”. In his petition, Vladyka John emphasised that “in connection with the gradual evacuation of my flock and the general situation created with the IRO organisation, according to which all displaced persons must be evacuated, it seems to me timely to streamline my situation both in terms of resettlement, as well as the church-canonical submission. Assuming that a significant part of the refugees from the Baltics will find their new homeland in the United States of America and Canada and become part of your flock, I ask for Your Eminence's assistance in resettling me and my closest employees to the United States”.

Meeting on 12-13 November, 1947, in San Francisco, California, the Council of Bishops (Holy Synod) of the North American Metropolia granted the request of Bishop John.

Therefore, in 1948, the Latvian group was already awaiting formal permission from the American authorities to move to the USA. In May, 1948, the Synod of the Latvian Orthodox Church in Exile decided that following the moving overseas of Bishop John (Garklavs), the administrative and economic management of the parishes of the LOC in Bavaria was to be taken up by Archpriest Leonid Ladinsky ; and then, after his departure, by Priest Pēteris Kurzemnieks.

In the summer of 1949, Father Pēteris reported to Bishop John that the camps whose parishes he served were being liquidated : “The number of parishioners is negligible ; it is difficult to organise a service”.

In October, 1949, the Kurzemnieks were transferred to the Ulm camp, where Father Pēteris began to celebrate services in the Church Slavonic language, since all his parishioners were Russian-speakers. In addition, in the autumn of 1949, he also served in the Schweinfurt, Nierzburg, Dillingen, and Augsburg camps. However, already in November 1949, Father Pēteris wrote that his parishioners “are leaving, there are no singers and psalmists, as well as people who could organise Divine Services locally. In December, I hope, I will be able to organise Divine Services in all my parishes ; but in January, I do not hope, since, probably, only old people and children will remain”.

Emigration to North America, 1950

Finally, it was the turn of the Kurzemnieks themselves to leave the German DP camps. On 12 March, 1950, the transport Steamship General Greely entered the port of New York. Aboard were Father and Matushka Kurzemnieks.

USNS General A. W. Greely

With the move to North America, and a mostly Russian- or Ukrainian-speaking environment, the names subsequently received different spellings, such as Peter, Piotr, Petr, Elizabeth, and Kurzemnek.

Temporary labour

However, at first, the administration of the ROGCCNA could not find a vacant parish for Father Peter. This situation was catastrophic for the Kurzemneks, since they had no means of subsistence. They were rescued by friends, who found Father Peter a job on a farm in Connecticut. As he himself said about it, Father Peter and Matushka Elizabeth were placed “as an auxiliary work-force in the garden, in the yard, and cleaning 3 houses. Last Sunday our employer came and assigned me work. [...] There is a lot of work in the field now. Well kept”. This former official of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Latvia was not at all embarrassed by menial work. According to Father Peter, the only inconvenience in his new position was that the employer refused to provide housing to Matushka Elizabeth, for whom he had to find housing elsewhere. This hardship did not last very long, however.

Assignment in Canada, 1950

In August, 1950, Father Peter Kurzemnek was assigned to serve in the the Archdiocese of Canada, at Holy Trinity, Smoky Lake parish in Alberta, Canada.

Before travelling to his destination (a rail-journey that took about a week), Father Peter visited New York City, and the Holy Protection Cathedral, where he attended the wedding at of the adopted son of Bishop John (Garklavs), Sergei Garklavs with Alexandra Iovina. At this wedding, besides Bishop John, there were also Archpriest Nikolai Perekhvalsky and his family, and the Ladinsky, Khramovy, Reinhausen, and Kurzemnieks families ; that is, “almost all of Orthodox Amberg-Hersbruck”. This was the last such meeting of the Latvian clergy and their families. After this, they lived and worked in different parts of the USA and Canada, so they met each other only at the All-American Councils. However, many of the clergy and other refugees from Lativa did keep in correspondence with each other my mail.

Holy Protection Cathedral, New York

Holy Trinity Church, Smoky Lake, Alberta

In the Smoky Lake parish, Father Peter Kurzemnek encountered for the first time the manner of administration which was prevalent throughout North America (he had been warned by Bishop John (Garklavs))  : “decisions about everything in the parish were made not by the bishops, nor the Holy Synod, nor the Metropolitan Council, but rather by the local parish committees. It was they who decided on the remuneration of the priest, and it was they who would accept or reject a priest who was assigned by the bishop”. (This distortion was in a way, one of the by-products of the 1917 Revolution, but it was also the “norm” of secular organisations, and it was the system of incorporation imposed by local legislatures. It was not completely eradicated in North America.) Bishop John had opined that this enabled every parish to function as though it were its own diocese.

Thus, when Father Peter was assigned to serve at Holy Trinity Church, Smoky Lake, Alberta, the parish committee refused to accept him. In the opinion of the parish committee, Father Peter Kurzemnek did not speak Ukrainian well enough.

Holy Trinity Church, Smoky Lake

Saints Peter and Paul Church, Wahstao, Alberta

After persistent requests from the Dean of Alberta, [Archpriest John and Matushka Agafia Kowalchuk Archpriest John Kowalchuk], Father Peter Kurzemnek agreed to accept the parish of Saints Peter and Paul at Wahstao Alberta (also known as “Dickie Bush”). This parish included the Temple of ]https://www.archdiocese.ca/community/st-john-baptist-cemetery-wahstao-ab Saint John the Baptist] nearby. There, he encountered a slightly different obstacle. In November, 1950, Father Peter wrote to Bishop John (Garklavs) in detail about how he was received in this parish : “The foreman of the committee told me that they were thinking of giving me a salary of $200.00 a year. I replied that then I would be forced to starve to death. He replied that they would discuss this matter again. [...] It is clear that they are trying to use my hopeless situation”.

Saints Peter and Paul Church, Dickie Bush/Wahstao

It turned out that in the context of whatever the salary was increased to be, the duties of the priest, in addition to performing Divine Services and various prayer-services, also included cleaning the Temple and heating it. In addition, the priest had to ring the bells himself. Father Peter began by cleaning the Temple premises carefully, together with his Matushka. This had not been seen to for a long time, so the floor was covered with a thick layer of dead flies. The parsonage was also badly neglected, as no-one lived in it for a time. After putting the house in order, for 2 days, Father Peter and his wife cleaned the yards and they brought in wood to heat the Temple and the parsonage.

Finally, on 13 October, Father Peter performed his first service on the North American continent. As he wrote later, only Matushka Elizabeth was present at the first 2 services. On 15 October, there were about 30 people at the service, on 22 October, there were about 50 people. After this service, for the first time in his life, Father Peter read a sermon in the Bukovinian dialect, which his farmer-neighbour had helped him to prepare. Right from the first days of his stay in the parish, Father Peter began to try to speak the language of his flock, “a mixture of Russian, Little Russian, Bukovinian, Galician and English”. According to Father Peter's notes, “the local people are prosperous, but very poorly educated ; people have a good attitude towards us. [...] On 4 November, I will serve in a neighbouring parish, and on 12 November, in my Temple. Let's see if I'll fit them, because my predecessor, who served for a year, was deemed unsuitable, and for the last 1.5 years this parish was served by the Dean.

The parish had split into 2 parts, one part joined the Autocephalous Ukrainian Church. A Latvian priest seems to be more suitable for them than a Russian one, although it is still difficult to understand what they want”. Besides any historical tensions regarding Ukrainians and Russians, it is to be kept in mind that at this time, the “Cold War” between the “West” (primarily NATO) and the USSR (Soviet Union) was in its early years.

According to Father Peter, his flock in Wahstao, Alberta (not unlike many other such communities), was accustomed to seeing in a priest “an automatic machine that collects pennies for its work. [...] In general, the people are strange : the best features of Russians and Little Russians are hardly noticeable in them. Slander, gossip, envy have taken deep roots here”. Like a true Christian, Father Peter laid the blame for the misconduct of the parishioners on his predecessors in the parish and on himself. He believed that the flock was spiritually neglected, so more attention needed to be paid to it.

At the end of 1950, Father Peter and Matushka Elizabeth got acquainted with the Canadian prairie winter, when “days pass in the struggle with snow and cold. [...] During the Feast-day services, the choir sang, although weakly ; the reader read ; there were those praying. [...] Although they tried, heating our very large and very cold Temple is impossible. [...] Because of the cold, people don't go to church much. [...] On snow-covered roads, I travelled to almost all the farms of my parishioners with holy water ; and for a long time, I performed a prayer-service to the Holy Trinity (magnification) in every house. Since, due to the severe cold, people stopped coming to services, Father Peter began to celebrate Divine Services in the large room of the parsonage, which could be well-heated.

In mid-March, 1951, the parish of Father Peter was struck and covered by a strong snowstorm (blizzard), as a result of which communication was interrupted, and the parish was “isolated from the whole world. This will be until the time when the snow remover clears the road of snowdrifts, which in some places are taller than the height of a human.

Example of the 1951 blizzard

In turn, the snow gave way to such impenetrable mud that it was impossible to reach even the nearest neighbour, as well as thick fog and heavy rain”. Father Peter found himself to be glad of the rain, because it reminded him of “our dear, old Riga”.

On 14 March, 1951, Bishop John (Garklavs) of Detroit and Cleveland wrote to Metropolitan Leonty (Turkevich) of the ROGCCNA. At that time, he was in charge of the administration of the Archdiocese of Canada. He requested that Archpriest Peter Kurzemnek be transferred to some other parish located closer to the USA border. Vladyka John substantiated his request by the fact that Father Peter had only a temporary visa, which had to be renewed every 6 months. Meanwhile, his current parish was too far from the Canadian-American border (632 km/392 mi), and his meagre income did not permit him to travel to the USA twice a year in order to extend his visa. Bishop John reminded Metropolitan Leonty that Father Peter had accepted unquestioningly the offer of Bishop John (Shahovskoy) of Brooklyn to assign him rector of a small, remote Canadian parish, “which he still serves, despite the fact that even those modest conditions that were promised to him were violated by the parish”.

Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church, Vancouver, 1951

In April, 1951, Archpriest Peter Kurzemnek was assigned to serve as rector of the Holy Resurrection parish in Vancouver, British Columbia. He received this assignment with enthusiasm. He called Vancouver “a beautiful, majestic city”, and the Holy Resurrection Temple (owned by the Russian Orthodox Society of the City of Vancouver (ROS)) “a bright, amazing Temple”. He seemed to like everything in Vancouver : the warm and cordial welcome of Bishop John (Shakhovskoy) of San Francisco ; the “intelligent, benevolent” parishioners, and meetings with former residents of Riga.

Holy Resurrection Church, Vancouver'

Unlike the previous parish, in Vancouver, Father Peter began to receive a monthly salary of $85.00. In this new parish, his pastoral workload increased dramatically, since “you have to work in a school that operates at the church ; you have to take care of the sick and the elderly, visiting them at home”. He responded that he felt no compulsion, but that he would do it with pleasure, so that by strengthening others, he would also strengthen himself.

This 26-year-old community had built its Temple by 1929. It is not always understood about the history of this parish that the “Russian Orthodox Society of the City of Vancouver” had been created in 1935 in order to save the parish from bankruptcy and closure (a danger brought on primarily by the Great Depression). Indeed, the Society rescued the parish and enabled it to continue its life. The Society served instead of a normal parish council, which produced its own difficulties from time to time ; but the sole purpose of the Society was to support the parish. Difficulties arose occasionally when certain members developed a “club mentality”, or forgot their prime purpose ; but in general, the Society kept to its main aim. Moreover, there did exist a secular Russian Society for social and other ends.

Divine Services were held on Saturdays, Sundays, Wednesdays and on all holidays. As mentioned, Father Peter visited the sick in homes and hospitals, and he performed the rites appropriate to the need. He “always had enough work. I work in a Saturday school and partially serve the spiritual needs of the local colony of Serbs, since they do not have their own priest”. Latvians also lived in Vancouver, and they visited Father Peter regularly. In general, Father Peter was very pleased with his new position. Not very long after his arrival, however, it was made clear that a new Temple would be required soon, because of nearby construction.

Visit of the Wonder-working Tikhvin Icon of the Theotokos, 1952

A true holy-day for Archpriest Peter Kurzemnek and his flock was the arrival in Vancouver in September, 1952, of Bishop John (Garklavs) and Father Alexei Ionov with the Miraculous Icon of the Theotokos of Tikhvin. This Holy Icon brought a large number of visitors who came to venerate the Mother of God. For Father Peter, it was an additional blessing to be able to spend time with Bishop John, who was from his own country of birth.

Archbishop John (Garklavs) and the Wonder-working Icon of the Theotokos of Tikhvin in Illinois

Construction of a new Temple required, 1952-1953

In the early 1950s, the city authorities decided to demolish the Holy Resurrection Temple, since it was situated in the path of the construction of a new Granville Street Bridge. The board of the Russian Orthodox Society of Vancouver, headed by M. S. Sergeieff, decided to use the city's $50,000 compensation in order to build a new three-domed church, the parish hall, and the house of the rector of the parish. A local architect prepared the design ; and in September, 1953, the ROS began construction of the new Temple.

On 26-27 December, 1953, the solemn sanctification of the foundation stone of the Temple took place. Archbishop Nikon (de Grève) of [Thttps://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/toronto Toronto] and Canada, and Archbishop John (Shahovskoy) of San Francisco led this service.

By the end of 1953, 2 domes had been completed on the Temple, and the hall was covered with a roof.

Despite the joy of the rapid progression of the construction, Father Peter was filled with deep concern for his ailing Matushka Elizabeth. In a letter to Bishop John (Garklavs), he related that “One big misfortune and concern grips my heart : my Matushka’s serious illness. For 3 months, she has been with influenza, which completely tormented her with fever and constant sweat. Now, she is suffering from the effects of influenza”.

Completing the Temple, 1954

The new Temple was being built so quickly that by May, 1954, the parishioners moved the iconostas and icons from the old Temple to the new Temple.

However, Father Peter Kurzemnek was unable to take part in the celebration of these events.

Bereavement, 1954

On 2 May, 1954, Matushka Elizabeth Kurzemnek fell asleep in the Lord. Her repose was peaceful.

On 5 May, 1954, Archpriest Paul Jeromsky and Deacon Sanin of Saint Spiridon's Sobor in Seattle, Washington, serve the Funeral Services for the Burial of a Lay-Person.

Following the funeral obsequies, the body of Matushka Elizabeth Kurzemnek was interred in the Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver (not far from the new Temple).

Completion and Sanctification of the new Temple, 1954

In his bereavement, Father Peter had written to Vladyka John (Garklavs) that “We must live, we must work, and ask the Lord to give us peace and strength to serve”.

Despite his pain, with the help of God, Father Peter threw himself into the necessary work of completing the construction of the new Temple and hall, and the preparations for the great sanctification.

On 8 May, 1954, the newly-widowed Archpriest Peter Kurzemnek, the rector, conducted the Lesser Sanctification (“Thyranoixia”) of the Temple, and he named the Temple in honour of the Holy Resurrection of Christ, and of the Dedication of the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem (13 September).

View from the south of the completed Temple

Blessing and construction of the new Temple

The Temple and the hall in 1954

For his efforts in and towards the construction of the new Holy Resurrection Church in Vancouver, on 25 June, 1954, Archpriest Peter Kurzemnek was awarded a Blessed Gramota of the Great Council of Bishops (Holy Synod) of the ROGCCNA.

Archpriest Peter Kurzemnek

Sanctification of the Temple, 1954

On 11 July, 1954, Metropolitan Leonty (Turkevich) of All America and Canada conducted the [Great Sanctification Great Sanctification] of the new Temple. He was assisted by Bishop Nikon (de Grève) of Toronto and Canada ; Bishop John (Shahovskoy) of San Francisco ; Bishop John (Zlobin) of Alaska ; Archpriest Peter Kurzemnek ; Archpriest Paul Jeromsky of Seattle, and other clergy from cities in Western Canada and the USA. The Great Sanctification of the Temple was followed by the Hierarcical Divine Liturgy, and then by a grand banquet.

During the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Leonty awarded Archpriest Peter Kurzemnek with the right to wear the palitsa.

1954 : Metropolitan Leonty at the Sanctification and Divine Liturgy

1954 : Metropolitan Leonty, Bishop Nikon

In 1955, the ROS purchased a piece of land near and just west of the Temple, and they purchased a house for the rector. The construction of a new temple cost $75,000.00. In addition, the rectory was bought for $6,000.00.

The second rectory

The Russian Orthodox community ardently supported the project of building this new Temple, and they donated generously donated for it. Therefore, 1959, the ROS of Vancouver paid off all its debts in full. Moreover, the society able to find funds to have new iconography painted in the Temple. This work was done during 1959-1960 by the icon-painter N. S. Zadorozhny.

Church picnic, 1955

Archpriest Peter Kurzemnek spoke good literary Russian. Noticing this, Metropolitan Leonty (Turkevich) gave him the blessing him to write articles about the life of the Vancouver Orthodox community, and to publish his homilies. Therefore, during the second half of the 1950s, some of his works were published in Russian-language editions, mainly in the journal “Russian-American Orthodox Herald”, and in the newspaper “Svet”.

On 29 June, 1961, the Great Council of Bishops of the “Metropolia” awarded Archpriest Peter Kurzemnek with the right to wear a Jewelled Cross.

Holy Resurrection Church from the east

Disagreement with the parish administration, 1961

Although there were occasional tensions because the parish was administered by the Russian Orthodox Society instead of a usual parish council, differences were peacefully settled for the most part. However, in the autumn of 1961, there came an impasse. During this year, a daughter of a board-member, Mr. R. Ewachniuk, was to be married. In part because his father had been a priest who served for many years in Alberta, Mr. Ewachniuk desired that the pastor of Saint Barbara's Cathedral in Edmonton, Alberta, (Archpriest John Margitich) serve together with Father Peter Kurzemnek at the wedding in Vancouver. Mr. Ewachniuk had many ties with family and friends in that parish.

Father Peter informed the board of the ROS that he was unable to comply with the request on his own : he had to have permission from his bishop for Father John Margitich to serve at Holy Resurrection Sobor. This was always the case, but at this time in particular, it was because at that time the Moscow Patriarchate (to which Saint Barbara's Cathedral at that time belonged to the Russian Exarchate of North America. This exarchate expressed the fact that the Moscow Patriarchate and the “Metropolia” in North America had been separated from each other by the post-1917 Revolution circumstances. The new chairman of the board of the ROS, Mr. A E Portnoff, made a petition to Bishop John (Shahovskoy) of San Francisco about the matter, but Bishop John did not give the blessing. When a similar petition was made to Archbishop Ireney (Bekish) of Boston and New England (at that time, Temporary Administrator of the Archdiocese of Canada), he did not give the blessing. As a consequence, the Ewachniuk family protested, and withdrew from the parish (ultimately, it was temporary).

The consequence for the ROS was a significant material loss in personal and fiscal contributions. This family had been active at every level of parish life. Therefore, the ROS leadership blamed Father Peter for these losses. Tensions continued to heighten between the ROS and Father Peter.

Transfer to the USA, 1962

In late June, 1962, Archbishop John (Shahovskoy) of San Francisco and Western America proposed that Father Peter accept a transfer to the parish of Saint Nicholas in Portland, Oregon on 1 September, 1962. Although Father Peter was willing to accept the transfer, it was necessary that he first have Canadian citizenship or a work permit for work in the USA. In order to accommodate this requirement, and the time necessary for its accomplishment, Archbishop John (Shahovskoy) released Father Peter Kurzemnek from his responsibilities at Holy Resurrection Church in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Attachment to Holy Trinity Cathedral, San Francisco

He assigned Father Peter Kurzemnek to the Holy Trinity Cathedral in San Francisco, California, “with the right of permanent residence in Vancouver, in order to engage in missionary work in British Columbia”.

Finally, all the formalities were completed.

Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church, Portland, Oregon, 1963

On 8 January, 1963, Archpriest Peter Kurzemnek took up the responsibility to which he had been assigned, that of Rector of Saint Nicholas Church in Portland, Oregon.

The origins of this parish in Portland were somewhat earlier than that of the parish in Vancouver. The Temple of Saint Nicholas had been built and sanctified by 1928.

The parish community of Saint Nicholas gave a warm welcome to their new rector. This Russian-speaking parish was glad to have a pastor who was easily able to speak Russian as well.

In May, 1964, the parish council of Saint Nikolaev Church decided to establish a scholarship named after the late starosta of the parish, V. V. Oleinik. The scholarship was paid for 7 years in the amount of $500 per year. Metropolitan Leonty (Turkevich), after reading the report of Father Peter about the establishment of the scholarship, wrote : “I rejoice at the good initiative and responsiveness of the oldest parish. Eternal memory to the servant of God Vladimir ! I consider it necessary to provide this scholarship for an Orthodox resident of Alaska who wishes to serve in holy orders in his homeland”.

Metropolitan Ireney (Bekish), 1965

At the 1965 All-American Council, Archbishop Ireney (Bekish) was elected to be Metropolitan of All America and Canada.

After his election and enthronement, Metopololitan Ireney asked Father Peter on 2 occasions whether he could accept being ordained to the Holy [1] in service of the Church. However, on both occasions, Father Peter demurred, since he felt that he was already too old to take on such a responsibility.

Visit to Vancouver, 1966

In November, 1966, Vladyka John (Garklavs) visited Vancouver, British Columbia a second time, again with the Wonder-working Holy Icon of the Theotokos of Tikhvin. At this time, Father Peter travelled to Vancouver especially in order to venerate the Holy Icon, and to meet with his fellow countryman, Vladyka John.

Second visit of the Wonder-working Tikhvin Icon of the Theotokos to Vancouver, British Columbia with Archbishop John

On 21 March, 1968, by the decision of the Great Council of Bishops of the ROGCCNA, Archpriest Peter Kurzemnek was awarded the right to wear a mitre.

By this time, Fr. Peter is already 77 years old and he began to think about retirement.

Retirement, 1970

In July, 1970, Mitred Archpriest Peter Kurzemnek petitioned Archbishop John (Shahovskoy) for the blessing to retire from active presbyteral service. On 18 July, 18, 1970, Vladyka John signed the letter of blessing to retire. In this letter, he wrote these additional words : “I express to Mitred Archpriest Peter my most heartfelt gratitude for his many years of sacrificial service to the souls of the Portland parish. I call on God's merciful blessing on his life and his prayers for the people”.

Father Peter Kurzemnek had asked that in retirement, he be attached to the clergy of Holy Resurrection Church in Vancouver. Important for Father Peter was, of course, the fact that his beloved Matushka was resing in the cemetery in Vancouver.

On 2 September, 1970, Father Peter officially welcomed the new priest, Father Jacob Labo, and he departed for Vancouver.

Henceforth, he was present at services at Holy Resurrection Sobor in Vancouver, and occasionally he served there during absences of the rector, Bishop Joasaph (Antoniuk), Bishop of Edmonton (Vicar-Bishop of the Archdiocese of Canada).

Repose, 1975

On 15 April, 1975, Mitred Archpriest Peter Kurzemnek fell asleep in the Lord in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The Funeral Services for the Burial of a Priest were offered in Holy Resurrection Sobor by Bishop Joasaph (Antoniuk) and other clergy.

Following the funeral obsequies, the body of Mitred Archpriest Peter Kurzemnek was interred beside that of his wife at the Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver.

Grave-marker

Reflections

“A man has passed away, in whom two hypostases organically combined - an official successfully climbing the career ladder, first a Russian, and then a Latvian, and an Orthodox priest : a zealous shepherd, man of prayer, and an unmercenary”. – Professor Alexander Gavrilin

References

Russian Religious Workers Abroad biography

Holy Resurrection Sobor Vancouver reference

Additional information :

Gavrilin, Professor Alexander, “[I have received much more than I have deserved]” (Lulu.com; null edition, 1 July, 2015). ISBN-10 ‏ :  1329061454 ; ISBN-13 ‏ : 978-1329061453.

......, Латвийские православные священнослужители на американском континенте, Глава 5, (“Latvian Orthodox clergy on the American Continent”) (Moscow : Sretenye Monastery, 2013).

Baltic Orthodoxy web-site

About Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church, Portland, Oregon

Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church Portland Oregon (OCA listing)