Sachava (Andrew) AB Saint John the Baptist Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Cemetery 1929

Sachava (Andrew), Alberta, Church and Cemetery of Saint John the Baptist, 1929

Sachava may be spelt Sachawa, Sochava, Suceava, Suchava, Suczava.

Prehistory

In about 1900, the early settlers of the Sachava area (located approximately 8 km south of Andrew, Alberta, Canada), arrived in what had become known as the Ukrainian Bloc Settlement of Edna-Star to the northeast of Edmonton in what was at that time the North-West Territories. They arrived mostly from the region of Bucovina, a Romanian- and Ukrainian-speaking province which at that time was a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Many of them had responded to the enticements of the Government of Canada (transmitted by Dr. Josef Oleskow) to emigate and to homestead in Canada. Sachava, Alberta, in Canada, is situated 5 km (3 mi) south of present-day Andrew, which in those days was called Egg Lake. These settlers were of mixed Ukrainian and Romanian origin.

Sachava is an alternative spelling of a place name in Bucovina, Romania, that of the capital city of Saint King Stefan the Great of Moldavia. There, it is spelt Suceava.

In 1898, the first settlers arrived in this bloc-settlement region, where they eventually established a Temple in which to worship the Lord in the Orthodox Christian manner. For the first 2 years, either the missionary priests serving at Holy Trinity Church in Stary Wostok travelled to care for them, or they travelled the 19 km (12 mi) to Stary Wostok (to the west and north of Sachava) in order to participate in services. (After 1927, and the arrival of the railway, the settlement moved a few kilometres to the southwest from its old site, to the present site of the Hamlet of Saint Michael.) For the next 2 years, the settlers were served by the priests who served at Saint Nicholas Church in Wostok-Bukovina, which is 8 km (5 mi) directly to the west.

Ancestor of the parish

The origin of this parish is across the present Highway #855 to its east, in the parish of Saint Michael the Archangel. Until the early 1920s, the parishioners of Saint John’s were parishioners of Saint Michael’s. There is a somewhat similar history in the establishment of the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church at Kahwin, about 20 kilometres to the northeast.

However, some changes in attitude and sense of purpose developed amongst certain parishioners after the establishment of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada (1918). This movement spread to the parishes of Sachava, Shepenge and Kolomeya in Alberta. A wave of Ukrainian nationalism had developed in Ukraine during the previous 2 decades, but this was stifled by political events there. A form of this nationalism found an outlet in Western Canada, as immigrants discovered that they had the freedom to form organisations and to determine the direction of their cultural expression. The complaint was that the culture and church of the Ukrainian people had been “russified” by the leadership in Moscow. Those who believed this wanted to have a distinctive Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and this led to the emergence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Brotherhood in Canada. From this lay organisation developed the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Initial attempts, 1920

In 1920, 2 of the 28 founding members of the parish of Saint Michael at Sachava invited Father Ivan Kusey to live in the parish residence, and to proceed with re-organising Saint Michael’s Church to become one of these new parishes. Three student priests moved in with him and their responsibility was to re-organise other existing parishes in a manner described by the Priest Peter Sametz in his memoirs. A great controversy ensued, and in 1923, the bishop’s office became involved. The bishop, Metropolitan Platon (Rozhdestvensky), resolved the situation by asking Father Kusey and his group to vacate the premises. Father Kusey took up temporary residence with one of the dissident families, and he conducted services in the home of another. Before long, he returned to Manitoba. However, in about 1923, after his departure, there arrived from New York via Manitoba a Romanian-American priest, Dr. Lazar Gherman, and also the Priest Dmytro Stratychuk. It had been decided that they would teach candidates in preparation for ordination to the Holy Priesthood. However, they did not succeed in doing this from Saint Michael’s. This was done in the homes of certain families, and in other available places.

Establishing the parish, 1929

In 1929, the Ukrainian parish (of Saint John the Baptist) was established across the road from Saint Michael’s on land which was bought at that time for this purpose, and in order to establish a cemetery. However, financial difficulties prevented the parishioners initially from building a proper Temple.

In addition, there developed another division, since a small number of these parishioners were in favour of building the Temple in the village of Andrew itself.

Construction of the Temple, 1935

The Sachava Temple was completed in the spring of 1935.

Another Temple in the village, 1939

At the same time, plans were being prepared in order to build a Temple in Andrew. Work began on that Temple of Saints Peter and Paul in July, 1939.

Services have continued to be offered in the Temple of Saint John since its construction.

Rural depopulation

As have all other rural parishes across Western Canada, this parish community suffered from rural depopulation, which began in the 1930s. This accelerated after World War II with the increase in mechanisation and the consolidation of small farms into larger ones. The consequence of this was the move of many people into various urban areas.

By the 1990s, the number of farms had decreased even more greatly because a great many had been bought by larger and larger farming operations.

Re-naming of the UGOCC, 1990

In 1990, the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada was officially renamed “The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada” (UOCC) by an Act of the Parliament of Canada.

The UOCC entered into Eucharistic union with the Patriarchate of Constantinople, 1990

In 1990, the 18th Sobor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada in Winnipeg, Manitoba, decided to enter into Eucharistic Union with the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople (Istanbul). This decision also changed the relationship with the other Orthodox dioceses and parishes in Canada in a positive way.

The Temple

Centennial of the UOCC, 2018

In 2018, the 100th anniversary of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada and also of Holy Trinity Cathedral were marked at an extraordinary sobor (assembly) at the cathedral in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

The purpose of the sobor was to celebrate 100 years of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada. The celebrations were attended by Ukrainian Orthodox faithful from across Canada and beyond.

The Sobor began on Thursday, 9 August, 2018, with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy in the Chapel of Saint Petro Mohyla Institute, presided by Bishop Andriy (Peshko) of the Eastern Eparchy, with the responses sung by the Clergy led by Father Michael Lomaszkiewicz. This was followed by an All-Canada Clergy Conference.

Centennial Clergy Conference

All gathered for Vespers at the Mohyla Institute Chapel and this was followed by a wine and cheese reception as the delegates and guests registered for the Extraordinary National Council.

The celebrations continued for a year.

2020-2021 Coronavirus-19 virus restrictions on parishes

In early 2020, the Covid-19 virus made its appearance in Canada, and it quickly became a world-wide pandemic. Because of the rules governing gatherings that were laid down by the provincial and city governments, the parish stopped any further services after 8 March, 2020. Including the rules regarding social distancing, the decreasing numbers permitted for any gathering, and the considerations regarding the health of all concerned, this and other parishes were required to close for a time.

As elsewhere, there was some controversy about the legal requirements.

Election of Metropolitan Ilarion (Rudnyk), 2022

Election of a nominee by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

On 15-19 June, 2022, the 24th Sobor of the Ukrainian Orthodox of Canada was convened "on-line". This conference-meeting was convened thus instead of convening physically (as customarily) in Winnipeg, Manitoba. There were 6 cathedrals in Canada where this meeting took place simultaneously through a computer-network : in Winnipeg, Manitoba (Holy Trinity Metropolitan Cathedral) ; Vancouver, British Columbia (Holy Trinity Cathedral) ; in Edmonton, Alberta (Saint John's Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral) ; in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (Holy Trinity Cathedral) ; in Toronto, Ontario (Saints Vladimir and Olga Cathedral) ; in Montréal, Québec (Saint Sophie Cathedral).

There was a total of 205 delegates, which was near the average attendance for such sobors.

In the course of the work of the Sobor, there was the necessary election in order to nominate to the Holy Synod of the Church of Constantinople a candidate for election as Archbishop of Winnipeg and Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, who would succeed the Retired Metropolitan Yurij (Kalistchuk).

There were 3 candidates who were considered : Archbishop Job (Getcha), Bishop Ilarion (Rudnyk), and Bishop Andriy (Peshko). The final choice of the members of the sobor was Archbishop Job (Getcha). He had received more than the minimum required 51% of the votes, and there was no subsequent voting required.

The election by the Sobor (Assembly) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada then had to be confirmed by the Holy Synod of Bishops of Constantinople (as is described in the Consistory By-laws).

Upon having received the nomination (with accompanying documents) from the Sobor of the UOCC, the Holy Synod of the Church of Constantinople elected Vladyka Ilarion (Rudnyk) to become Archbishop of Winnipeg and Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada.

The Holy Synod of the Church of Constantinople elected Archbishop Job (Getcha) to become Metropolitan of Pisidia, in west-central Türkiye (Turkey), north of Lycia, and east of Ephesus.

Confirmation of election in Constantinople/Istanbul, 2022

On 29 August, 2022, Vladyka Ilarion (Rudnyk) was at the Phanar in Constantinople for the purpose of the first confirmation of the election in June, 2022. He co-served the Divine Liturgy with Patriarch Bartholomew (Archontonis) in the Cathedral of Saint George at the Phanar.

Enthronement as Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, 2022

On Saturday, 19 November, 2022, at 9:30 a.m., in Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the Enthronement Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was served. Metropolitan Ilarion (Rudnyk) presided at the Divine Liturgy. He was assisted by Bishop Andriy (Peshko), many priests, several deacons, subdeacons and Altar-servers. Present also were Metropolitan Archbishop Sotirios (Athanassoulas), Exarch of Canada for the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and Retired Metropolitan Yurij (Kalistchuk), Former Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada.

Metropolitan Ilarion (Rudnyk) at the Phanar, Istanbul, 2023

On Sunday, 2 July, 2023, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew (Archontonis) was present and praying during the Divine Liturgy at Saint George's Cathedral in the Patriarchate compound. He gave the blessing that Metropolitan Ilarion (Rudnyk) preside ("horostasia") over the Divine Liturgy. Metropolitan Job (Getcha) of Pisidia, Bishop Athenagoras (Ziliaskopoulos) of Nazianzos, and the Honourable Roman Nedilskyi, General Consul of Ukraine in Constantinople were also present and praying with the congregation of the Faithful.

Change of calendar for the UOCC, 2023

On 1 December, 2023, in accordance with the resolutions of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, Metropolitan Ilarion II (Rudnyk) announced that, effective that day, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada moved to use the New (Revised Julian) Calendar. He allowed that for a brief period of time, a parish might remain on the Old (Julian) Calendar.

It seems that subsequently, John's Cathedral in Edmonton, Alberta, was the first to adopt the New (Revised Julian) Calendar.

However, a previously-existing group of persons began to encourage resistance to the immediacy of this change. It was their understanding that the process would be determined ultimately and finally at the next general sobor of the UOCC. Therefore, on 16 December, 2023, Metropolitan Ilarion issued a formal letter concerning the situation, together with a letter of support sent to him by his predecessor (Retired Metropolitan Yurij (Kalistchuk)). He called the resisters to repentance.

Saint John’s Cemetery, Sachava, 1929

The parish cemetery is found beside the Temple, at the land description site NE 08 56 16 W4, Sachava.

The earliest burial listed in this cemetery was in 1929.

The Temple and part of the cemetery

Commemorative memorials

Particular parish information

This parish is a part of the Western Eparchy, Vegreville District, of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada. The bishop of the eparchy is Metropolitan Ilarion II (Rudnyk).

This parish follows the Old (Julian) Calendar.

The Altar Feast-day of this parish is the Feast of the Nativity of Saint John the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, 24 June/7 July.

In 2024, the pastor of the parish is the Archpriest Slawomir Lomaszkiewicz.

Address :

Saint John’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Sachava

Land description site NE 08 56 16 W4

561076, Highway #855

Lamont County, Alberta

T0B 0C0

Directions :

The Temple is situated on Highway #855, 8 km (5 mi) south of Andrew.

Saint John’s Church is about 116 km (72 mi) northeast from Edmonton, and the drive by car takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

From Edmonton, drive eastwards on Highway #16 (Yellowhead) until Mundare. At Mundare, turn left (north) on Highway #855. Drive north past Highway #29. The Temple is on the left, before arriving at Andrew.

For specific information, please contact the priest.

Archpriest Slawomir Lomaszkiewicz

5145-49th Avenue

Vegreville, Alberta

T9C 1M6

Telephone : 780-632-2078

E-mail : fr.slawomir@yahoo.com

Aerial view

References

Russian Mission in North America

Sametz, William, "My father the priest : the life and times of the Very Reverend Dr. Peter Sametz : founding missionary priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada" (Toronto : Hypertex Plus, 2008). ISBN : 9780969670056.

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 :

“Collection of Material Relating to the 50th Anniversary of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada, 1918-1968” (Winnipeg : Consistory of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada, 1968), p. 90.

Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Saint John the Baptist parish listing

Orthodox World listing

Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada web-site

Orthodoxwiki article about the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

Western Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

Church of Constantinople web-site

Orthodoxwiki article about the Church of Constantinople

Patriarch Batholomew (Archontonis)

Metropolitan John (Theodorovych)

Metropolitan Ilarion (Ohienko)

Metropolitan Michael (Khoroshy)

Metropolitan Wasyly (Fedak)