Gardenton MB Saint Demetrius Orthodox Church and Cemetery 1899

Gardenton, Manitoba, Saint Demetrius Orthodox Church and Cemetery, 1899

This Temple is also known as the “Gardenton South Church”.

Demetrius may be spelt Dimitrius, Dimitry, Dimitrie.

The parish nickname is “Lukowe”.

Prehistory

Stuartburn, Manitoba (the Rural Municipality), Canada, is considered to be the first Ukrainian community in Western Canada.

In July, 1896, the first Ukrainian immigrants arrived in Winnipeg, Manitoba, while they were en route to Stuartburn. The block settlement at Edna-Star northeast of Edmonton, Alberta, began shortly afterwards. The move of Ukrainians into Canada had actually begun in 1891 as the very first immigrants arrived. Of these Ukrainians, the majority to move to this region emigrated from the northern region of the Romanian Province of Bukovyna in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Historically, Bukovyna belonged to the Principality of Moldavia. Many others arrived from Halychyna (Galicia), to the north of this province. Halychyna was part of the Kingdom of Galicia and Ludomeria at that time, and all the territories were associated with the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Gardenton is right on the fringe of the Canadian Shield, and it straddles the transition between the prairie and the forest. A drive of a half-hour to the west brings one to the Canadian Prairies (called "Great Plains" in the USA) with barely a tree in sight. A similar drive to the east instead brings one to a vast temperate forest.

The first parish to be established in the region was that of Saint Michael, in 1898, but it was followed closely by others.

Founding the parish, 1899

At about the time of the construction of the nearby Saint Michael’s Temple in 1898, the parish of Saint Demetrius of Thessalonika was organised. Because of the donation of land for the Temple and the Cemetery by a particular family, as usual, the nickname of this parish is “Lukowe”.

Construction of the Temple, 1899

After the organisation of the community, the Temple was constructed of logs by the parishioners. Its design is the traditional cruciform formation, with a dome over the area just to the west of the iconostas, and at the place where the transepts of the Cross-shape intersect. On top of each of the 4 sections, and near the dome, are 4 small decorative cupolas which represent the 4 Gospels. This shape for the structure (with stylistic variations) is found in the Hutsul region and in the Ternopil region of Ukraine.

The Temple is situated south of Gardenton, and to the east of the Temple of Saint Michael. The community which established the Temple of Saint Demetrius may have been influenced at first by the Priest Nestor Dmitriw (who was more involved with Saint Michael’s), but it was actually established and served by the Priest Constantine Popov.

From that time, the Saint Demetrius parishioners continued their lives with their worship focussed on Christ in the same Temple which had been built soon after the establishment at the site NW 14-01-06 E1.

At the time of the construction of the Temple, or not long afterwards, the parishioners also constructed the bell-house which is characteristic of most of the rural parish Temples throughout the 3 prairie provinces.

Eventually, there was a parish hall established nearby the Temple as well, for the purpose of non-liturgical social gatherings, for sharing food, and for convening meetings.

In due time also, the logs were covered over by sawn wooden siding, a concrete foundation was established under the Temple, and an entrance-way was constructed at the west end of the Temple. Eventually, oil-heating and electrical service were also added. In due time also, the wooden shingles that were customary for roofing at the time of construction were replaced by the more "modern" asphalt shingles.

Saint Demetrius Temple, Gardenton

Development of the life of the parish

The clergy for this and for other communities in southern Manitoba were supplied at first by the so-called Russian Mission (the North American Missionary Diocese of the Orthodox Church in Russia). These priests were sent from Minneapolis, Minnesota, where there was at that time an Orthodox Pastoral School (the ancestor of the 2 later seminaries of that diocese in the eastern USA). These priests cared for the Saint Demetrius parishioners, and also the many other parish communities which were developing at that time in Manitoba. After a few years, the focus of the organising of this pastoral service became Holy Trinity Church in Winnipeg, the first Orthodox Temple established there. Since the parishioners had mostly immigrated from the Bukovyna region, the clergy were usually from the parts of the Austrian or Russian Empires near there. At the same time, the parish survived the disturbances which accompanied the schism of the so-called “Metropolitan” Seraphim (Ustvolsky) in 1903.

Saint Demetrius Church is not far north of the USA/Canada international border. In the nearby region stretching to the west, north and east, there may be found at least 10 other Orthodox Temples. They may be found in communities such as Arbakka, Dufrost, Gardenton, Senkiw, Sundown, Tolstoi, Vista, and Vita.

In 1916, Canada received its first resident bishop, Bishop Alexander (Nemolovsky) who became the Bishop of Winnipeg, and this elevated Holy Trinity Church in Winnipeg to be a cathedral. From there, future bishops continued to work with the metropolitan in New York in order to provide the needed clergy for Canada, and to cope with various difficulties that arose (such as the remaining consequences of the “Seraphimite” schism of 1903).

Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church influences many neighbours after 1918

On this basis, pastoral service for this community continued through World War I and its many consequences. After the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, when the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada was established in 1918, this parish remained with the North American Diocese, which in 1924 became known as the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church of North America.

In the midst of this active farming region, parish life continued as the faithful people and their clergy lived through the drought and the Great Depression of the 1930s, and the beginning of rural depopulation. In 1936, Bishop Arseny (Chahovtsov) was transferred away to the USA. Both as an archimandrite before World War I and as a bishop after 1926, he had been an energetic provider of pastoral oversight and organisation, and he had nurtured parish growth well. This region lost further strong missionary leadership when Archimandrite Anthony (Tereshchenko) was transferred to Montréal, Québec, in 1941.

After World War II, this region as did others suffered from progressive depopulation, but the life of the parish continued on steadily. This was despite the many controversies and disturbances that periodically appeared over the several decades.

From the 1950s until his repose in 1983, Archpriest Yevfimy (Evfimy) Moseychuk was serving this parish community on a regular basis from his base at Saint Nicholas Church in Narol (he was serving at Saint Nicholas Church there, and at several other rural parishes also).

Bereavement, Vasil Badyuk,1975

Mitred Archpriest Yevfimy Moseychuk reported that on 2 February, 1975, Vasil Badyuk of Gardenton, Manitoba, reposed in Christ in a Winnipeg hospital. He had been suffering through a long illness.

Vasil Badyuk was born in 1906 at Gardenton. He received his schooling in Gardenton, and he very much wished to go to higher schools so that he could look after his poor relatives better. Vasil was hardy by nature, patient, and energetic. He was also prayerful and he trusted in the Lord. In 1929, at the beginning of the Great Depression, Vasil got a job with a company on Jarvis Street in Winnipeg. There, an adventure occurred to him. In December, he was supposed to deliver a load of coal for heating. However, it was very cold, and the streets were icy and slippery. The horses seemed to be unable to pull the wagon up a hill. He prayed for a time ; and suddenly the horses were able to move the wagon so that he could deliver the coal. Soon, he was married to Maria Denischuk on a farm near the Karolivka school. God blessed them with 7 children (3 sons, 4 daughters). The Karolivka school played an important part in the formation of the children. The children, who grew up and married, moved to various distant places, and their lives were fruitful in imitation of their parents.

On 14 February, 1975, a Panikhida was served at the Cropo Funeral Home in Winnipeg. On 15 February, 1975, the Funeral Service for the Burial of a Lay-person was served in Saint Demetrius' Church in Gardenton by Mitred Archpriest Yevfimy Moseychuk. After the funeral obsequies, the body of Vasil Badyuk was interred in the local Lukyvka Cemetery. This was followed by the serving of a 3-hour memorial dinner by the family and the sisterhood of the parish.

Pastoral service

During the years when Father Yevfimy Moseychuk served, Archpriest Mirone Klysh would sometime substitute for him either in Narol or in Gardenton. For many years, it was he who would bless the Paschal baskets for the parishioners on Great and Holy Saturdays in the evening.

After 1983, the Archpriest Mirone Klysh continued to bless the baskets, and to serve the community regularly from Winnipeg. Then, after about a year, the Priest Evan Lowig was given the responsibility to care for the Saint Demetrius community, which he did until he was transferred to Vancouver in 1988. After this, the Archpriest Mirone Klysh again served the community on a monthly basis as before. He commented that he was particularly moved when he was blessing the baskets in the evenings of Great and Holy Saturday. This was done, as was the custom, out-of-doors, and at that time under the yard-light. He would look over to the cemetery, where there would be candles burning steadily, even when it was windy (as was usual).

The pastoral service of this parish continued on within the Archdiocese of Canada until the 1990s, when a difference of opinion arose between the parishioners and Father Mirone Klysh. There was a rumour that the difference was about the use of the English language, but this was not the case. Father Mirone was a serious pastor who (as characteristic of him always) wanted to nurture the Christian life in his parishioners by offering an extra service each month (this on a Saturday), so that they would have more opportunities to be in the Lord's Temple to worship Him, and also to be together. However, the administration was so concerned about the extra costs involved in clearing the access in winter, and in heating, that even when Father Mirone was ready to serve at no cost to them, they were too fearful of the cost that would be there regardless.

Self-transfer to the UOCC

The ultimate result of this difference was that the parish leadership simply transferred themselves and the parish into the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, without the blessing of the bishop at that time.

The theory of the reason for the very, very irregular self-transfer remains as presented. It is entirely possible that there were other, local, influences which brought this about ; however, they are unknown to the writers in 2024.

For some reason, this community has continued to exist, but its existence does not seem to have been much noticed by those who are not related to it.

Regardless, despite the broad attention given to its nearby and only slightly older neighbour, the Parish of Saint Michael, this community at "Four Corners" has maintained its own distinct presence in this region.

Although it is not explained in what manner, there is an article about Vita which states that this parish has a relationship with the community of Vita. Vita is located west of Stuartburn. Gardenton is found about the same distance of 6.4 km (4 mi) away from each, but to the southwest of Vita.

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 Demetrius Orthodox Cemetery, 1899

The nickname of Saint Demetrius Orthodox Cemetery is "Lukyvka", in association with the parish nickname, “Lukowe”.

Land description site : NW 14-01-06 E1

GPS : Lat. : 49.0431° (49° 2' 35") ; Long. : -96.6953° (-96° 41' 43")

The first recorded burial in this cemetery was in 1903.

In 2024, there were more than 329 known interments in the parish cemetery.

Particular parish information

This parish is now part of the Central Eparchy, Winnipeg region, 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 the Parish is the Feast of Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki, 27 October/9 November.

In 2024, the parish is served by clergy of the Central Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada.

Address :

Saint Demetrius Orthodox Church

Land description site : NW 14-01-06 E1

Gardenton, Stuartburn Rural Municipality

Manitoba

R0A 0M0

Directions :

Road #34 East at Road #3 North : Gardenton, Manitoba

Gardenton is situated 6.4 km (4 mi) southeast of Stuartburn, Manitoba.

From Winnipeg, Manitoba :

Gardenton is 113 km (70.2 mi) southeast of Winnipeg, and the drive takes approximately 1½ hours. Follow Saint Mary’s Road eastwards. Turn left on Marion Street. Turn right onto Dawson Road. Turn right onto Provincial Trunk Highway #59 South/Route #20 South. Continue southwards on Highway #59 until 1st Avenue at Tolstoi. Turn left. Drive eastwards until Lord Roberts Road. Turn right onto Lord Roberts Road. The Temple and cemetery are on the left.

Alternative :

Follow Provincial Trunk Highway #59 South as far as Stuartburn. At Stuartburn, turn left onto #201 East (signs for Vita) and drive to Highway #209. Turn right onto Highway #209 South, and drive to Gardenton.

From Gardenton :

Follow Lord Roberts Road, south from 1st Avenue, or from Highway #209, turn left (south) at Lord Roberts Road. Continue southwards until 1st Avenue. The Temple and cemetery are on the left after the intersection.

Two miles to the northwest is the original Saint Michael Church and Cemetery. Three miles to the north is the new Saint Michael Church and Cemetery.

References

Archdiocese of Canada – Orthodox Church in America, “The Orthodox Church in Canada : A Chronology” (Ottawa : Archdiocese of Canada, 1988).

Panchak, John, “Bukowinian Settlements in Southern Manitoba (Gardenton Area)” (Battle Creek, Michigan : 1971)

“The Russian Mission in North America”

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.

Yuzyk, Paul, “First Ukrainians in Manitoba” (Manitoba Historical Society Archives)

Additional information :

Basil Rotoff, with Roman Yereniuk, Stella Hryniuk, “Monuments to Faith : Ukrainian Churches in Manitoba” (Winnipeg : © Manitoba Culture, Heritage and Recreation, 1990).

Goa, David, ed. “The Ukrainian Religious Experience” (Edmonton : Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, University of Alberta, 1989). ISBN : 0-920862-63-2 (9780920862636).

Klysh, Protopresbyter Mirone, “Orthodox Christians in Manitoba”

Ukrainian Four Corner Settlement, Gardenton, Manitoba

The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) web-site

The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) listing for Saint Demetrius Church, Gardenton

Orthodoxwiki article about The Church in America

The Archdiocese of Canada web-site

Archdiocese of Canada : Saint Demetrius Church, Gardenton listing

Orthodoxwiki article about the Archdiocese of Canada

Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada web-site

Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Saint Demetrius, Gardenton parish listing

Orthodoxwiki article about The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

Central Eparchy of the UOCC.