Nisku AB †Holy Ascension Russo-Greek Orthodox Church and Cemetery 1898-1910
Nisku, Alberta, †Holy Ascension Russo-Greek Orthodox Church and Cemetery (Rabbit Hill), 1898-1910
Prehistory
In the 1890s, Canada opened its "doors" to immigration from Eastern Europe. These Slavic settlers arrived from numerous villages in the Jaroslaw County, Galicia (which is in southeast Poland), and they arrived at the Rabbit Hill, Alberta, Canada, area (about 5 kilometres (3 mi) to the west of the hamlet of Nisku). This is about 40 km (25 mi) south of Edmonton, Alberta. At that time, this region was within the North-West Territories.
The newly-arrived were a part of the emigration movement which was encouraged by Dr. Joseph Oleskiw in Galicia. In fact, their way into this region was “paved” by the early arrival of Theodore Fuhr and his purchase of an existing farm. This farm was not far to the east of the North Saskatchewan River.
The capital city of Galicia was Lviv (Lemberg, Lvov), and the people of the area were called Ruthenians (Rusyny), or "Little Russians" or "Red Russians" (although the origin of the term was likely in "Rus'"). At the end of the 19th century, Galicia was suffering from economic difficulties and unemployment, wars and oppression. It was this environment that had motivated many of the new immigrants to Canada to leave their homeland.
Founding the Orthodox Temple, 1902
Several pioneers who arrived in the Rabbit Hill area (several kilometres to the west of the railway station in the hamlet of Nisku) in 1896-1897 comprehended that, contrary to the situation in which they were under Polish and Austrian authority, they were no longer under any obligation to belong to the Greek Catholic Rite (Uniat Church). Thus, they began to follow the Faith of their forefathers, the Orthodox Christian Faith. A letter, which was signed by settlers both in the Rabbit Hill and in the Edna-Star regions was sent to the office of Bishop Nicholas (Ziorov) in San Francisco, California. This letter requested that pastoral care be provided to the newly-arrived Orthodox believers in Central Alberta.
The Rabbit Hill area was first visited by Russian Orthodox missionaries, the Priest Dimitri Kamnev, and Reader Vladimir Alexandrov from Seattle, Washington, on 19 June, 1897, and the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the home of Theodore Fuhr.
Priest Dimitri Kamnev
There were 2 more such missionary visits. In 1898, Father Dimitri and the now Deacon Vladimir returned in order to help the local believers ; and in 1899, the now Priest Vladimir Alexandrov returned to continue the work of establishing and strengthening stable worshipping communities.
Mr. Theodore Fuhr, being a fervent Orthodox Christian believer, donated land to build an Orthodox Temple. It was erected in 1902, and named for the Feast of the Holy Ascension.
The founders of this community include :
William Borys ; William Borys ; Joachim Dobko ; Kost Dobko ; John Doblanka ; Peter Doblanka ; Theodore Fuhr ; Anna Fuhr ; Mike Krupka ; Peter Kugh ; Goerge Stetzun ; John Wasienczko ; Nikolai Wronko.
Jakob Maday left the following comment on 26 March, 1900 :
We emigrated from our land partly because of poverty stricken conditions, conditions to which Ruthenians were subjected by Polish and Jewish elements and which drove the Ruthenians of Halych across the seas. It was on this account that we sold our ancestral land in our country, and sought a happier future for ourselves and our children in a far world.
Archpastoral visit, sanctification of the Temple, 1904
In 1904, Bishop Tikhon (Belavin) of the Diocese of the Aleutians and North America visited the Rabbit Hill area, and he led services at the Holy Ascension Church. (Vladyka Tikhon later became the Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus’ in 1917.)
As part of this archpastoral visit, Bishop Tikhon sanctified the Temple in advance of serving the Divine Liturgy on the same day. However, there arose an obstacle upon his arrival at Nisku by train from Calgary. The Calgary & Edmonton Railway had not loaded Vladyka's suitcases on this train in Calgary. When he arrived, he had no vestments at all. Yet, it was necessary that he serve. Ingenuity was required.
Since the deacon who had accompanied Bishop Tikhon did have his baggage and his vestments, it was decided between the bishop and the parishioners that a sort of modification of the deacon's stikhar and orar would suffice to improvise a vestment that would at least in some way resemble the sakkos of a bishop. This was accomplished post-haste by the skilful and artful seamstsresses ; a vestment was produced, and the bishop with his deacon accomplished the sanctification of the Temple. The improvisation was adequate for this occasion, but it is highly probable that the bishop's baggage did finally reach him. During that year, he had many other Temples northeast of Edmonton to sanctify, one after another.
Bishop Tikhon awarded Theodore Fuhr with a “gramota” (blessed certificate), dated 12 August, 1904. The text honoured him for his work with the Holy Ascension Parish. Theodore had also been one of the signatories of a letter that had been sent to the bishop in San Francisco with the request for the services of an Orthodox priest. This letter opened the way for the return of many to the Orthodox Christian Faith.
Reconciliation, move, closing the Temple, 1910
Before the end of the first decade in the new century, many families from the Greek Catholic Parish of Saint Mary’s expressed the desire to be unified with the Orthodox congregation of Holy Ascension. With the spirit of Orthodoxy growing in strength, the union of the 2 parishes took place under the condition that future services were to be held at Saint Mary’s Temple, since Saint Mary’s was the larger community and building.
The day of unification, in 1910, was a very solemn and highly emotional event. There was a large Cross-procession with icons and banners that proceeded from each Temple. The processions of both communities met on the road. When they met, both groups bowed deeply to each other, and they extended their arms towards each other. At this time, Archimandrite Arseny (Chahovtsov) gave an inspirational and emotional address to them all.
They then formed a single procession towards Saint Mary's Church, where the Ukrainian Catholics were properly received into the Orthodox Church and they became a single Orthodox parish community through serving the Divine Liturgy. This event is but one example of such notable reconciliatory activities by Father Arseny throughout his life, and of the activities of other priests who were serving in the region.
As a consequence of this most important event, the Temple of the Holy Ascension was closed. Theodore Fuhr disassembled the now disused Temple, which left only the cemetery on the original site.
The cemetery of the Holy Ascension Temple, 1898
At the site of the Holy Ascension Cemetery (SW 19-50-25-W4), there is a commemorative stone marker, with the text :
This Cemetery Was Attached To The Holy Ascension Russian Orthodox Church. Which Was Organised In May 1897 By The Missionaries Rev. Dimitry Kamnev And Deacon Vladimir Alexandrov On The Farm Of Theodore Fuhr Directly To The West. The Cemetery Was Consecrated In August 1901 By Bishop Tikhon (Belavin). Subsequently Patriarch Of Moscow And All Russia And Later Glorified As A Saint Of The Church (1989).
Interred in this cemetery are :
2 infant children of ; Wasyl and Katherine Borys ; John Doblanka ; Mrs. Anna Fuhr ; Mrs. Anna Krupka ; Baby Krupka ; Baby Kuhn ; Mrs. Anastasia Kuzio ; Infant Wasieczko.
The cemetery is located at the land description site SW 19-50-25-W4 in Leduc County, to the west of Saint Mary's Church and Cemetery, and near the original site of Holy Ascension Orthodox Church on Theodore Fuhr's farm.
Holy Ascension Cemetery Rabbit Hill
Particular parish information
This parish was part of the "Russian Mission" of the Diocese of the Aleutian Islands and Alaska. The bishop in 1910 was Archbishop Platon (Rozhdestvensky).
This parish followed the Old (Julian) Calendar.
The Altar Feast-day of this parish was the Feast of the Ascension of Christ, 40 days after the Feast of Pascha.
The last pastor of this parish was Archimandrite Arseny (Chahovtsov).
Address :
Holy Ascension Russian Orthodox Church
Land description site SW 19-50-25-W4
Leduc County, Alberta
References
Alexandrov, Archpriest Vladimir "Journey to Canada : A Priest’s Diary"
“The Russian Mission in North America”
Sharko, Emily ; Fedor, Hope : St. Mary’s Russian Greek Orthodox Parish (Nisku) Historical Society, “Echoes of Faith : St. Mary’s Russian Orthodox Church, Nisku, Alberta” (Nisku : St. Mary’s Russian Greek Orthodox Parish (Nisku) Historical Society, 1985). ISBN 0889254990.
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 :
Orthodoxwiki article about the Archdiocese of Canada
Orthodoxwiki article about The Orthodox Church in America
Vladimir and Matushka Rose Alexandrov
Roots of Community : Theodore Fuhr
Nisku AB Nativity of the Theotokos Russo Orthodox Church and Cemetery 1898
Findagrave reference for Theodore Fuhr
Findagrave reference for Holy Ascension Cemetery