Val-d’Or QC †Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church 1953-1982

Val-d’Or, Québec, †Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, 1953-1982

Theodore may be spelt Théodore, Féodor, Fyodor, Fedor.

Oustoutchenkov may be spelt Ustutschenkow, Ustuchenkov, Ustuchenko.

Val-d'Or may be translated "Valley of Gold" (although there is no valley).

Gratitude is expressed that Dr. Paul Ladouceur has founded the web-site “Pages Orthodoxes la Transfiguration” ; and that he has published therein many articles with regard to the life and history of the Orthodox Church in Québec, besides liturgical, theological, and other historical texts.

Prehistory

Val-d'Or, Québec, Canada, represented a decidedly multicultural city when it was founded in 1935.

Amongst the immigrants attracted by the gold rush was a group of Russians and Russian-speakers. These persons were from the “second wave” of immigration, which followed the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. Some were of noble families. They contributed to the creation of the cosmopolitan image of the city. “Without a doubt, no town in the province, any proportion of the population considered, presents a melée as cosmopolitan as Val-d'Or. We meet Russians, Ukrainians there”, wrote the novelist Gabrielle Roy during her visit to Val-d'Or in 1945.

Father Oleg Boldireff and missionary development

Soon after this time, Archpriest Oleg Boldireff arrived in Montréal, Québec, from Paris, France. An experienced parish priest who had done a considerable amount of work caring for refugees in displaced persons’ camps in Europe, he was aware of their plight, and he was ready to meet their needs as they also began to emigrate to Canada. This constituted the “third wave” of immigration to Canada of Russian- and Ukrainian-speakers.

Besides his duties at Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral in Montréal, Father Oleg helped with the establishment of many parish communities in order to accommodate the many Russian-speakers who were arriving. In his capacity of Dean of Québec and Ontario, he did this with the blessing of the bishop.

First, there was Holy Trinity Church in Québec City (1950) ; then there came the Abitibi region Temples (1954) : Saint Nicholas' Church in Val-d’Or (1954), followed almost simultaneously by Saint George's Church in Rouyn, Québec, Holy Transfiguration Church in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, and Saints Peter and Paul's Church in Kearns, Ontario (all in about1954). One year later (1955), he helped to establish Saint Nicholas Church in Ottawa, Ontario ; and then the following year (1956), he established the community of Saint Seraphim of Sarov in Rawdon, Québec. It seems that it was also through his personal contacts (and the blessing of the bishop) that he was able to bring to Canada various clergy to care for these communities.

Val-d’Or was the first of the parishes to be established (it remained the focus of activity in the whole region), and its organisation had progressed sufficiently that it was listed in the “Canadian Orthodox Calendar” of 1953.

It is quite evident that Dr. Theodore Koulomzine was instrumental in the development not only of this parish, but also of the other 3 in the Abitibi region. This assertion is supported by the fact that his post-office box was the first mailing address ; that the Temple of Saint Nicholas was built next to his home, and that when he moved to Montréal, Archpriest David Shevchenko lived in that house. It is probable that Theodore Koulomzine was involved in the architectural designing of this Temple. The other Temples (erected in Rouyn, Kirkland Lake, and Kearns) resembled the Temple in Val-d’Or in essence, although they had extensions on the west end which allowed for a larger narthex/vestibule, above which was a belfry.

Theodore Iakovlevich Koulomzine was brother to Nikita, Yaroslav, Ekaterina, Ekaterina, Elizaveta, and Seraphima Koulomzine. This family had originated in the Kostroma Governorate of the Russian Empire, and they were active in Saint Petersburg. They had become refugees after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution.

Establishing the parish

The Russian Orthodox Faithful erected their Orthodox temple in Val-d’Or in September, 1954, at the intersection of Lamaque Boulevard and 9th Street.

From the main west-side entrance, the Temple faces the east, in accordance with the traditional custom for constructing an Orthodox Christian place of worship. The Temple is topped with an onion-shaped cupola (some describe it as a “bulb”, or an “onion dome”), upon which is an eight-branched wrought-iron Cross. The building plans were designed by Théodore I Koulomzine, engineer-geologist of Val-d’Or.

Archpriest Theodore (Fyodor) Oustoutchenkov

The construction work was directed by Archpriest Theodore (Fyodor) Oustoutchenkov, who was responsible also for making the iconostas. He made and decorated this iconostas with his own hands and hand-tools, and similar ones in Rouyn and Kirkland Lake.

The iconostas of Saint Nicholas Temple, Val-d'Or

An iconostas is a large screen with 3 doors (Royal Doors and 2 Deacon's doors), separating the Altar from the nave, which is covered with icons, and behind which and before which the priest leads the various services of worship.

Father Theodore had arrived in Canada very recently from displaced person camps in Europe, and he had been assigned to serve in Abitibi by Bishop Nikon (de Grève) of Toronto and Canada.

The Temple, which can accommodate about 100 Faithful, was named for Saint Nicolas of Myra.

Sanctification, 1954

The sanctification of the Temple took place on 19 December, 1954, the Feast of the Saint Nicholas of Myra, patron saint of Russia. Bishop Nikon of Toronto had travelled to Val d’Or for the sanctification of the new Temple. On that day, after the service of sanctification, Bishop Nikon (de Grève) presided at the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, and those present gathered for a meal afterwards.

This Orthodox Christian Temple was the first to “see the light of day” in Abitibi, and it is one of the small number of such Temples in Québec.

Bereavement, 1957

In 1957, Father Theodore Oustoutchenkov fell asleep in the Lord unexpectedly.

The Funeral Service for the Burial of a Priest was led by Archpriest Oleg Boldireff at Saint Nicholas Church, Val d’Or.

After the conclusion of the funeral obsequies, the body of Archpriest Theodore Oustoutchenkov was interred at the “Golden Valley” Cemetery at Val-d’Or.

Archpriest David Shevchenko, 1957

In 1957, Archpriest David Shevchenko was assigned to serve the Orthodox Christian communities of Val d’Or, Rouyn, Kirkland Lake and Kearns/McGarry. He did so from Val-d'Or by bus.

Scholar, specialist in Russian military and political history, writer of personal memoirs for Columbia University in New York, David Shevchenko was ordained a priest at the age of 54. Significantly, he concluded each Divine Liturgy with a prayer for the tsar.

Saint Nicholas Temple, 1970

Twentieth anniversary, 1974

On the 20th anniversary of the construction of the Temple, there were about 15 people attending the commemorative Divine Liturgy.

By this time, many original parishioners had retired to other places, and the youth had moved elsewhere for better educational and vocational opportunities, as enabled by their parents.

Bereavement, 1982

On 16 April, 1982, Archpriest David Shevchenko fell asleep in the Lord in Val-d’Or, Québec, at the age of 90.

The Funeral Services for the Burial of a Priest were offered in the Temple of Saint Nicholas at Val-d’Or.

It was reported that, following the funeral obsequies in Val-d’Or, the body of Archpriest David Shevchenko was transported to a cemetery in Toronto, Ontario, for interment.

Because of the small number of Faithful who now remained in the Abitibi region, no priest was assigned to replace Father David. Therefore, all 4 parishes (which were in a similar condition by then) were affected.

The church, of which he was the living soul for 25 years, was abandoned.

Subsequent events regarding the Temple

In September 1983, the Val-d’Or Historical Society met with Archpriest John Tkachuk of Montréal in order to discuss the future of this place of worship.

In 1987, one person showed interest in transforming the small church into a home, which sparked strong reactions from the Historical Society and the Cultural Commission.

On 20 October, 1989, the Historical Society returned to the charge. The representatives met with Archpriest John Tkachuk, and with Samuel Thomas, pastor of the Anglican Church, who was interested in purchasing the Temple.

In 1992, the transaction was completed, the temple was renovated with the aim of preserving its original character and its Orthodox Christian context. The interior is decorated with new icons from a monastery in Massachusetts. The church was consecrated on 24 June, 1993, by Archbishop Michael Peers, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada. The Saint-Jean Anglican Parish, which belongs to the Diocese of Moosonee, had just been established. In December, 1992. Wayne McIntosh succeeded Samuel Thomas. Then, from the autumn of 1994, Sharon Murdock took over the pastoral care there.

Victim of vandals, the church was heavily damaged a few years later. The Anglicans restored its interior, and then they handed the building over to the City of Val-d'Or. On 25 April, 2001, Rev. Caleb J Lawrence, on behalf of the Diocese of Moosonee, signed the deed of sale of the church to the City.

After analysing different avenues to ensure the future of the church, the City of Val-d'Or decided to renovate the exterior so that it regained its former character. Half the restoration costs were paid by the family of the late Roger Roy, a well-known businessman in Val-d'Or. The Québec Ministry of Culture and Communications was involved in the project as well.

The renovation of the Russian Orthodox church allows us to engrave in the collective memory the presence of the Russian community in Val-d'Or and its involvement in the development of the municipality.

Particular parish information

This parish was a part of the Québec Deanery of the Archdiocese of Canada, in The Orthodox Church in America (OCA). The bishop is Archbishop Irénée (Rochon)

This parish followed the Old (Julian) Calendar.

The Altar Feast-day of this parish was the Feast of Saint Nicholas of Myra, 6/19 December.

Address :

Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church

265, 9e Rue,

Val-d'Or, Québec

J9P 4N6

Directions :

Val-d'Or is approachable by air, at the Val-d'Or Aeroport. The flight from Montréal takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

By car :

From Montréal :

Val-d'Or is situated about 525 km northwest of central Montréal. The drive takes between 5 and 6 hours.

Drive northwards on either Decarie Boulevard or Boulevard de l'Acadie, and follow the signs to Route Transcanadienne/Autoroute 15 North. Follow Autoroute #15 northwards. After Saint-Agathe-des-Monts, the name of the road changes to Highway #117. Continue on this highway all the way to Val-d'Or. Passing through the La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve indicates that the destination is near. The highway enters Val-d'Or from the east. Continue straight on, onto Avenue Centrale. At 16th Street (16e rue), turn right (north). Drive to 4th (4e) Avenue. Turn left (west) onto 4th Avenue, and drive to 9th Street (9e rue). Turn right (north) onto 9th Street, and drive past its junction with Boulevard Lamaque. The Temple is on the left, just past this junction.