Arbakka MB Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Temple and Cemetery 1904

Arbakka, Manitoba, Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Temple and Cemetery, 1904

also known as

Arbakka, Manitoba, Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Temple and Cemetery (Bilawchuks)

Prehistory

In 2024, there is in effect no particular historical information on the internet regarding the parish of Saints Peter and Paul in Arbakka, Manitoba, Canada. Regardless, until something more concrete may be published, there are some general and conjectural comments which may be made.

The hamlet of Arbakka, Manitoba, is situated to the south of Vita, Manitoba, and east of Gardenton, Manitoba. It is part of the Rural Municipality of Stuartburn.

Because “Arbakka” is a place-name in south-western Norway, it is clear that the earliest settlers in this region were likely to have arrived from Norway. However, by 1900, there was a substantial influx of newcomers from Galicia of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in what is now Ukraine. Many of the original settlers had by this time moved (or were moving at that time) into larger centres, and to Winnipeg, Manitoba, in particular.

Stuartburn, Manitoba (the Rural Municipality) is considered to be the first Ukrainian community in Western Canada. The first Ukrainian immigrants arrived in Winnipeg in July, 1896, 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 in Manitoba. The people who were arriving at this time had emigrated from the regions of Halychyna (Galicia) and Bukovyna (primarily northern Bukovyna). At that time, these regions were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Halychyna was part of the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomiria.

The first to arrive in 1891 were Ivan Pylypow and Wasyl Eleniak. They both spent time in southern Manitoba before they finally settled in the North-West Territories (the part now known as Alberta). A large group of immigrants from the steamship "Sicilia", monitored by Kyrylo Genyk, arrived in Winnipeg in July, 1896, and settled in Manitoba. This group which was comprised of 27 families and a few single men mainly from the village of Senkiw, in Borshchiw county (now in Western Ukraine), set out to establish a colony south of Winnipeg which they wanted to name ‘‘Rus'’’ (the ancient principality which included territories of modern Ukraine). Thus was begun the oldest Ukrainian colony in Manitoba. However, the name "Rus'" was superseded by "Stuartburn" (a determination usually made by the Canada Post Department), and it was, indeed the name of the post office and railway station in the area. Nevertheless, the Ukrainian people called it “Shtombury”.

The previous nearby settlers from Galicia and Bukovina in this region were situated in and near Gardenton, 16 km (10 mi) to the west, where parishes had been established in 1898 (Saint Michael) and 1899 (Saint Demetrius).

In the autumn of 1897, the Priest Nestor Dmytriw, a Ukrainian Catholic missionary priest from Pennsylvania, USA, urged by Dr Josif Oleskow and the Canadian government, had travelled to southern Manitoba in order to visit the Ukrainian colonies on the prairies. There, he began by establishing the parish of Saint Michael (near Gardenton). He helped that first community establish itself, and he then went to other parts of Manitoba to help Ukrainian groups in other settlements, including in Winnipeg.

Establishment of the Temple, 1904

As newcomers began to settle farther to the east of Gardenton, they decided to establish a Temple near their homes. For this reason, they organised the parish of Saints Peter and Paul, and they constructed a Temple with this dedication. Because the nickname of this Temple is “Bilawchuks”, it indicates that the land for the Temple and its adjacent cemetery were donated by the Bilawchuk family.

The Altar Feast-day of the parish falls on 29 June/12 July. Because this feast-day concludes the first lenten period that follows the Feast of Pascha, there is a certain practicality in having this day as the Altar Feast-day. It allows for eating all sorts of foods that are not permitted in lenten seasons (for instance, Great Lent), which makes it easy to feed those who attend.

The Temple itself is a small structure with a prominent entry-way at the west end. Such a feature often suggests that it might serve as a belfry, but it is more customary that there be a distinct and separate bell-house nearby. In current times, the bell is exposed on a stand near the entrance.

The nave portion of the Temple is smaller, and the Altar portion is smaller still : a very typical architectural style. Specifically, this Temple has been identified as representing a "Lemko" form of ecclesiastical architecture. This refers to people who originated in the Carpathian Mountains in the regions that are now within either southern Poland or northern Slovakia.

At that time, the community would have been in the beginning most likely a part of the “Russian Mission” of North America, which provided missionary clergy and some practical resources, thanks to the missionary societies which were active in the Russian Empire (a fruit of the labours of Saint Innocent (Veniaminov)).

However, just at that time, there were many rural parishes on the Canadian prairies (up to 60 in number) which were established by a sham bishop in Winnipeg (“Metropolitan” Seraphim (Ustvolsky). There is at present no clear indication of precisely which communities were established by him ; but within a few years, most of them were absorbed with the canonical Church and they became part of the “Russian Mission” deanery in Western Canada. Because there is no written history of this particular community available at this time, the possibility of its origin in the splinter-group remains until it could be demonstrated otherwise.

In this case, it is significant that in 1909, another Saints Peter and Paul parish was established not far to the south of this parish. It is possible that this development was for the convenience of the farm-families, and there are other possible reasons. However, at this moment in 2024, indications about the cause are not available to the writer.

Move to the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada

Although it is not so written, it is likely that around the year 1922, the parish of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul moved away from the “Russian Mission's” Diocese of Canada of the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in North America in order to join the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada (UGOCC).

This was the year in which the Parish of Saint Michael in Gardenton made this move, and there were certainly activists in this region who desired the use of the Ukrainian language in worship services. There is no indication available about the precise year in which this occurred, but it was likely near the same time as the move of the first Saint Michael's parish.

Rural depopulation

As became the case everywhere on the Canadian prairies, during the 1930s, there began a steady reduction in the population. The Great Drought of that decade was a major factor. However, the availability of machines reduced the phsyical labour required for farming. As a consequence, the process of consolidating and merging of farms began. Subsistence family farming began to fade away.

This process continued steadily after World War II with the development of commercial farming and the establishing of farms as businesses as they became larger and larger units.

Change of status of the UGOCC, 1990

Change of name, 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.

Acceptance by 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.

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.

Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery, Arbakka, 1904

At the same time as the parish was established, a cemetery was likewise established and organised near the Temple.

It is situated at 147, Road #47 East.

Particular parish information

This parish is part of the Central Eparchy, Vita Region, of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada (UOCC). The bishop of the eparchy is Metropolitan Ilarion II (Rudnyk).

This parish follows the Old (Julian) Calendar.

The Altar Feast-day of this Temple is the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, 29 June/12 July.

In 2024, the pastor of the parish is Archpriest Miron Pozniak.

Address :

Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Temple and Cemetery

147, Road #47 East

Township land site : NE 01-02-08 E (GPS : 49.015445,-96.406606)

Arbakka, Stuartburn RM

Manitoba

R0A 2K0

Directions :

For directions and other information, call the priest.

Arbakka is situated 16 km (10 mi) east of Gardenton.

From Highway #201 and Highway #302 near Vita, drive 0.8 km west on Highway #201. Turn left (south) on Road #41 West (Arbakka Road) and follow Arbakka Road for 16.7 km as it bends its way southeasterly. At Road #45 East and Road #2 North, turn left (east). Drive 3.2 km to Road #47 East and turn right (south). Drive 1.7 km just past Road #1 North (Solway Road) and Road #47 East to the Temple on the right. The cemetery is 130 metres west of the road.

Archpriest Miron Pozniak

Telephone : (204) 334-6297

References

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

Martynowych, Orest T, “Ukrainians in Canada : The Formative Years, 1891-1924” (Edmonton : Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies Press, University of Alberta, 1991).

“Russian Mission in North America”

Additional information

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”

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

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.

Ukrainian Orthodox Chapel of Saints Peter and Paul (1904) parish listing

Orthodox World listing

Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada web-site

Orthodoxwiki article about the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

Wikipedia article about the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

Church of Constantinople web-site

Orthodoxwiki article about the Church of Constantinople

Saint Innocent (Veniaminov)

Saint Tikhon (Belavin)

Saint Arseny (Chahovtsov)

Patriarch Bartholomew (Arhontonis)

Archbishop Alexander (Nemolovsky)