Archpriest John and Matushka Agafia Kowalchuk
Archpriest John Kowalchuk (1899-1967)
and
Matushka Agafia Kowalchuk (1899-1967)
Ioann may be spelt Ivan, John.
Agafia may be spelt Agathia, Agatha.
Aleksandra may be spelt Alexandra.
Andrei may be spelt Andrey, Andrew.
Kowalchuk may be spelt Kovalchuk.
Early life of Ioann Terentiyevich Kowalchuk
On 10 September, 1899, Ioann Terentiyevich Kowalchuk was born in the Zavidov Village, Volyn (Volhynia) Governorate.
He was [1] and chrismated, and he was raised to be an Orthodox Christian within an Orthodox Christian family. He was formed in the bosom of the Russian Orthodox Church.
He completed his primary and secondary education in his home village. His secondary education was completed during World War I, at about the time of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. This was in 1919, and his home territory was at that time within the Wołyń Voivodeship of Poland. Ioann Kowalchuk may well have received his theological education in Kremenets, near the Pochaev Lavra, because it was at that time within the Wołyń Voivodeship of Poland.
Marriage
While he was in Volyn, Ioann Terentiyevich was married to Agafia Nesterovna Romanchuk. This took place, probably, in 1920.
Agafia Nesterovna was born on 22 December, 1899, in the Strilcha village of the Volyn Governorate.
On 18 May, 1921, their daughter Aleksandra was born.
On 15 November, 1923, their son Andrei was born.
Emigration to Canada, 1928
Ioann Kovalchuk arrived in Canada on 2 July, 1928. Bishop Arseny (Chahovtsov), who had arrived in Canada in 1926, had his cathedral seat at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It was in this cathedral parish that Ioann Kowalchuk received the position of “regent” (choir-director) upon his arrival.
It is likely that his immigration had been arranged with this responsibility in mind.
In 1929, his wife, Agafia Kowalchuk, arrived in Canada with their 2 children, Aleksandra and Andrei.
Diaconal ordination, 1929
On 28 May, 1929, Ioann Kowalchuk was ordained to the Holy Diaconate at [Holy Trinity Cathedral] in Winnipeg by Bishop Arseny (Chahovtsov).
Diaconal service
Deacon John Kowalchuk was assigned to serve in the Winnipeg parish of Saint Michael on Disraeli Street.
Presbyteral ordination, 1930
On 30 May, 1930, Deacon Ioann Kowalchuk was ordained to the Holy Priesthood at the Temple of the Holy Resurrection in Sifton, Manitoba, by Bishop Arseny (Chahovtsov).
Pastoral service
On 1 June, 1930, Priest John Kowalchuk was assigned to serve at the Holy Dormition of the Theotokos parish at Stenen, Saskatchewan. The Stenen assignment included several other nearby communities.
Priest John Kowalchuk received the following awards during these years : Nabedrennik, 1933 ; Skoufia, 1936.
On 8 December, 1936, he was transferred ; and he was assigned to serve at Shandro, Alberta, in the parish of the Dormition (Assumption) of the Theotokos. Father John served a circuit of about 10 parishes in total, including this parish. Soon afterwards, he was assigned to serve as Dean of Alberta.
Archpriest John Kowalchuk
Father John Kowalchuk receive the following awards during the years of his longest assignment : Gold Cross, 1940 ; Archpriest, 1943 ; Palitsa, 1953 ; Jewelled Cross, 1961.
As was written by Archpriest John Diachina, Father John Kowalchuk was a tireless worker, who had a beautiful voice, and all the qualities of a good shepherd and a good missionary. For very many years during this time, he served as Regional Dean of Alberta, which, at that time, was the deanery with the most parishes. Further, it sometimes included the Deanery of British Columbia.
Bereavement, 1956
On 31 October, 1956, Andrew Ivanovich Kowalchuk fell asleep in the Lord suddenly as a consequence of an automobile accident. As a consequence, he left his wife Rita (born Ulchik) a widow, with 4 fatherless children.
Father Andrew and other clergy served the Funeral Services for the Burial of a Lay-person at Holy Dormition Temple, Shandro.
Following the funeral obsequies, the body of Andrew Kowalchuk was interred in the parish cemetery.
Grave-marker
This shock affected Matushka Agafia severely, and it seemed to undermine her health.
30 years of pastoral service, 1960
In 1960, the completion of 30 years of pastoral service of Archpriest John Kowalchuk was marked by the Archdiocese of Canada, along with 2 other priests who had served together with him in the diocese during the same decades. These priests were John Diachina and Archpriest John Vasil. All 3 had served in western Canadian parishes, although Father John Diachina had been assigned later to serve at Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Toronto, Ontario.
Metropolitan Leonty (Turkevich) presented to each priest a blessed gramota that conveyed the gratitude and blessings of the metropolitan and the Holy Synod of Bishops.
Bereavement, 1967
On 22 November, 1967, Mathuka Agafia Kowalchuk fell asleep in the Lord at Shandro.
After the Services for the Burial of a Lay-person, which took place at Holy Dormition Orthodox Temple at Shandro, Alberta, her body was interred near that of her son in the parish cemetery.
Grave-marker
Repose, 1967
On 2 December, 1967, Archpriest John Kowalchuk fell asleep in the Lord.
After the Funeral Services for the Burial of a Priest at Holy Dormition Orthodox Temple at Shandro, the body of Archpriest John Kowalchuk was interred beside that of his wife and near his son in the parish cemetery.
Grave-marker
After the funeral for Father John Kowalchuk, Archpriest John Diachina wrote an 'In Memoriam' article about him in the "Canadian Greek-Orthodox Calendar" of 1969.
References
Canadian Greek-Orthodox Calendar, vol. 9 (Toronto : Diocesan Council of the Russian-Greek Orthodox Church in Canada, 1960), p. 108.
Canadian Greek-Orthodox Calendar, vol. 18 (Montreal-Toronto : Diocesan Council of the Russian-Greek Orthodox Church in Canada, 1969), p. 82.
Archival service record
Additional information :
Findagrave reference for Andrew Kowalchuk
Prairie Souls reference for Andrew Kowalchuk
Findagrave reference for Rita Ulchik Hrehirchuk
Findagrave reference for Matushka Agafia Kowalchuk