Archpriest Theodore Oustoutchenkov

Archpriest Theodore Oustoutchenkov (1890-1957)

Archiprêtre Féodor Oustoutchenkov

Père Féodor Oustoutchenkov

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

Oustoutchenkov may be spelt Oustoutchenko, Ustuchenkov, Ustiutchenkov, Ustuchenko.

Gratitude is expressed to Igumen Georges (Leroy) for his research, and to Dr. Paul Ladouceur for his publication of the information.

Early life of Fyodor Oustoutchenkov

In 1890, Fyodor Oustoutchenkov was born in “Rostov”. However, the precise place, and the names of his parents are unavailable.

There are 2 well-known sites known as “Rostov”. There is Rostov-the-Great, in the Rostov Uyezd of the Yaroslavl Governorate of Russia (Russian Empire) ; and there is Rostov-on-Don, in the Rostovsky Uyezd of the Novorossiysk Governorate. The second possibility may be more correct in the context of subsequent events.

Nevertheless, Fyodor was raised in an Orthodox Christian home, and he was raised as an Orthodox Christian in accordance with the society of his time. He was baptised, and he was raised in the bosom of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Fyodor received his primary and secondary education in his home region.

Higher education

Following his secondary education, Fyodor studied to be a teacher.

After this, he taught for several years.

Then, he entered a seminary, and he received a theological education. Because he was in the midst of his theological studies, he was not taken into the imperial army and sent to fight in World War I.

Diaconal and presbyteral ordination, 1915

In 1915, Fyodor Oustoutchenkov was ordained to the Holy Diaconate, and then to the Holy Priesthood.

Pastoral service

After he was ordained, Priest Fydor Outoutchenkov was given one or more parish assignments in his home region. It is not so indicated, but because of the times, he could have been assigned to some sort of military chaplaincy during his first years.

Bolshevik Revolution, 1917

In 1917, there occurred the February Revolution in Petrograd, which was followed by the October Revolution. At this very time, the All-Russian Sobor of the Church of Russia had been convened. It re-established the patriarchate, normalised the government of the Church of Russia, and elected the first Patriarch of Russia (Patriarch Tikhon (Belavin)) since Emperor Peter I and his “reforms”.

During that same period of time, the Russian Civil War began (1917-1923), and the Soviet Union (USSR) was established to replace the Russian Empire.

Father Fyodor Oustoutchenkov continued in his pastoral duties.

In 1927, Priest Fyodor Oustoutchenkov was arrested by the atheist-communist authorities in the course of their attacks on the Orthodox Church (and on any faith also). He was condemned to exile, and he spent nearly 10 years in a Siberian prison. When he was released, he was placed under house-arrest. Then, with the beginning of the Great Patriotic War (World War II) in 1939, he was imprisoned again.

In 1941, Father Fyodor managed somehow to flee from Russia, via Germany. In order that this could have happened, he would have been moved earlier to a region in central Russia or Ukraine. In the course of this second exile, he would have travelled with the multitude of others into Germany.

From 1941, Priest Fyodor Oustoutchenkov was included amongst the clergy of the German Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR).

In 1950, Archpriest Fyodor Oustoutchenkov was transferred, and he was assigned to the Austrian Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR).

Later in 1950, he moved to Belgium, where he was accepted into the jurisdiction of the Russian Exarchate of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. At that time, he was assigned to serve the parish that existed in Flénu, Belgium.

In 1953, he was assigned to serve additionally at Holy Trinity Church in Charleroi, Belgium.

Emigration to Canada, 1953

In late 1953, Father Fyodor Oustoutchenkov emigrated (as did very many others). In his case, he settled in Canada in 1953.

When he landed in Canada, since he was an Orthodox Christian priest, Father Theodore Oustoutchenko would have encountered Archpriest Oleg Boldireff who had himself arrived in Canada in 1948. He was at that time rector of Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral in Montréal, Québec, and Dean of Québec and Ontario. Father Oleg was also the founder of various missions in those provinces, as he addressed (always with the blessing of the bishop) the spiritual needs of the large number of Orthodox Christians who were immigrating in the aftermath of World War II.

It is possible that Father Theodore and Father Oleg could have met in Europe, since Father Theodore had been in Western Europe by 1941 ; and at that time, Father Oleg was caring for refugees who lived in various camps.

Priest Fyodor Outoutchenkov was incardinated into the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church of North America, and he was received by Archbishop Nikon (de Grève) of Toronto and Canada into the Archdiocese of Canada.

Since he had settled in the Province of Québec, his Christian name could be spelt as Theodore or Féodor. His family name could be spelt as Ustuchenkov or Oustoutchenkov.

Service in Abitibi

Quickly, Father Theodore Oustoutchenkov was sent (with his agreement) to the northern mining area of Northwestern Québec and Northeastern Ontario, which is known generally as Abitibi.

About Abitibi

The Abitibi region is named for Lake Abitibi and the Abitibi River. This water-system is in Ontario. Associated with Abitibi is Temiscaming (Témiscamingue) in Québec, which is named for Lake Temiscaming.

The need in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region of western Québec and northeastern Ontario was great.

The region of Québec had been opened for developing agriculture around 1900, and the towns of La Sarre (1917) and Amos (1914) were developed. In addition, there was other infrastructure developing such as the internment camp at Spirit Lake for so-called enemy aliens arrested under the War Measures Act during World War I. Soon afterwards, industry began to develop through the mining activities, which extracted mainly gold, and copper from the rock. This contributed greatly to the growth of the region. New cities were created, such as Rouyn (1926), and Val-d'Or (1934). Mining in particular remained prominent in the region's economy until the present. Besides this, hydro-electric generation and pulp-and-paper production were developed already in 1912 by the Abitibi Power and Paper Company (now Abitibi-Consolidated).

In Ontario, Temiscaming is an extension of the Québec region, since it directly adjoins it. Prominent in the Ontario region is Kirkland Lake, which had become an active mining centre by 1911.

Immigration, missionary development

Although some Orthodox Christians may have lived in this region before 1946, they certainly would have lived in isolation from Orthodox Christian communities and worship. They would have been required to travel to the nearest place where there was a parish in order to receive the Holy Mysteries and other spiritual supports. This meant travel to Montréal, Toronto, or perhaps Ottawa. (Even in 2024, these are long journeys.)

Then immigration from Europe which followed World War II brought many newcomers to Canada who had originated in Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean regions, many of whom were Orthodox Christians. Of these, many had arrived with previous experience in mining, and they were attracted to the opportunities for work in the Abitibi region. Archpriest Oleg Boldireff in Montréal, Québec, Rector of Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral in Montréal, and Dean of Ontario and Québec, became aware of their presence, and he sought to find ways to provide for the Abitibi Faithful.

With his assignment, Father Theodore Oustoutchenkov became the first Orthodox Christian priest to be established in Abitibi.

The word “indefatigable” must be used to describe Father Féodor (Père Féodor, Otets Fyodor).

Energetic pastoral service

Upon his arrival in 1953, and during the next 4 years, Father Theodore Oustoutchenkov was responsible for the erection of 4 Orthodox Christian Temples in 4 cities that included populations of Russian-speaking refugees such as himself. These were : Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church in Kirkland Lake, Ontario ; Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church in Kearns, Ontario ; Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church in Val-d’Or, Québec ; and Saint George Orthodox Church in Rouyn-Noranda, Québec. They all were initiated in 1954. Thus, he was the founding priest, the builder, and the first pastor of each of these Temples.

Saint Nicholas, Val-d'Or (left) ; Saint George, Rouyn (right)

Holy Transfiguration, Kirkland Lake

For information : Val-d'Or is 525 km northwest of Montréal ; Rouyn is 107 km west of Val-d'Or ; Kirkland Lake is 86 km west of Rouyn ; Kearns/McGarry is 40 km west of Kirkland Lake. In addition, Kirkland Lake is 600 km northwest of Ottawa, and 598 km north of Toronto.

Not only was he responsible for the construction of these Temples, but he personally constructed also the iconostases of the 4 Temples of Val-d'Or, Rouyn, Kearns, and Kirkland Lake. These are a remarkable work of woodcutting. They include sheaves of wheat, grape-clusters and vine leaves, and even maple leaves, all combined with numerous decorative motifs.

Father Theodore at work on an iconostas

Iconostas at Rouyn

Repose, 1957

In 1957, after having built these 4 Temples, and having served in them, Father Theodore Oustoutchenkov fell asleep in the Lord suddenly, of a heart-attack, in the Temple of Saint George at Rouyn, during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. He was 67 years old.

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.

Reflections

It was Father David Shevchenko who succeeded Father Theodore Oustoutchenko as the pastor of the 4 parishes.

Although the 2 Temples in Quebec, in Val-d’Or and Rouyn have remained standing, the ones in Kirkland Lake, and Kearns, Ontario, have vanished. In all 4 communities, the Orthodox Christian population began to disperse and to dwindle with time.

Although 1 man remained in Kirkland Lake until the 1990s, who cared about the now derelict and dilapidated Temple, there were no other known Orthodox Christians who remained in the city. There was nothing possible which could be done to save anything (the archdiocese lacked the resources), and the building was demolished by the city authorities.

When resident in Quebec, the abode of Father Theodore was in the mining-town of Bourlamaque, just south of Val d'Or.

References

‘Archpriest Theodore (Ustutchenkow)’ in “Diptychs of the Orthodox Church of America” (a commemorative list of the departed servants of The Orthodox Church in America) (Syosset, NY : Department of History and Archives OCA, 1992), p. 19.

‘Archpriest Fedor Ustyuchenko’ in “Orthodox Clergy, Theologians and Church Leaders of the Russian Emigration in Western and Central Europe, 1920-1995” (biographical reference book by Nivier, Antoine). (Moscow : Russian Way & Paris : YMCA-Press, 2007), p. 503.

‘Archpriest Theodore Ustyuchenkov’ in “Russian Religious Figures Abroad”

Drevo Encyclopaedia biographical article

Orthodoxie en Abitibi (Orthodoxy in Abitibi)

Pages orthodoxes : Les communautés orthodoxes de l’Abitibi et de Rawdon, Québec (Orthodox Pages : The Orthodox Communities of Abitibi and Rawdon, Québec) (in French)

Pelchat, Marc, Rocher Marie-Claude, Patrimoine minorités religieuses du Québec : Richesse et vulnérabilité (Heritage of religious Minorities of Quebec : Wealth and Vulnerability) (in French)

Seide, G, “Russian Orthodoxe Kirchen und Gemeinden in Deutschland. Eine Documentation ihrer geschihte” (list of clergy of the German diocese of the ROCOR for the period 1921-1994, compiled by Father G Seide). (Munich, 1994.)

Year Book of the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church of North America (New York, 1957), pp, 89, 106.

Additional information :

Archdiocese of Canada (OCA) web-site

Orthodoxwiki article about the Archdiocese of Canada

Orthodox Church of America web-site

Orthodoxwiki article about The Orthodox Church of America

Metropolitan Leonty (Turkevich)

Metropolitan Ireney (Bekish)

Archbishop Nikon (de Grève)

Archbishop Sylvester (Haruns)

Archbishop Irénée (Rochon)

Archpriest Oleg Boldireff