Central Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
Central Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada (UOCC)
Definition
The Ukrainian Orthodox Eparchy of Central Canada is an eparchy (diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada (UOCC) under the Church of Constantinople.
Components
The Central Eparchy consists of the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. It has about 132 parishes, with 2 cathedrals : Holy Trinity Metropolitan Cathedral in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Holy Trinity Cathedral in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
In Winnipeg, there is also the Holy Protection parish, called “Sobor”. It was the first, original cathedral in Winnipeg.
Largely, the early history of the Eparchy parallels that of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada (UGOCC), which was founded in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, in 1918.
The ruling bishop of the Central Eparchy has been styled usually as “Archbishop of Winnipeg, Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada”.
Consistory Office of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
Reorganisation of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada, 1951
After the 1951 reorganisation of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada as a “metropolia”, the Central Eparchy served as the diocese of the “first hierarch” or “primate” of the UOCC. The seat of the “first hierarch” was designated as Winnipeg, Manitoba, and the central offices (consistory) of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada was established in this city.
Saskatoon as the see of vicar-bishops
After this, auxiliary, or assistant, or vicar-bishops to the metropolitan of the UOCC were ordained with the title “of Saskatoon” in order to honour that city's role in the founding of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. It seems that this title began to be used first in 1963 for Archbishop Boris (Yakovkevych).
The bishops of the Central Eparchy
The first bishop to serve as head of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada was Metropolitan Germanos (Shehadeh). He was the temporary first bishop of the nascent Ukrainian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church of Canada, 1919-1924. He served the Church from his centre in the USA.
The second bishop to serve as the head of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church was Metropolitan John (Theodorovych), 1924-1944.
The third bishop to serve as the head of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church was Metropolitan Mstyslav (Skrypnyk), 1947-1949.
The fourth bishop to serve as the head of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church was Metropolitan Polikarp (Sikorski), 1950.
The fifth bishop to serve as the head of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church was Metropolitan Ilarion I (Ohienko), 1951-1972.
Eastern Eparchy
It was in 1951 that the Eastern Eparchy was established in Toronto, Ontario.
Western Eparchy
It was in 1959 that the Western Eparchy was established in Edmonton, Alberta.
The sixth bishop to serve as the head of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church was Metropolitan Michael (Khoroshy), 1972-1975 (acting primate 1970-1972).
The seventh bishop to serve as the head of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church was Metropolitan Andrew (Metiuk), 1975-1985.
The eighth bishop to serve as the head of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church was Metropolitan Wasyly (Fedak), 1985-2005.
Change of name, and reception into the Patriarchate of Constantinople, 1990
In 1990, the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada changed its name to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada. In the same year, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada was received into communion with the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and all the bishops became a part of that patriarchate.
The ninth bishop to serve as the head of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church was Metropolitan John (Stinka), 2005-2010.
The tenth bishop to serve as the head of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church was Metropolitan Yuriy (Kalistchuk), 2010-2021.
The eleventh bishop to serve as the head of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church was Ilarion II (Rudnyk), 2022-____.
Because of various circumstances at the time, Metropolitan Ilarion II (Rudnyk) (who bore the title “Winnipeg and Canada”) remained resident in Edmonton, Alberta, and he served the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada from the offices of the Western Eparchy.
Contact information
The information for the Central Eparchy is the same as that for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada.
Central Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox of Canada
9, Saint John’s Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R2W 1G8
Toll-Free Telephone : 1-877-586-3093
Telephone : 204-586-3093
Fax : 204-582-5241
E-mail : consistory@uocc.ca
Web-site : https://uocc.ca
References
Wikipedia article about the Ukrainian Orthodox Eparchy of Central Canada
Additional information :
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada web-site
Orthodoxwiki article about the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
Please send your suggestions, additions, corrections or contributions to this address :
info@orthodoxcanada.ca