Gardenton MB Saint Michael’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Cemetery (New) 1934

Gardenton, Manitoba, Saint Michael’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Cemetery (New), 1934

Prehistory

The prehistory of this Temple and Cemetery of Saint Michael the Archangel in Gardenton, Manitoba, Canada, is simply that of the Old Saint Michael’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church to the southwest of the village.

The 2 Temples and cemeteries are effectively one single community.

Establishment of the Temple and Cemetery, 1934

By the early 1930s, it was decided that there was a need for a newer Temple and Cemetery in the village of Gardenton, Manitoba, itself. By that time, there were many Ukrainian Orthodox believers living in the village of Gardenton, rather than on the farms.

Therefore, a property was acquired there, a cemetery was established, and a Temple and bell-house were constructed.

The organisers and founders of this new Temple were :

 Ivan Sepach, G Sidorsy, G Onysko, and Wasyl Krelaty.

Archpriest Semeon W Sawchuk blessed the new and completed Temple.

The transition between the two Temples occurred over 1934-1935.

Great Depression ; rural depopulation, 1930s

The main reason for this change would probably have been the move of many people into the village from the farmsteads round about, when some people began to leave farming. This departure was in part associated with the Great Depression of the 1930s, but this was also the time when machinery began to enable more farming with fewer people, the time of the merging of farms, the move away from subsistence-farming, and the time of the beginning of the "corporate farming" phenomenon.

Saint Michael Temple and Bell-house in the village (after 1934)

New Temple Iconostas (left) ; New Temple Holy Table (right)

Re-naming of the UGOCC, 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.

The UOCC entered into Eucharistic union with 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.

Saint Michael's Ukrainian Orthodox Cemetery (New), 1934

Saint Michael’s New Cemetery, opened in 1934, is located in the village of Gardenton, at 2nd Street North, near the junction of Purplebank Road and Lord Roberts Road.

In 2024, there were about 50 known interments in this newer cemetery.

Entrance to the cemetery (left) Cemetery and graves (right)

Particular parish information

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

This parish follows the Julian (Old) Calendar.

The Altar Feast-Day is the Feast of the Archangel Michael and the Bodiless Powers, 8/21 November.

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

Address :

Saint Michael's Ukrainian Orthodox Church

4145, Purplebank Road

Gardenton, Manitoba

R0A 0M0

Directions :

From Winnipeg :

Follow Provincial Trunk Highway #59 South/Route #20 South for about 87 km. Turn left onto Highway #MB-201 East (signs for Vita, Manitoba), and continue for 3.0 km. Turn right (south) onto Highway #59. Continue southwards, and turn left onto Provincial Road #201. Turn right on Provincial Road #209, and arrive at Gardenton. Turn right on Purplebank Road.

Archpriest Miron Pozniak

Telephone : (204) 334-6297

References

A Brief History of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

Martynowych, Orest T, “Ukrainians in Canada : The Formative Period, 1891-1924” (Edmonton : Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, University of Alberta, 1991. ISBN 10 : 0920862764. ISBN 13 : 978-0920862766.

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.

Yereniuk, Prof. Roman, “A Short Historical Outline of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada (UOCC)”.

Additional information

Cuzmer, William, “Recollections about the Life of the first Ukrainian Settlers in Canada”.

Klysh, Protopresbyter Mirone, “Orthodox Christians in Manitoba”.

Panchuk, John, “Bukowinian Settlements in Southern Manitoba (Gardenton Area)” (Ann Arbor, MI : University of Michigan, 1971).

Panchuk, John, “Diamond Jubilee of Gardenton, Manitoba”.

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

Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Saint Michael (New) parish listing

Orthodoxwiki article about the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

Central Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople web-site

Wikipedia article about the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople

Orthodoxwiki article about the Patriarchate of Constantinople

Patriarch Bartholomew (Archontonis)

Metropolitan Ilarion I (Ohienko)

Metropolitan Michael (Khoroshy)

Metropolitan Andrew (Metiuk)

Archbishop Boris (Yakovkevych)

Metropolitan Wasyly (Fedak)