Kirkland Lake ON † Holy Transfiguration Russian Orthodox Church 1954-1982

Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Holy Transfiguration Russian Orthodox Church, 1954-1982

Gratitude is expressed that Dr. Paul Ladouceur has founded the web-site “Pages Orthodoxes la Transfiguration” ; and that he has published therein many articles with regard to the life and history of the Orthodox Church in Québec (including missions in Ontario), besides liturgical, theological, and other historical texts.

Prehistory

Abitibi-Témiscamingue is an Algonquian region of western Québec, Canada, which adjoins a region of similar name in northeastern Ontario.

This region was originally part of New France, which established Fort Témiscamingue in 1720. This region became part of the Rupert’s Land territory of the Hudson’s Bay Company, and remained so until 1868, when it was purchased by Canada, and became part of the North-West Territories. In 1898, the major, eastern portion became part of Québec (since it had always been part of Lower Canada).

The western part became part of Ontario in 1912, as the Timiskaming District. It was by then that settlement had begun, along with the introduction of agriculture and of forest industries, similar to the development in the Québec region. It was yet later that mining interests were introduced.

Kirkland Lake

Kirkland Lake as a community was named after Kirkland Lake, which itself was named in 1907 by surveyor Louis Rorke in honour of Miss Winnifred Kirkland. She was a secretary of the Province of Ontario Department of Mines in Toronto. The eponymous lake dried up in the course of mining, until it re-appeared in more recent years. The county of Kirkland Lake includes Teck (the original name of the town), Swastika, Chaput Hughes, Bernhardt, and Morisette Townships.

Both the town and the county of Kirkland Lake developed because of the discovery of gold (first reported by Chief Ignace Tonené) before 1900. Then followed both prospecting and the development of actual gold mining on many regional sites, especially after 1913.

The various mining enterprises (in this region, chiefly focussed on gold) produced a steady increase in local population in various settlements. Even though there were some reductions in business and population during World War II, mining continued to flourish for many decades.

Immigration

Particularly after the end of World War II, there was a substantial immigration of Russian- and Ukrainian-speaking refugees. Most of them arrived from displaced persons’ camps, but they had originated in Eastern Europe. Many of them had some experience in mining, and those who did learned about the possibility of such work in northern Ontario and Québec.

The fact that even in Ontario, the Abitibi-Temiskaming region and other adjacent regions were principally francophone enabled indirectly the development of 2 Russian Orthodox Christian communities in that area, in Kearns, and in Kirkland Lake. Kirkland Lake was the farthest west of the existing missions, although there was a brief attempt to establish a community at that time even in Timmins (140 km to its northwest).

Father Oleg Boldireff and missionary development

Soon after this time, Archpriest Oleg Boldireff arrived in Montréal, Québec, from Paris, France. An experienced parish priest who had done a considerable amount of work caring for refugees in displaced persons’ camps in Europe, he was aware of their plight, and he was ready to meet their needs as they also began to emigrate to Canada. This constituted the “third wave” of immigration to Canada of Russian- and Ukrainian-speakers. Although this group found possibilities to establish a new life and family economy in these regions, their main reason for arriving in Canada had been that they were stateless refugees, and they needed a place to call home.

Besides his duties at Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral in Montréal, Father Oleg helped with the establishment of many parish communities in order to accommodate the many Russian-speakers who were arriving. In his capacity of Dean of Québec and Ontario, he did this with the blessing of the bishop.

First, there was Holy Trinity Church in Québec City (1950) ; then there came the Abitibi region Temples (1954) : Saint Nicholas' Church in Val-d’Or (1954), followed almost simultaneously by Saint George's Church in Rouyn, Québec, Saints Peter and Paul's Church in Kearns, Ontario, and Holy Transfiguration Church in Kirkland Lake, Ontario (all in about1954). One year later (1955), he helped to establish Saint Nicholas Church in Ottawa, Ontario ; and then the following year (1956), he established the community of Saint Seraphim of Sarov in Rawdon, Québec. It seems that it was also through his personal contacts (and the blessing of the bishop) that he was able to bring to Canada various clergy to care for these communities.

Theodore Koulomzine

It is quite evident that Dr. Theodore Koulomzine was instrumental in the development not only of this parish, but also of the other 3 in the Abitibi region. This assertion is supported by the fact that his post-office box was the first mailing address ; that the Temple of Saint Nicholas was built next to his home, and that when he moved to Montréal, Archpriest David Shevchenko lived in that house. It is probable that Theodore Koulomzine was involved in the architectural designing of this Temple. The other Temples (erected in Rouyn, and in Kearns) resembled the Temple in Val-d’Or in essence, although they had extensions on the west end which allowed for a larger narthex/vestibule, above which was a belfry.

Theodore Iakovlevich Koulomzine was brother to Nikita, Yaroslav, Ekaterina, Ekaterina, Elizaveta, and Seraphima Koulomzine. This family had originated in the Kostroma Governorate of the Russian Empire, and they were active in Saint Petersburg. They had become refugees after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. This family also understood the situation of the current refugees.

Establishment of the parish, 1954

The development of the parish of Holy Transfiguration in Kirkland Lake was directly related to the development of the parish of Saint Nicholas in Val-d’Or. Between Father Oleg Boldireff and Theodore Koulomzine, as the plans were developing towards the establishment of the missions in Rouyn, and Kearns.

Archpriest Theodore (Fyodor) Oustoutchenkov

In 1954, Father Theodore Oustoutchenkov had arrived in Canada from displaced person camps in Europe, and he had been assigned to serve in Abitibi by Bishop Nikon (de Grève) of Toronto and Canada.

As with the other Temples, Father Oustoutchenkov supervised the erection of this small Russian Orthodox Temple designed along the lines of traditional architectural principles with 2 cupolas (one over the nave, and one over the belfry).

The building plans were designed by Théodore I Koulomzine engineer-geologist of Val-d’Or. The essential space of this Temple (as with the ones in Kirkland Lake and in Kearns) was similar to that in Val-d’Or ; but whereas the Temple of Saint Nicholas in Val-d’Or had a simple entry, those of Rouyn and Kirkland Lake each had an extended entrance which provided a vestibule, over which there was a belfry. Each of them was unique. Besides the construction, Father Theodore was responsible for making the iconostas. He had already done this in Val-d’Or, and Rouyn, and then in Kearns and in Kirkland Lake. He made and decorated this iconostas with his own hands and hand-tools.

An iconostas is a large screen with 3 doors, separating the Altar from the nave, which is covered with icons, and behind which the priest leads the services during religious ceremonies.

Bereavement, 1957

In 1957, Father Theodore Oustoutchenkov fell asleep in the Lord unexpectedly.

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.

Archpriest David Shevchenko, 1957

In 1957, Archpriest David Shevchenko was assigned to serve the Orthodox Christian communities of Val d’Or, Rouyn, Kearns/McGarry, and Kirkland Lake. He did so from Val-d'Or by bus.

Scholar, specialist in Russian military and political history, writer of personal memoirs for Columbia University in New York, David Shevchenko was ordained a priest at the age of 54. Significantly, he concluded each Divine Liturgy with a prayer for the tsar.

Bereavement, 1982

On 16 April, 1982, Archpriest David Shevchenko fell asleep in the Lord in Val-d’Or, Québec, at the age of 90.

The Funeral Services for the Burial of a Priest were offered in the Temple of Saint Nicholas at Val-d’Or.

It was reported that, following the funeral obsequies in Val-d’Or, the body of Archpriest David Shevchenko was transported to a cemetery in Toronto, Ontario, for interment.

Father David Shevchenko had served this community faithfully and diligently for 25 years, as he did also the other 3 communities in the Abitibi region.

Because of the small number of Faithful who now remained in the Abitibi region, no priest was assigned to replace Father David. Therefore, all 4 parishes (which were in a similar condition by then) were affected.

In the case of Kirkland Lake, the Temple of Holy Transfiguration remained as it was, albeit neglected, for almost 30 years until it was demolished by the city authorities. There had been one remaining parishioner in Kirkland Lake until the late 1990s, after which he reposed in Christ.