Marcelin SK †Saint John the Baptiser Romanian Orthodox Church 1909/1939

Marcelin, Saskatchewan, Saint John the Baptiser Romanian Orthodox Church, 1909/1939

This parish is also known as :

Blaine Lake, Saskatchewan, Saint John the Baptiser Romanian Orthodox Church

Baptiser may be spelt Baptist.

Dobrogea may be spelt Dobruja.

Bugea may be spelt Bujea.

Prehistory of the parish

Marcelin, Saskatchewan, Canada, is a village in the Rural Municipality of Blaine Lake No. 434. It is located about 98 km north from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. This settlement began around 1900, it was named in 1904, and it became a village in 1911.

In 1908, Archimandrite Eughenie Ungureanu reported to the Metropolitan of Iași in Moldavia, Romania (at that time, the Kingdom of Romania), that during a visit to Marcelin, Saskatchewan, Canada, he found 25 Romanian Orthodox families in that region. He reported that most of the families had emigrated from the Dobrogea region of Romania.

While he was in Marcelin, he baptised many, he blessed marriages, he heard confessions, he served the Divine Liturgy, and he gave Holy Communion (the Holy Mysteries) to the Faithful.

In his 15 October, 1909, report to the Metropolitan of Moldavia, Archimandrite Eughenie reported that there were 4 parishes asking for priests, and he assured the bishop that they had sufficient funds to support a priest. During the subsequent years, priests travelled from Alberta, and from Southern Saskatchewan to care for the Orthodox Christians in the Marcelin region.

Although services had begun to be provided, there was not yet either a permanent church building, nor a resident priest.

Construction of the Temple

It was in 1938 that the Temple of Saint John the Baptiser was constructed. The Temple was sanctified in the following year, 1939.

Priests who cared for this Temple and the parishioners travelled to serve there from Kayville, Wood Mountain, and Regina, in Saskatchewan ; and from Hairy Hill, and Boian, in Alberta.

In 1944, Priest Vasile Toma served in this parish.

In 1945, the parish had 21 voting members, and 103 parishioners. The president was Vista Banda, and the cantor was Ilie Pampu.

In 1959, the parish was cared for by Priest Dumitru Diaconascu, who also represented the parish at the diocesan assembly in 1966.

In 1986, the parish council president was James Banda. The cantor was Victor Bold.

Saint John the Baptiser Romanian Orthodox Cemetery

Although it is not so written, it seems that the Saint John the Baptiser Romanian Orthodox Cemetery was established at about the same time as the construction of the Temple, that is, in 1938. They are on the same territory.

The first interment listed was in 1943.

There is some lack of clarity about the address of the cemetery, so that it appears that there are 2 instead of 1. (It may be that there are 2 cemeteries ; but despite the variation in address description, the names listed are identical.)

The Temple

The cemetery

The First listing :

GPS Coordinates : 52.96362, -107.02117

The Second listing :

GPS Coordinates : 52.963553, -107.021272

It is indicated that the cemetery is also known as the “Moon Hills Ukrainian Cemetery”

Address :

Saint John the Baptist Romanian Orthodox Cemtery

Marcelin, Blaine Lake

RM Leask #464

SE 13-46-8 W3

Saskatchewan

S0J 0J0

In 2026, it seems that this parish is no longer listed, and that it was abandoned.

Particular parish information

This parish is part of the Western Deanery of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada, of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas, in the Patriarchate of Romania. The bishop is Bishop Ioan-Casian (Tunaru).

This parish follows the New (Revised Julian) Calendar.

The Altar Feast-day of this parish is the Feast of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, 24 June.

References

Bugea, Eleanor, “Romanians in Canada” (Michigan : Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, 2009). ISBN : 978-1-929200-14-6.

McLennan, David “Our Towns : Saskatchewan Communities from Abbey to Zenon Park” (Regina, Saskatchewan : Canadian Plains Research Center, 2008). ©2008 Canadian Plains Research Center. ISBN: 978-0-88977-209-0.

Sandulescu, Archpriest George,’'Saskatchewan’s Romanian Orthodox Communities Including Dysart, Wood Mountain, Kayville, Assiniboia, Pierceland, Regina’ in “SGS (Saskatchewan Genealogical Society) Bulletin”, vol. 19, no. 1, 1988.

Additional information :

Anderson, Alan, “Settling Saskatchewan” (Regina : University of Regina Press, 2013).

Anderson, Alan, ‘Ethnic Block Settlements in Saskatchewan’ in “Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan”

‘Archimandrite Eughenie (Ungurianu)’ in “Romanians in Canada”, pp. 89, 113.

Pacurariu, Mircea, ‘Romanian Christianity’ in “The Blackwell Companion to Eastern Christianity” (Oxford : John Wiley & Sons, 2007). ISBN 10 : 0631234233 ; ISBN 13 : 9780631234234.

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.

Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada web-site

Orthodoxwiki article about the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America and Canada

Orthodoxwiki article about the Church of Romania

Wikipedia article about the Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of the Americas

Patriarch Miron (Cristea)

Patriarch Nicodim (Munteanu)

Patriarch Justin (Moisescu)

Patriarch Teoctist (Arăpașu)

Patriarch Daniel Ciobotea

Metropolitan Pimen (Georgiescu)

Archbishop Victorin (Ursache)

Metropolitan Nicolae (Condrea)