New Westminster BC Holy Trinity Romanian Orthodox Church 1986

New Westminster, British Columbia, Holy Trinity Romanian Orthodox Church, 1986

Prehistory

During the 1980s, there was an increase in immigration from Romania to Canada. The number of Romanians in the Vancouver region of the lower mainland of British Columbia increased sufficiently that the Romanian Orthodox began to find one another as they worshipped in other parishes, and they began to desire to develop a specifically parish Romanian Orthodox Christian parish.

Establishing the community, 1986

The Romanian Orthodox Parish of the Holy Trinity was first organised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1986.

First location for worship, 1988

From 1988-1990, the community leased the upper part of the parish hall of Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Sobor in Vancouver. Subsequently, other sites were found in Vancouver, in which the community steadily developed.

From 1991, the Priest Nicolae Lapuste has been the pastor of this parish.

New premises, 2006

In due course, in 2006, it became possible to purchase the present building in New Westminster. It had previously belonged to the Palestinian-Syrian mission of Mar Elias, of the Archdiocese of Canada of The Orthodox Church in America (OCA), but the mission had eventually closed. Then, it seemed that the building would be demolished. However, it was rescued, renovated and renewed by this parish. The Fraser River is nearby this Temple, which is located at the corner of Carnarvon and Merivale Streets.

Not long afterwards, the parishioners worked diligently in order to purchase and provide an iconostas with Holy Icons, a Holy Table in the Altar, and also mural and ceiling iconography throughout the Temple. The Temple soon was rather "like at home" in its interior appearance.

Exterior, interior

Entrance

Interior ceiling iconography

Parish congregation

Great Entrance at the Divine Liturgy

The Nave, facing the Altar

The Nave, facing the entrance

The Holy Table in the Altar

Holy Water dispenser

On 9 March, 2014, Father Nicolae Lapuste participated with many other clergy of Greater Vancouver in the service of the Triumph of Orthodoxy at Saints Nicholas and Dimitrios Greek Orthodox Church.

Extension construction, 2017

By 2017, the community was ready to propose the construction of an extension to the hall which would continue the hall farther along Merivale Street.

'Parish hall

Sunday of Orthodoxy at Holy Trinity Church, March, 2019

In the evening of the First Sunday of Great Lent (the "Sunday of Orthodoxy", or the "Triumph of Orthodoxy"), 19 March, 2019, the parishioners of Holy Trinity Romanian Orthodox Church hosted the pan-Orthodox gathering of clergy and Faithful of Metropolitan Vancouver at Vespers in order to commemorate the end of Iconoclasm in the Eastern Roman Empire, and restoration of Holy Icons to the Church in 843.

Vespers of Orthodoxy, Vancouver clergy, 2019

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.

Preparations for the celebration of the Nativity of the Lord, 2022

In the usual fashion for the parish, there were many events in November and December which were part of the preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Christ on 25 December, 2022. These included a week-end on 26-27 November to recall the events of the Great Union of 1918 in Romanian history, and the marking of this union on the Romanian National Day of 1 December. This was a very important event in modern Romanian history, after which Romania included territories which resemble the modern country.

Catechesis was offered regularly, and the Mystery of Repentance (Confession) was also regularly available.

On 6 December, 2022, the Mystery of Holy Anointing was offered to all the Faithful round about at the Church of Saint Nicholas, on the Feast-day of Saint Nicholas.

On Sunday, 11 December, 2022, after the Divine Liturgy, the parish choir offered a programme of Christmas Carols. The singing of carols was repeated in the evening of 18 December.

Parish particular information

This parish belongs to the Western Deanery of the Canadian Vicariate of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, which is a diocese of The Orthodox Church in America. The Vicar-Bishop is Bishop Andrei Hoarste. The dean is the Archpriest Nicolae Lapuste. The bishop is Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp).

The liturgical language is principally Romanian, with some English used.

This parish follows the New (Revised Julian) Calendar.

The Altar Feast-day of this parish is the Feast of Pentecost.

In 2022, the rector of the parish is the Archpriest Nicolae Lapuste.

Address :

Bisericii Ortodoxa Romana Sfanta Treime/Holy Trinity Romanian Orthodox Church

220, Carnarvon Street

New Westminster, British Columbia

V3L 1B8

Telephone : 604-982-0677

Web-site : in Romanian ; in English

Facebook

E-mail : prnicolae@gmail.com

Directions :

From downtown Vancouver to downtown New Westminster is 20 km (12 mi). Between them is the city of Burnaby, and there is continuous habitation throughout.

By bus or SkyTrain :

Consult Vancouver TransLink.

The SkyTrain stop is Columbia Station. From the station and Fourth Street, walk along Clarkson Street for 2 blocks until Merivale Street, and turn left for 1 block. The Temple is on the right.

The Temple is at the corner of Carnarvon Street and Merivale Street.

By car :

From the South (USA border and Vancouver International Airport) :

Take Highway #99 North. Take exit 16 to merge onto Highway #91 north. Turn right on Marine Way. Continue on Stewardson Way to Columbia Street. Follow to 4th Street. The Temple is at the corner of Carnarvon Street and Merivale Street.

From the North and downtown hotels :

Take Highway #1 east to Exit 40A towards New Westminster. Drive on Columbia Street for 3 km (2.2 mi) and turn right at 4th Street. Turn right on Carnarvon Street. The Temple is at the corner of Carnarvon Street and Merivale Street.

From the West (Highway #101) :

Take Highway #1 east to Exit 40A towards New Westminster. Drive on Columbia Street for 3 km (2.2 mi) and turn right at 4th Street. Turn right on Carnarvon Street. The Temple is at the corner of Carnarvon Street and Merivale Street.

Parish sign