Rawdon QC Our Lady of Kazan Russian Orthodox Church 1963

Rawdon, Québec, Our Lady of Kazan Russian Orthodox Church, 1963

Prehistory

Matawinie County

The region of Metawinie County (Lanaudière Region), Rawdon, Québec, Canada, was settled first by Irish squatters, and then by Scottish, English, Loyalist, and French-Canadian settlers.

From the 1840s on, French-speakers became the majority.

In the 1920s, the arrival of various Slavic ethnic communities began : Russians, Poles, Ukrainians, and others. In time, they formed a unique mosaic. In recognition of this reality, there is a public “multicultural square” and a multiculturalism festival. The many existing churches (Roman Catholic, Anglican, Orthodox, etc.) testify to this mosaic.

Rawdon became one of the main vacationing centres of the region and, due to the nearby Rouge and Ouareau rivers, it is well-known for its waterfalls and waterways.

It is here that the foothills of the Laurentian Mountains begin, and the region came to offer skiing facilities.

History of Rawdon

Rawdon township was established in 1799, and named after Sir Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings, England. The town of Rawdon was home to people primarily of Irish background up until 1844, when more and more French-Canadians settled the region, and small shops and industries emerged.

Following World War I (1914-1918) and the 1917 October Revolution in Russia, a considerable number of Russian, Ukrainian, and Byelorussian noble families arrived to settle in its countryside.

Rawdon was originally part of Montcalm County. From 1920 to 1998, there were 2 separate municipalities named “Rawdon” : the township of Rawdon, and the village of Rawdon. In 1998, they were united into a single municipality.

Geography of the region

Rawdon is located at the beginning of the Canadian Shield (Laurentian Shield) mountains. Its lakes and mountains became a destination for summer tourism with its many camps and cottages. Very near Rawdon are the Dorwin and Manchester falls, as well as an artificial Rawdon Lake. In summer, temperatures can reach as high as 35 °C (95 °F), while temperatures can be as low as −30 °C (−22 °F).

First Orthodox Temple in Rawdon, 1952

From 1952, there had been established the community of Saint Seraphim of Sarov, based on the domestic chapel of Archpriest Oleg and Matushka Natalia Boldireff. This led to the establishment of the Russian Orthodox Cemetery in 1962, and the construction of a larger Temple of Saint Seraphim at the cemetery site.

Establishment of the Our Lady of Kazan Russian Orthodox Church, 1963

Having seen the development of the Saint Seraphim community, the parishioners of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad decided that they also wanted to have their own chapel in Rawdon, and they set about organising to build one.

In 1963, a first chapel, dedicated to Our Lady of Kazan (named after a well-known Russian icon of the Mother of God) was constructed near the entrance to the village.

This wooden church burned in 1972.

Second Temple, 1974

Quickly, there was a movement to rebuild. By 1974, the new Temple (with the same dedication) had been constructed with concrete blocks covered with plaster. It was developed in accordance with a plan by the architect Georges Glimin, builder of many Orthodox Temples in the USA. This Temple of the Theotokos of Kazan came to contain Holy Icons written by Bishop Alipiy (Gamanovich) of Chicago, Illinois, as well as Alexander Shelikov, a renowned iconographer who settled in Montréal. He had painted the icons for the iconostas, and a large number of icons for the Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Montréal.

Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Montréal

However, in 1998, everything was lost in the fire that devastated the cathedral. The fire was associated with a catastrophic freezing-rain storm which paralysed much of eastern Canada in January, 1998. Now, the only icons of Vladyka Alipiy remaining are in the Our Lady of Kazan chapel in Rawdon.

Iconostas in the Temple

The Rawdon community of Our Lady of Kazan does not have a priest resident in Rawdon. The chapel is served by priests from Montréal, especially in the summer season.

The services of worship are principally in Church Slavonic.

Our Lady of Kazan Temple Photos

The Temple on the Altar Feast-day

Particular chapel information

This Temple-chapel is part of the Diocese of Montréal and Canada, of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. The bishop is Archbishop Gabriel (Chemodakov).

This community follows the Old (Julian) Calendar.

The Altar Feast-day of the Temple is the Feast of the Holy Kazan Icon of the Theotokos, 8/21 July, and 22 October/4 November.

Address :

Our Lady of Kazan Russian Orthodox Church

3836, Sunshine Road Rawdon, Québec J0K 1S0

Telephone : 450-834-7116

Directions :

By bus :

Travel to Rawdon by Autobus "Gaudreault Inc." from Station de Metro Radisson in Montréal (7155 and 7250, Sherbrooke Street East, Montréal, Québec, H1N 1E3).

By car :

From downtown Montréal, drive westwards on Autoroute Ville Marie (Route #136). Follow the signs leading to Highway #15 North (Décarie Expressway). After passing Rue Jean-Talon Ouest, keep right and follow the signs to Autoroute #40 Est and Autoroute #15 Nord. Very soon, follow the signs for the exit for Autoroute #15 Nord. Follow Autoroute #15 Nord. After passing Boulevard Saint-Martin Ouest (in Laval), keep to the right, and take the exit for Autoroute #440. This becomes Autoroute #25 Nord. Continue on Autoroute #25 Nord. At Saint-Esprit, follow the signs for Route #125 Nord. This is a left turn. Follow Route #125 Nord as far as Rawdon. Take the exit to the right for 6e Avenue. This is also Route #337. Pass the crossing of Montée Hamilton (to the right) and Chemin Vincent Massey (to the left). At the next turning to the left, turn left onto Sunshine Road. The Temple is on the right, before Rue Pine Hill.

Temple sign

References

Seide, Gernot, “History of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia from its Beginnings to the Present : Part IV, Chapter 1.5 – The Dioceses in Canada” (rocorstudies.org)

Orthodox Pages of the Transfiguration : The Orthodox communities of Abitibi and Rawdon (Quebec)

Additional information :

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.

Orthodox World reference to Our Lady of Kazan Russian Orthodox Church, Rawdon

Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) listing, Montréal, Québec

Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Montréal reference to Our Lady of Kazan Chapel.

Église Notre Dame de Kazan ROCOR listing, Rawdon, Québec

Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) web-site

Orthodoxwiki article about the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia

Wikipedia article about the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia

Web-site of the Russian Orthodox Canadian Diocese of Montréal (ROCOR)

Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky)

Metropolitan Vitaly (Ustinov)

Metropolitan Laurus (Skurla)

Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral)