Rhein SK Saint Elias Orthodox Church and Cemetery 1903

Rhein, Saskatchewan, Church and Cemetery in the Name of Saint Elias, 1903

Bucovina may be spelt Bukovina, Bukovyna.

Prehistory

The homesteaders who arrived in the region northeast of what is now Rhein, Saskatchewan, Canada, were amongst the multitude in Bucovina and Galicia in the Austro-Hungarian Empire who had responded to the enticements offered by Dr. Josef Oleskow in the 1890s. Those who settled in this particular region were primarily from the Bucovina region. However, those who were to construct this Temple seem to have been from the more northerly areas.

Establishment of the community, 1903

The settlement of this area had begun by 1900, but the Canadian government's rules regarding homesteading put considerable pressure on the recent-arrivals to fulfil these requirements in order to achieve ownership of the lands that they had been given. It was required of them to open a certain amount of land, and to construct certain buildings within a limited period of time. In addition, it was required that a new homesteader find an English person to vouch for him before the authorities. Despite the later dates given for the official establishment, the oral tradition indicates that some sort of temporary arrangement existed from the earliest times that provided a place for the people to gather and to pray.

The parish of Saint Elias in Rhein, Saskatchewan, was founded in 1903. Nevertheless, it is locally known that by 1902, there were 5 nearby communities who were constructing chapels or Temples, and this is one of that number.

When it was possible officially to do so, the land for the building and the cemetery was donated by Wasyl Palamaryk.

Because of this donation, the local nickname for this Temple and cemetery is "Palamaryk".

Construction of the Temple, 1909

The construction of the present Temple was completed in 1909-1912.

The founders of this parish include :

 Joseph Chorney ; Onufrey Chypha ; Wasyl Palamaryk ; Nicholas Popeniuk ; Michael Skutar ; Andrew Todoschuk.

As with its neighbouring Temples, this Temple continued to serve those who lived nearby for many decades. At any time that they wished to pray there, they could. When a priest was needed, they asked for one.

Group of early parishioners, before 1920

Rural depopulation

From the time of the 1930s and World War II, the population of the countryside began to diminish. Newer mechanised methods for farming reduced the need for some of the manual labour, children moved away for education, and farms began to be consolidated into larger operations. This process continued unabated, and it still continues.

By approximately 1980, there were too few parishioners remaining to have regular services, and the frequency of the services continued to decline.

As the rural population continued to decrease, and those who remained continued to age, there were continuously fewer who were able to care for the building-structure.

Dereliction

The Temple itself steadily declined because of lack of maintenance. By approximately 1980, there were too few parishioners remaining to be able to support regular services.

The church building then stood in ruin for many years. For the sake of respect for the sanctity of the Temple's contents, all the church items were eventually removed from the interior and taken to other, active, parishes.

Derelict

Restored

Restoration, 2015

However, in 2015, the exterior of this unique Hutsul-style Temple was repaired. Hutsuls are a people who inhabit a part of the Carpathian Mountains, mostly on the Ukrainian side towards the north. This area extends from the region of Bucovina to southeastern Poland. The Hutsuls worked mostly in forestry and logging, and they originated in several groups who fled to the mountains from one or another sort of oppression.

A study of the architecture of the region may be found in ‘Wooden Churches in the Carpathians: The Photographs of Florian Zapetal’, in “Harvard Ukrainian Studies”, and also in book form in German and in English.

An article about the restoration of the Temple follows :

Joe Achtemichuk loves his heritage. A Ukrainian by descent, he spent two years renovating a Ukrainian Orthodox
Church on his ancestral land in order to honour his family’s history in Rhein, Sask.

'St. Elias (Orthodox Church) came about because my family was very involved in its initial construction being
that my grandfather donated the land for it. My dad was crucial for getting the lumber for it,' said
Achtemichuk. 'I wanted to recognize them because they went through some extremely difficult times, especially
my grandfather who was part of the first wave of Ukrainian immigrants that came to Canada.'

Achtemichuk’s grandfather, Vasyl Palamaryk, left the Ukraine in 1900 to establish a homestead northeast of
Rhein. He donated a portion of his land for the church in 1907. Palamaryk’s son, Jacob Achtemichuk, donated
the spruce logs for its construction in 1912.

In 2011, Achtemichuk and his wife Tess along with his cousin, Winnipegger Horace Paulmark, began
reconstruction.

'When I drove by the church it appeared to be in a very bad state of disrepair. When I looked at it
initially, I thought the only thing that could be done was to give it some dignity and replace it with a
cairn,' said Achtemichuk.

After speaking with some locals, the retired pharmacist decided to preserve the church.

'(After closer inspection) I found out that it was repairable and in fact it was remarkably in good shape,
partly because the eaves of the building pushed the water away from the foundation of the church. The roof is
tin so it’s well preserved. The walls just needed some good paint,' he said.

St. Elias is a Canadian-take on Orthodox churches found in the Boyko region of the Ukraine, with a wide
midway eave between the ground and the roof, which protects the walls of the structure from the elements.
Apparently, there are very few of the Boyko-style churches left in the country that still contain the midway
eave.

It took the Achtemichuks and Paulmark two years and $4,000 to complete renovations by 2013.

For their work, Achtemichuk and Paulmark were awarded the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan
Heritage Architecture Excellence Award in the category of exterior restoration on June 11.

'It’s really a nice way to be recognized, especially for the little guys, because some of the projects
recognized were 10-year mega-bucks projects. So it was nice for us to be able to receive that', he said.

This isn’t the first time Achtemichuk has been involved in restoring Ukrainian heritage....

svjetlana.mlinarevic@sunmedia.ca

– 'Portage Daily Graphic' article (before-and-after photos were available at the top of the article)

Restoration award

Saint Elias Cemetery, 1903

This cemetery is also called the "Palamaryk Cemetery" in the Rhein District.

The cemetery is found at the Northeast corner of Land Description site NW04-28-01-W2 in the Rural Municipality of Sliding Hills, RM #273.

The first burial in the cemetery was in 1908.

In 2009, the cemetery contained approximately 69 graves. In 2023, the cemetery had 74 graves.

Saint Elias Temple and bell-house from the east

Saint Elias Temple and bell-house from the cemetery

Saint Elias Cemetery

Particular parish information

This parish is a part of the Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Nunavut Deanery of the Archdiocese of Canada of The Orthodox Church in America. The dean is the Archpriest Gregory Scratch. The bishop is Archbishop Irénée (Rochon).

This parish followed the Old (Julian) Calendar, but present-day services follow the New (Revised Julian) Calendar. These are associated with the cemetery and out-of-doors, since the interior of the Temple was not renovated.

The Altar Feast-day of the Temple is the Feast of the Holy Prophet Elias, 20 July/2 August.

In 2023, the cemetery is supervised by the Archpriest Rodion Luciuk of Yorkton, Saskatchewan.

Address :

Saint Elias Orthodox Church and Cemetery

Land Description Site NW04-28-01-W2

Rural Municipality of Sliding Hills #273, Saskatchewan

S0A 3K0

Directions :

From Yorkton, drive north on Highway #9 until Secondary Highway #309 (before Ebenezer). Turn right, and drive eastwards to Rhein. Otherwise, drive east on Highway #10 until Secondary Highway #637. Turn left, and drive northwards to Rhein.

Then drive 8 km (5 mi) east and 5 km (3 mi) north of Rhein.

The mailing address of the church and cemetery is that of the priest.

Archpriest Rodion Luciuk

10, Circlebrooke Drive

Yorkton, Saskatchewan

S3N 2T1

Telephone : 306-782-2482

E-mail : fatherrod@sasktel.net

References

Archdiocese of Canada – Orthodox Church in America, “The Orthodox Church in Canada : A Chronology” (Ottawa : Archdiocese of Canada, 1988).

A Chronological History of the Archdiocese of Canada, Part 1

“The Russian Mission in North America”

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.

Zapetal, Florian, ‘Wooden Churches in the Carpathians : The Photographs of Florian Zapetal’, in “Harvard Ukrainian Studies”, vol. 8, no. 3/4 (December, 1984), pp. 540-542. [Published by the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute and reviewed by Myroslava M Mudrak ; also found in book form in German and English, ISBN-13: 9783700303114 / ISBN: 3700303114.]

Original article

Additional information :

Stricker, Barron, et al, "Rhein Centennial History Book 1913-2013" (Rhein : 2013)

Virag, Lloyd and Rose, "Reflections of Ukraine : Ukrainian Churches of the Saskatchewan Countryside" (Saskatoon : Lloyd & Rose Virag, 2016). ISBN : 978-0-9950034-0-8.

Archdiocese listing

Archdiocese of Canada web-site

Orthodoxwiki article about the Archdiocese of Canada

OCA listing

Orthodoxwiki article about The Orthodox Church in America

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