Toronto ON Saint Tikhon of Moscow Russian Orthodox Representation Church 2000
Toronto, Ontario, Church/Podvoriye in the Name of Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’, 2000
Prehistory
The parish of Saint Tikhon of Moscow in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, came into existence as one of the consequences of the rather large immigration of Russian-speaking people to Toronto both before and after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the establishment of the Russian Federation around the year 1990.
The transition had caused considerable economic hardship for many years. Adapting to life in Canada was far from easy, and the local, pre-existing parishes in the Toronto area were not quickly able to address completely the arrival of so many newly-arrived Russian-speakers. The 2 older Russian Orthodox parishes in Toronto (Christ the Saviour Orthodox Church and Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church) had established a dedicated group which helped very many persons with their immigration difficulties, but some of the newly-arrived persons felt that they had difficulty “fitting in”. Many of them had been relatively recent converts to the Orthodox Church before they emigrated. Many did not comprehend the complicated and confusing ecclesiastical situation in America (which had become so largely because of the complex consequences of the Bolshevik Revolution and 2 world wars).
In Toronto at that time, there were already at least 30 Orthodox Christian communities of various nationalities. The Russian-speakers began to talk amongst themselves about the possibility of establishing a new community.
Establishing the parish, 2000
On 28 December, 2000, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church decided to form a Representation Church (“podvoriye”, embassy) of the Russian Orthodox Church in Toronto. This decision was taken in accordance with the agreement between the Russian Orthodox Church and The Orthodox Church in America (OCA).
The opening of this parish had occurred in response to a long-standing request by a sufficiently large group of Russian-speaking residents of Toronto. This particular group had, in the previous 10-15 years, immigrated to the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) directly or indirectly from the former Soviet republics. They had experienced great upheavals in their lives, and they had passed through many difficulties. The leaders of this group acutely felt that they did not want to lose the direct spiritual connection with their homeland : its religion, its history, its culture. They felt this way despite the fact that there were other Russian Orthodox communities in Toronto (either with the OCA or with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR)), and despite the fact that many had attended either Christ the Saviour Russian Orthodox Sobor (OCA) or Holy Trinity Church (ROCOR). Indeed, these 2 communities had formed together a service-group "Russian Orthodox Immigrant Services" in order to help the newcomers. One of the leaders was Nicholas Leonidovitch Ignatieff.
There was already a rather large population of Russian-speakers in the region ; but this group strongly felt that they and their children were in a foreign land, and that without a Temple served directly by the Moscow Patriarchate, their community would simply not survive. Therefore, this group of Russian-speaking immigrant families organised themselves into a group of more than 100 people. They then wrote a letter to Patriarch Aleksey II (Ridiger) of Moscow and All Rus’, in which they urged the opening in Toronto of a parish of the Moscow Patriarchate.
Other early considerations
Because of the terms of the “Tomos of Autocephaly” which had been given in 1970 by the Moscow Patriarchate to the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church of North America, which established The Orthodox Church in America, it was not possible for the Moscow Patriarchate to open a parish independently in North America without the agreement of the OCA. Therefore, negotiations began, after which it was agreed that such a community could be formed under the same conditions by which the OCA had established a Representation Church in Moscow : the parish would belong to the local Church, but the rector would be sent from the mother Church. The main concern that had to be considered was how this representation would be related to the Metropolitan of the OCA, to whom it would be making a representation. Thus, although it is not officially listed as such, it is technically also a stavropegial institution directly related to the metropolitan and to the Holy Synod of Bishops of the OCA.
After having come to an agreement about these concerns with the Synod of Bishops of The Orthodox Church in America, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church decided to establish in Toronto a Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church, and that it be in the newly-formed parish in the name of Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’. The bishops also appointed the Archpriest Sergei Rasskazovskiy to be its rector.
First place of worship, 2000
At first, the community was able to meet only in a small Anglican cemetery church in Scarborough, (Saint Jude’s, Wexford). The community faced many difficulties, in particular because it was not able to have complete access to this small and old building. The space had to remain intact as an Anglican place of worship, and all icons and other Orthodox liturgical objects had to be removed after every service. Moreover, the community was not free to use the space at “normal” worship times. This situation continued for many years.
First site, Saint Jude cemetery church
Purchase of a Temple, 2009
At last, in October, 2009, it became possible for this community to purchase its own property. The Temple of the Greek Old Calendarist English-language Orthodox Church of Saint Joseph of Arimathea in North York was offered for sale, and the Russian-speaking community purchased it. That Old Calendarist community had moved to a larger space in Whitevale, Ontario, a Toronto suburb. That community had outgrown the space available, and another building had been purchased.
Since that time, this representation parish in Toronto has continued its life of worship and service in this new and appropriate building in North York.
The new Temple, 2009
Temporary iconostas
Iconostas
Regular parish services :
Services in this parish are conducted in the Church Slavonic language.
Saturday evenings, eves of feast-days : Vespers at 6:00 p.m.
Sundays and Feast-days : Divine Liturgy at 10:15 a.m.
Those who wish to receive Holy Communion should first have confessions on Saturday after Vespers or Sunday morning before Liturgy at 9:30 a.m.
Parish organisations
Church school
There has been a functioning Church school or Sunday school in the "Podvoriye" (representation parish) since 2011. Classes at the school are held on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There is a break from 11:50 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. In the school programme, there are the following items :
Russian language ; Russian literature ; Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture ; History of Russia in accordance with the programme of the 'comprehensive' school in Russia ; Law of God/catechesis.
Children are admitted to school from 6 years of age and, depending on their level of training, they are allocated to educational groups. Generally, classes about the fundamentals of Orthodox culture and Russian history are offered to junior and senior groups. Students of the 1st, 4th and 5th classes are taught Russian language and Russian literature. There are also classes on the subject matters listed by teachers who specialise in these subjects.
All the students take an active part in the Altar and in Christmas Feast-days, as well as in the pre-Lenten and Lenten observances. There is also a concert at the end of the school year. For each annual concert at the end of the school year, there is a presentation on one of the topics that have been studied for a year : on the Knights of Holy Russia ; a good relationship with people ; Church feasts ; Biblical stories of the Old and New Testaments ; historical events and famous battles of Russia. The children show great excitement and enthusiasm as the knowledge that they received in school during the school year is transferred to the stage in various performances.
On 13 January, 2018, at the close of the celebration of the Nativity of Christ, there was a festal dinner and programme at a large banquet hall at a nearby farmstead. The merry children's voices of the "Fontanel" choir opened the programme. This was followed by a musical performance of the Fairy-tale “Soul-Princess” by Monk Barnabas.
Children's performance
Particular parish information
This parish is part of the Parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in Canada. The bishop is Bishop Matthew (Andreev). This parish and its priest serve as a Representation Church in Toronto to the metropolitan of The Orthodox Church in America.
This parish follows the Old (Julian) Calendar.
The Altar Feast-day of this parish is the Feast of Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow, the Confessor (or Martyr).
In 2023, the pastor of this parish is the Archpriest Sergei Rasskazovskiy.
Address :
Saint Tikhon of Moscow Russian Orthodox Representation Church
275, Wilson Heights Boulevard
North York, Ontario
M3H 2V3
Telephone : 416-239-0525
Fax : 416-239-0525
Web-site : http://www.mprt.ca/
Directions :
Saint Tikhon of Moscow Russian Orthodox Church is situated in the Wilson Heights (Clanton Park) district of North York. It is found near Allen Road, north of Highway #401, and near to the interchange between the 2 expressways.
By car :
From Bathurst Street, turn westwards on Wilson Avenue. Turn right onto Wilson Heights Boulevard. The Temple is on the right.
From Dufferin Street (driving northwards), turn eastwards on Wilson Avenue. Turn left onto Wilson Heights Boulevard. The Temple is on the right.
From Highway #401, exit at Allen Road north, and take the first exit for Wilson Heights Boulevard. Keep right and turn onto Wilson Heights Boulevard. The Temple is on the left.
From Wilson Avenue or Sheppard Avenue, drive east to Wilson Heights Boulevard. From Wilson Avenue, turn left (north), or from Sheppard Avenue turn right (south) on Wilson Heights Boulevard. The Temple is on the east side of the road.
By bus or subway :
Consult the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). The Temple may be reached by the subway of the TTC. The nearest subway station is the Wilson Subway Station. There is also bus service.
By rail or air :
Toronto is accessible from eastern or western Canada, and from the USA by VIARail.
Toronto is accessible from most places in the world by air, and the flights arrive at the Pearson International Airport in the northwest part of the Greater Toronto Area.
Some few flights arrive at the Toronto Island Billy Bishop Airport.
Archpriest Sergei Rasskazovskiy
Telephones : 416-239-0525 ; 416-630-3100
Fax : 416-239-0525
E-mail : fr_sergei@hotmail.com
References
Moscow Patriarchate Parishes listing
Additional information :
Parish web-site (in English) ; (in Russian)
Pre-history of the Temple (Saint Joseph of Arimathea Church)
Moscow Patriarchate Parishes web-site
Wikipedia article about the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada
Orthodoxwiki article about the Russian Orthodox Church in Canada
“History of Patriarchal Parishes of Russian Orthodox Church in Canada”
Archdiocese of Canada web-site
Orthodoxwiki article about the Archdiocese of Canada
Orthodox Church in America web-site
article about The Orthodox Church in America
Russian Orthodox Church web-site
Orthodoxwiki article about the Russian Orthodox Church
Patriarch Aleksey II (Ridiger)
Metropolitan Theodosius (Lazor)
Archpriest Sergei Rasskazovskiy
Canadian Encyclopaedia article about the Orthodox Church
Wikipedia article about the Russian diaspora
Wikipedia article about Russian Canadians
Canadian Encyclopaedia article about Russian Canadians
Wikipedia List of Orthodox Christian Parishes in Toronto, Ontario
Orthodox Churches of Toronto : St Tikhon of Moscow Russian Orthodox Representation Church
Easter Greetings from Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada] (24 April, 2022) (in Russian) (in English)
Paschal Message of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill to Archpastors, Pastors, Deacons, Monastics and all faithful Children of the Russian Orthodox Church (16 April, 2023)
Paschal Message of Bishop Matthew (Andreev) of Sourozh, Temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada (16 April, 2023)