Winnipeg MB Saint George’s Romanian Orthodox Church 1962: Difference between revisions
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During these years there was an arrival of newcomers from Romania, and a renewed interest in maintaining direct contacts with the Orthodox Church in Romania. There were concerns amongst the original founders regarding the Communist Government in power at that time in Romania, and the persecution of the Romanian Orthodox Church which had been in progress already for some time. These sensitivities resulted in a distinction between the 2 parts of the Romanian Orthodox community in Winnipeg. | During these years there was an arrival of newcomers from Romania, and a renewed interest in maintaining direct contacts with the Orthodox Church in Romania. There were concerns amongst the original founders regarding the Communist Government in power at that time in Romania, and the persecution of the Romanian Orthodox Church which had been in progress already for some time. These sensitivities resulted in a distinction between the 2 parts of the Romanian Orthodox community in Winnipeg. | ||
Although the people remained cordial with one another, it was decided in 1968 that the part of the community which was of Saint George would belong to the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, and that the part which became that of Saint Demetrios would belong to the North American Diocese of the Romanian Orthodox Church. | Although the people remained cordial with one another, it was decided in 1968 that the part of the community which was of Saint George would belong to the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, and that the part which became that of [Winnipeg MB Saint Demetrios the Myrrh-streamer Romanian Orthodox Church 1968 Saint Demetrios] would belong to the North American Diocese of the Romanian Orthodox Church. | ||
==Purchasing the Temple, 1969== | ==Purchasing the Temple, 1969== | ||
Latest revision as of 02:14, 20 May 2026
Winnipeg, MB, Saint George’s Romanian Orthodox Church, 1962
Prehistory
On 27 November, 1961, a group of families in the Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, area met together, and they decided to organise a community. Most of the families had a spouse who was of Romanian Orthodox background, but many of the marriages were of mixed nationality and/or mixed faith. Furthermore, the great majority of those of Romanian Orthodox background had arrived in Winnipeg from various rural sites, mostly in Manitoba. They wished to worship together in their native Romanian language, and to support each other in the day-to-day customs which support the Orthodox Christian way of life..
The first priest was Father Virgil Parvanescu (†2001), and Archbishop Valerian (Trifa) made his first pastoral visit to the community on 19 August, 1962. Father Virgil served the community until 1964.
Founding the parish, 1962
The parish of Saint George was officially founded on 23 September, 1962.
From 1964-1969, services were provided by Archimandrite Martinian (Ivanovici), who came from out of town. The services were held in various Orthodox Temples in Winnipeg.
During these years there was an arrival of newcomers from Romania, and a renewed interest in maintaining direct contacts with the Orthodox Church in Romania. There were concerns amongst the original founders regarding the Communist Government in power at that time in Romania, and the persecution of the Romanian Orthodox Church which had been in progress already for some time. These sensitivities resulted in a distinction between the 2 parts of the Romanian Orthodox community in Winnipeg.
Although the people remained cordial with one another, it was decided in 1968 that the part of the community which was of Saint George would belong to the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, and that the part which became that of [Winnipeg MB Saint Demetrios the Myrrh-streamer Romanian Orthodox Church 1968 Saint Demetrios] would belong to the North American Diocese of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
Purchasing the Temple, 1969
In the autumn of 1969, an old Protestant church building was purchased and renovated for use by an Orthodox community. It had a hall in the basement of the building.
In 1969, a recent convert, the Priest Brendan O’Keefe, served the parish under the mentorship of Father Parvanescu.
Archbishop Valerian (Trifa) sanctified the Temple on 27 September, 1970. During this visit, he also ordained , Saskatchewan Deacon Daniel Nenson of Regina, Saskatchewan to the Holy Priesthood. The Priest Daniel Nenson was assigned to serve in Saskatchewan before being assigned to Saint Mary's Romanian Orthodox community in Calgary, Alberta.
At this time, Saint George’s Church became the first Orthodox parish in Canada to offer the full cycle of the worship in the manner of the Orthodox Christian Faith, using the English language.
In 1970, after the departure of Father Brendan O’Keefe, Father Mirone Klysh was assigned to be the temporary administrator of the parish. As happens in many cases, “temporary” became “permanent”. Father Mirone Klysh continued to serve the parish through his declared retirement date more than 45 years later. He and his wife Lillian, their 3 children, and their families were always active in the parish and they worked as a “team”. Father Mirone, who had been previously educated at Saint Andrew’s College in Winnipeg, and who had graduated from it, continued to pursue not only his desire to teach, but also his burning concern to help Orthodox Christians of all sorts work together as one family. Father Mirone indeed dedicated himself to the teaching of the Orthodox Christian Faith, and to the unity of Orthodox Christians in Canada. Under his pastorship, the parish has become a mission to Canadians of all backgrounds.
Saint Arseny Institute, 2002
As a direct result of Father Mirone's concern about providing a proper education both to parishioners and to candidates for ordination, the Saint Arseny Orthodox Christian Institute came into being in Winnipeg in 2002. Father Anthony Estabrooks (formerly a parishioner of Saint George's) became the director of the institute, and Father Mirone became the registrar. Other clergy in Winnipeg and other parts of Canada are also involved.
In 1970, the Ladies Auxiliary of Saint George’s Church was founded.
From the 1970s until 1995, the parish offered spiritual hospitality to the Coptic Orthodox Christians who had begun to arrive in number from Egypt. The space in the Temple was used by the Coptic Orthodox for their services until they were able to purchase their own property.
Priest Joseph MacLellan
In 1984, Father Joseph MacLellan (†2010) was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Metropolitan Vladimir (Nagosky) on behalf of Archbishop Valerian (Trifa) at Saint George’s Church. His wife, Martha, and their 7 children were present on that occasion. He had previously graduated from Saint Andrew’s College in Winnipeg. He was assigned to serve as the assistant priest at Saint George’s. He served also as parish priest on loan to Saint Sava’s Serbian Orthodox Church for 5 years.
Michael Lupu, deacon and priest
In 1985, Michael Lupu was ordained to the Holy Diaconate. Since he lived in Thompson, Manitoba at that time, he served the Greek/Ukrainian parish there.
In 1988, Deacon Michael Lupu was ordained to the Holy Priesthood in Toronto, Ontario. He was assigned to serve as the parish priest of the Nativity of the Ever-Virgin Mary (Saint Mary) Romanian Orthodox Church in Calgary, Alberta.
In 1992, Priest Joseph MacLellan was assigned to serve the Church of Saint Elias in Lennard, Manitoba, with the several other Temples nearby. Meanwhile, in order to support his family and to support his pastoral service, he worked for the Greater Winnipeg Gas Company for 34 years. He lived and worked in Winnipeg, and he travelled weekly to fulfil his responsibilities until the time of his retirement in 2003.
Construction of a new Temple
In 1983, a new church building with a capacity for 200 people was constructed on land beside the original facility.
Temple interior
Deacon Clayton Michael Ungrin
In 2004, Clayton Michael Ungrin was ordained to the Holy Diaconate. He was assigned to serve in Saint George’s parish. He and his wife Preoteasa Colleen have been blessed with 3 children.
Bereavement, 2010
On 28 July, 2010, Priest Joseph MacLellan fell asleep in the Lord in Winnipeg. He had suffered from heart trouble for a long time.
The Hierarchical Liturgy and the Funeral Services for the Burial of a Priest followed on Tuesday, 3 August, at 9:30 a.m. at the Temple with Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp). He was assisted by Priests Mirone Klysh and Michael Lupu, Deacon Michael Ungrin, and Protodeacon Raphael Cole, and other clergy.
In 2016, there are approximately 82 voting members representing more than 130 adults and children from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, who desire to worship in English. Nevertheless, marriages have been officiated in Arabic, Coptic, English, French, Greek, Portuguese, Romanian, Slavonic, and Ukrainian.
Iconostas ; Protopresbyter Mirone Klysh
Renovation, 2016
In 2016, an addition was made to the existing church building. It includes 3 classrooms, an office, a library and an elevator.
On 5-6 November, 2016, Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp) visited the parish. At the Divine Liturgy, Deacon Clayton Michael Ungrin was ordained to the Holy Priesthood. He was assigned to serve the parish as the Priest-in-charge.
Sunday of Orthodoxy 2018 : children
Bereavement, 2019
On Sunday, 20 October, 2019, Preoteasa Lillian (nee Kapetz) Klysh, beloved wife of Father Mirone Klysh, fell asleep in the Lord at the Grace Hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
A Memorial Service was celebrated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, 27 October, 2019, in Saint George's Orthodox Church in Transcona, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
On Monday, 28 October, 2019, at 10:00 a.m., the Funeral Service for the Burial of a Lay-person was celebrated in the church. The celebrant was Father Michael Ungrin. Pallbearers were her grandchildren.
Preoteasa Lillian was survived by her husband, Father Mirone Klysh ; her daughter Marianne (Ihor) ; her son Myron (Marion) ; her son Bill ; her grandchildren, Michael, Maria (Peter), Matthew, Christina, Ashton, and Tianna ; her sister, Shirley ; and cousins, nieces and nephews in Canada. She was survived also by sisters-in-law, Lesia, Mary, Nancy and Mary Ann ; her brothers-in-law William and Nicholas ; and by other relatives in the United States.
She was predeceased by her parents William, and Annie ; her in-laws Theodore and Emilia Klysh ; her sisters Mary, and Matilda ; her brothers Nick, Peter. and Michael ; herbrothers-in-law Fred, William, Cyprian, Theodore, and Stewart ; her sisters-in-law Margaret, and Margaret ; and by other relatives from the Kapetz and Klysh families.
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, and in this case, the University of Manitoba, 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, all the parishes were required to close for a time. Teaching was greatly disturbed by the situation, until the danger subsided.
As elsewhere, there was some controversy about the legal requirements.
Ordination of Bishop Andrei (Hoarste), 2020
On 1 February, 2020, at the Romanian Orthodox Cathedral of Saint George in Southfield, Michigan, Archimandrite Andrei (Hoarste) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate. He was ordained by Metropolitan Tikhon (Mollard) ; Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp) ; Metropolitan Gregory (Tatsis) of Nyssa (of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of North America) ; Metropolitan Nicolae (Condrea) (of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of America and Canada of the Patriarchate of Romania) ; Archbishop Benjamin (Peterson) of San Francisco ; Archbishop Irénée (Rochon) of Ottawa ; Archbishop Michael (Dahulich) of New York ; Archbishop Alexander (Golitzin) of Dallas ; Archbishop David (Mahaffey) of Sitka ; Bishop Paul (Gassios) of Chicago ; and Bishop Alexis (Trader) of Bethesda.
He was assigned to serve as Vicar-Bishop of the Romanian Episcopate, and Vicar for the Parishes of the Vicariate of the Romanian Episcopate in Canada.
An attempt at pastoral change, 2023
In February, 2023, Igumen Vladimir (Lysak) accepted to become parish priest in Saint George's Orthodox Church.
Therefore, he was transferred from the Omophor of Archbishop Irenée (Rochon) and the Archdiocese of Canada, and he was transferred to the Omophor of Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp) and the Romanian Episcopate of The Orthodox Church in America.
He served the parish faithfully. However, there were difficulties which became insurmountable. On 21 December, 2023, Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp) released him from his service in the parish.
Thereafter, the pastoral care of the parish returned to the "status quo ante", as it was before.
The main concern of the parish priest and the parishioners continues to be missionary outreach to non-Orthodox Canadians, and well as the welcoming care of those Orthodox who wish to worship in the English language. At the same time, the parish offers a variety of instructional programmes and fellowship activities for its members and their families.
Particular parish information
The liturgical language used is the English language.
This parish is a part of the western deanery of the Vicariate of Canada of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America. The vicar is the Bishop Andrei Hoarste. The dean is the Priest Nicolae Lapuste. The bishop is Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp).
This parish follows the New (Revised Julian) Calendar.
The Altar Feast-day of the Temple is the Feast of the Great-Martyr and Trophy-bearer George, 23 April.
In 2023, the pastor of the parish is Priest Clayton Michael Ungrin. Protopresbyter Mirone Klysh remains in the parish in retirement as emeritus parish priest.
Address :
George’s Romanian Orthodox Church
121, Harvard Avenue East
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R2C 0L9
Telephone : 204-222-1116
Web-site : http://www.stgeorgewinnipeg.com
Directions :
By car :
From western Canada :
Drive on the Trans-Canada Highway #1 to the Perimeter Highway #100 ; turn right on the Perimeter Highway, drive to Lagimodière Boulevard (#20) ; exit the circle on Lagimodière Boulevard to Regent Avenue (#37) ; turn right on Regent Avenue, and drive to Day Street ; turn left on Day Street, and drive to Harvard Avenue East ; turn right on Harvard Avenue East, and drive to #121.
From eastern Canada :
Drive on the Trans-Canada Highway #1 to Lagimodière Boulevard (#20) ; turn right on Lagimodière Boulevard, drive to Regent Avenue (#37) ; turn right on Regent Avenue, and drive to Day Street ; turn left on Day Street, and drive to Harvard Avenue East ; turn right on Harvard Avenue East, and drive to #121.
From the south (and from the United States) :
Drive on the Pembina Highway #75 to Perimeter Highway #100 ; turn right (east) on the Perimeter Highway and drive to Lagimodière Boulevard (#20) ; exit the circle on Lagimodière Boulevard and drive to Regent Avenue (#37) ; turn right on Regent Avenue, and drive to Day Street ; turn left on Day Street, and drive to Harvard Avenue East ; turn right on Harvard Avenue East, and drive to #121.
From the north :
Drive on the Winnipeg Perimeter Highway #100 to Lagimodière Boulevard (#20) ; turn right on Lagimodière Boulevard, and drive to Regent Avenue (#37) ; turn left on Regent Avenue, and drive to Day Street ; turn left on Day Street, and drive to Harvard Avenue East ; turn right on Harvard Avenue East, and drive to #121.
By bus :
Consult Winnipeg Transit for routes and times.
There is bus service on routes #46, #47, #48, #49, #89, #90.
138, McKay Road
Narol, Manitoba
R1C 0A5
Telephone : 204-661-3978
E-mail : cungrin@shaw.ca
Protopresbyter Mirone R Klysh, retired
3, Prestwood Place
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3T 4Y9
Telephone : 204-269-3743
E-mail : lklysh@shaw.ca
References
Bugea, Eleanor, “Romanians in Canada” (Michigan : Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, 2009), p. 148. ISBN : 978-1-929200-14-6.
Additional information :
Bobango, Gerald J, “The Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America : The first half Century, 1929-1979” (Jackson, MI : Romanian-American Heritage Center, 1979). ASIN : B0000EBRQ6.
Klysh, Protopresbyter Mirone, “Orthodox Christians in Manitoba”
Patterson, G J, ‘Romanians’, in “Encyclopedia of Canada's Peoples”, Magocsi, P R (ed.) (Toronto : University of Toronto Press, 1999).
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.
Saint George Romanian Orthodox Church web-site
Romanian Orthodox Episcopate listing
The Romanian Orthodox Vicariate of Canada web-site
Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America (ROEA) web-site
Orthodoxwiki article "Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America (OCA)"
Wikipedia article "Orthodox Church in America Romanian Episcopate"
Orthodox Church in America (OCA) listing
Orthodox Church in America (OCA) web-site
Orthodoxwiki article about the Orthodox Church in America
Greatmartyr, Victory-bearer and Wonder-worker Saint George
(Belavin) Archbishop (Saint) Tikhon (Belavin)
Archbishop Alexander (Nemolovsky)
Archbishop Evdokim (Meschersky)
Metropolitan Platon (Rozhdestvensky)
Metropolitan Leonty (Turkevich)
Metropolitan Theodosius (Lazor)
Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen)
Archimandrite Martinian (Ivanovici)
Manitoba Historical Society : Saint George Orthodox Church
Saint Arseny Institute administration
Canadian Encyclopaedia article about Romanian Canadians
General information about Romanians in Canada
Article about the Coptic Orthodox
“Solia – The Herald”, official publication of the Romanian Episcopate of America
History of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America
“Winnipeg Free Press” Obituary of Priest Joseph MacLellan (28 July, 2010)
‘Divinely Designed’ in “Winnipeg Free Press” ( 8 November, 2014)
Archpastoral Visit of Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp) to Saint George Romanian Church, Winnipeg (1 February, 2016)
In Memoriam : Preoteasa Lilian Klysh (20 October, 2019)
Episcopal Ordination of Archimandrite Andrei Hoarste (1 February, 2020)
‘Archpastoral Letter of Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp) for Pascha’ (Winter, 2023) in "Solia" – "The Herald", pp. 3-4.
Video (2023) : Bishop Polycarp Morusca : the first Romanian Orthodox Bishop of America
Please send your suggestions, additions, corrections or contributions to this address :
info@orthodoxcanada.ca