Saint John’s NL Our Lady of Vladimir Orthodox Mission 2003

Saint John’s, Newfoundland, Mission of Our Lady of Vladimir, 2003

Prehistory

Before 2003, a few Orthodox Christian persons living in Saint John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, expressed an interest and a desire to the bishop (Bishop Seraphim (Storheim), of the Archdiocese of Canada, in The Orthodox Church in America (OCA)) that some sort of mission be established in the city. The principal persons amongst those interested were of Russian-speaking origin. Some were academics, others professionals, others Russian sailors. There was a very positive episcopal pastoral visit and a simple service, but the resources to establish a presence with a priest-in-charge were lacking to the diocese at the time.

Before this, Igumen David (Edwards) had travelled from Edmonton, Alberta, and for 2 summers, he served the small community as it began to form.

In 2003, the Priest Oleg Razumov arrived in the city, after having claimed refugee status. He came to know and be known by the resident Orthodox persons, and it was quickly agreed that, with the bishop’s blessing, services would be offered in the city.

Establishing the community, 2003

The official blessing established the mission station of Our Lady of Vladimir on 3 October, 2003. The mission was named for the Wonder-working Vladimir Icon of the Theotokos. This holy icon is one of the most beloved and readily recognisable icons of the Mother of God ("Theotokos", that is, God-bearer).

Vladimir Icon of the Theotokos

In the beginning, the community followed the Old (Julian) Calendar. Father Oleg continued to serve the community until September, 2005, when he was moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba. Later, Father Oleg returned to Europe : first to Ukraine, then to Russia. He then was assigned to serve in the Khabarovsk diocese.

This situation might have discouraged most people, but not the 2 subdeacons of the mission, Professor Arthur Anastasiadi and Professor David Bell of Memorial University. Subdeacon David said that he “approached the Faculty of Theology at Queen’s College to discuss the possibility of celebrating the Liturgy in their chapel (which was not used on weekends) ; and, after due negotiation with the Provost, Fr John Mellis (who could not have been more supportive), the Anglican Archdiocese (equally helpful), and — for legal reasons — Memorial University, this was agreed to and arranged”.

After that, the 2 subdeacons were able to offer Vespers in the chapel of Queen’s College at 6:00 p.m. every Saturday evening (in English and Slavonic), and either Divine Liturgy (if there were a visiting priest) or Obednitsa at 10:00 a.m. every Sunday (in English and a little Greek). Dr. David Bell published a book "Orthodoxy : Evolving Traditions" in 2008.

People generally expressed their delight at the way in which, each week, the core group transformed the Anglican chapel into an Orthodox church. They worked at gathering more icons, and they built an iconostas by working on it each Saturday evening. Subdeacon Arthur, a skilled and inventive craftsman, created a large Orthodox Cross, a seven-branched candelabra, and a baptismal font. Many needed items were purchased out of funds from the Sunday collection. A great blessing was the small but very effective choir, directed by Reader Ivan Saika-Voivod, also a Memorial University professor from a distinguished musical family of Orthodox Christians. Another great blessing was that Hieromonk David (Edwards) had moved to Newfoundland for a time. He was able to serve the mission during the summers.

At that time, the 2 subdeacons had a fairly active outreach in the local community. For instance, they lent support to applications for immigrant status by members of the congregation. Letters were written supporting their cases. In addition, “Orthodox students at Memorial University have, on occasion, sought the advice of Subdeacon David, though since we do not at present have an official Orthodox chaplain at the university (we would need at least a deacon for that), such interactions are limited. We also intend [...] to inform the hospitals that Orthodox counselling is available to those who may need or desire it (this would pertain primarily to injured Russian seamen, and Subdeacon Arthur would naturally be the person to contact), although, once again, we are somewhat limited by our subdiaconal status”.

Services by various priests, 2005-2013

During the following 8 years, there were mostly visiting priests. Sometimes Father Vladimir (Tobin) would visit from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Sometimes a priest from farther west was sent to serve the community. Igumen David (Edwards) lived in Newfoundland for 2 summers. During those months, he served the parish.

Visit by Protodeacon Taras and Gail Papish, 2004

In 2008, as reported in the "Canadian Orthodox Messenger" (Winter 2008/2009, pp. 1-3) Protodeacon Taras Papish and his wife Gail of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, visited the mission. Before departing for Saint John’s, they had been unaware of the existence of the mission. Their visit to their son and his family in the city became an opportunity for the couple to visit the mission, and to provide a more substantial service for the community during the visit, which coincided with Palm Sunday that year.

Protodeacon Taras, who was very favourably impressed by the state of the mission, wrote : "It was impressive. Then I found out that my two subdeacons and the choir director were all university professors. Who says the Lord does not have a sense of humour ? This visiting deacon is a dairy worker who packs sour cream and yogurt by trade. It turns out that almost all the parishioners of Our Lady of Vladimir are either professors or fishermen. I fit right in !" He further stated, "This was one service which I will never forget. For all my years in the Church, I have dreamed of serving in Slavonic, at least just once. What I got was more than I could have dreamed. I did the first three litanies in Slavonic. The choral response was all in Slavonic. The Epistle readings were done in English in Kievan tones, then Greek, then Romanian. That’s the norm in this wonderful mission parish, which is made up of Russian, Greek, Inuit, English, Romanian, Ukrainian, and Moldavian folk".

Visit of Protodeacon Taras Papish of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and his wife Gail

Priest John Palmer, 2013

Ordination to the Holy Priesthood of Deacon John Palmer, 2013

On Sunday, 21 April, 2013, at Saint Vladimir Prince Of Kiev Church in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Bishop Irénée (Rochon) ordained Deacon John Palmer to the Holy Priesthood during the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy.

Concelebrating with Vladyka Irénée were the Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Canada, Archpriest Anatoliy Melnyk ; the Rector of Saint Vladimir’s Church, Igumen Vladimir (Tobin) ; the Secretary of the Archdiocese of Canada, Protodeacon Nazari Polataiko ; Deacon John Palmer. After the Great Entrance, Bishop Irénée ordained Deacon John to the Holy Priesthood. There was a reception following the service. His wife, Presbytera Constantina, wrote a full report of the solemn events of this day in her personal blog.

Hierarchical ordination Divine Liturgy, Halifax (left) ; Deacon John presented for ordination (right)

Bishop Irénée (Rochon) ; Igumen Vladimir (Tobin) ; Mitred Archpriest Anatoliy Melnyk ; Protodeacon Nazari Polataiko ; Subdeacon Alexander Treiger ; Subdeacon Jeremy Scratch ; Subdeacon Matthew Long

Pastor of Our Lady of Vladimir Church, Saint John’s, September, 2013

In September, 2013, the Priest, Dr. John Palmer and his wife Presbytera Constantina moved to St John’s in order to serve the Orthodox Faithful. Father John and Presbytera Constantina, originally from Fredericton, New Brunswick, had completed studies in the Theological Faculty of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. Father John had a teaching position at the university. Following their arrival, there were regular worship services and a stable pastoral provision for the growing community of Orthodox people.

With Father Palmer’s arrival, the parish moved to the New (Revised Julian) Calendar, for the sake of evangelical outreach. For much of this time, Professor Ivan Saika-Voivod has been the warden of the parish. Son of Igor Saika-Voivod and his wife Elizabeth, of London, Ontario, he is a scion of a family of musicians and serious Orthodox Christians.

A service with Father John

Homily

Parish group

Archpastoral visit

New place of worship, 2021

In April, 2021, a new site was found for rent. This new location, on Portugal Cove Road, just west of the city limits of Saint John's, allowed for a stable setting for worship without having to pack and unpack for every service, and it allowed for the establishment of an iconostas as well. It was possible to offer the services of Holy Week and Pascha in the new building (which had formerly housed a dog-grooming business).

A new and dedicated site at Portugal Cove

Pascha, 2021

Departure of Father John and Presbytera Constantina, 2021, and return

In 2021, during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic, Father John and Presbytera Constantina left the parish to work in the USA, in Texas.

From this time, the parish was served occasionally from the Parish of Saint Vladimir of Kiev in Halifax.

However, it was not long before Father John and Presbytera Constantina returned to serve the parish once again.

Repose of David Bell, 2025

On 18 March, 2025, Professor David Bell fell asleep in the Lord in illness. Professor Bell had been a founder of the mission ; however, at one stage in his life, he fell away from the Orthodox Faith, and returned to the Anglican Church of Canada. Nevertheless, the parish he founded did remain in his heart, and the parishioners remained grateful for all his labours towards the establishment of the community.

New deanery

In October, 2025, the Archdiocesan Council met in Montréal, Québec, in association with the 100th anniversary of the current Temple of Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral there, and also with the Sanctification (Consecration) of the Holy Virgin of Diveyevo Church in Rawdon, Québec.

During this meeting, it was decided to divide the Québec and Atlantic Provinces Deanery into 2 parts. Québec was distinguished as its own deanery, and the Atlantic Canada Deanery was established as a distinct deanery. In this case, Archpriest Stelian Liabotis, the rector of Saint Vladimir of Kyiv Church in Halifax, was assigned by Archbishop Irénée (Rochon) to serve also as the dean of the new deanery. This deanery includes parishes and communities in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland.

Particular parish information

The Holy Lady of Vladimir Mission is the only Eastern Orthodox Christian Church on the island of Newfoundland. It is an authentic pan-Orthodox parish in which “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female” but where we are “all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28).

The services are conducted in English with the ‘Our Father’ being said in multiple languages, such as English, Slavonic, Romanian, Ukrainian, Arabic and Greek.

This parish is part of the Atlantic Canada Deanery, of the Archdiocese of Canada, of The Orthodox Church in America. The dean is the Archpriest Stelian Liabotis. The bishop is Archbishop Irénée (Rochon).

This parish follows the New (Revised Julian) Calendar.

The Altar Feast-day of this parish is the Feast of the Icon of the Theotokos of Vladimir, 26 August.

In 2025, the pastor is the Priest, Dr. John Palmer.

Address :

Mission of Our Lady of Vladimir

1618, Portugal Cove Road

Portugal Cove-Saint Philip’s, Newfoundland

A1M 3G3

Web-site : http://www.stjohns-orthodox.org/

Facebook

E-mail : palmer_jps@hotmail.com

For specific information, contact the priest.

Mailing address :

Mission of Our Lady of Vladimir

28 Edmonton Place

Saint John's, Newfoundland

A1A 2N7

Directions :

The parish facility is situated in the Town of Portugal Cove-Saint Philip's. It is not far to the west of Saint John’s, and it faces Conception Bay and Bell Island.

By car :

From central Saint John’s, follow Portugal Cove Road (Highway #40) westwards for about 11 km (6.8 mi) (passing the aeroport on the right). Pass Drovers Heights, and the Temple is on the right.

Priest Dr. John Palmer, Priest-in-Charge

Telephone : 709-237-5482

E-mail : palmer_jps@hotmail.com

Warden : Ivan Saika-Voivod

Treasurer : Adrian Dobre

Secretary : B Stephen Wiseman