Olga Leonidovna Jurgens and Helene Leonidovna Culhane

Olga Leonidovna Jurgens (1926-2020)

and

Helene Leonidovna Culhane (born Jurgens) (1933-2025)

Helene (all three “e”s are pronounced) may be spelt Helen, Hélène, Helena, Yelena, Jelena.

Early life of Olga Leonidovna Jurgens and Helene Leonidovna Jurgens

Olga Leonidovna Jurgens was born in Milan, Italy, on 30 June, 1926, to Leonid P M Jurgens and his wife Anna Alexandrovna Solodovnikova.

Olga’s parents had been born in Imperial Russia. However, her paternal grandfather Heinrich E Jurgens had been born in Riga, Latvia. This fact of Heinrich Jurgens’ Latvian birth, together with a long family history in Latvia, enabled the family to settle in Riga in the early 1920s, after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. Leonid Jurgens eventually married Anna A Solodovnikova, who was an opera-singer. Leonid, a businessman, was moving from place to place because of work (which enabled him in some ways to accommodate his wife’s singing career and performing, such as in Milan at La Scala Opera House). Later, when they were living in Helsinki, Finland, their second daughter, Helene Leonidovna was born, on 25 June, 1933. Both daughters grew up in an Orthodox-Lutheran-blended household, and they spent the next part of their young years in Riga. The whole family was already polyglot, and as time passed, the number of languages spoken increased : Russian, Latvian, German, Swedish, Finnish, Italian, French, and finally English.

The Monk Pierre (Vachon) (Saint Anthony's Hermitage near Westport, Ontario), who had many conversations with Olga in later years, added this comment :

 Olga mentioned that, when they were children, they had a French nanny.  That would mean that, in the list of 
 languages, French was one of the firsts.  For me il explains why they had no foreign accent whatsoever when 
 I spoke with them.

War, exile, 1944

By 1944, with the chaos coming at the end of World War II, the Jurgens family were able to escape from Latvia by a somewhat circuitous route to Brussels, Belgium (where some relatives had already arrived), and it was there, before emigration to Canada was possible, that Leonid Jurgens reposed in Christ, in 1948. His funeral and interment were in Brussels.

Emigration to Canada, 1951

It was soon after that when Anna Alexandrovna Jurgens and her daughters were able, through various international agencies, to emigrate to Canada. The timing of emigration was related to the time when Helene would be 18 years old. Thus, they left Belgium on the very last ship operated by those international agencies which transported such refugees. They landed at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, in December, 1951.

Then they travelled by train to Québec City, Québec, where they settled. There, they lived in a degree of poverty while they adjusted to this new environment.

All 3 found a spiritual home in the Holy Trinity Orthodox Mission that had recently been established in Québec City. Of the families with whom they remained in contact, this photo is representative : the Woinowsky-Kriegers, the Ben-Chavchavadzes, the Klimovs.

Québec, 1958

Standing : Sergey Eduardovich Woinowsky-Krieger, Olga Jürgens, Georges Ben-Chavchavadze. Sitting : Unidentified Man, Helene Jürgens (not yet Culhane), Irina Klimoff (Ben-Chavchavadze), Tatiana Georgievna Woinowsky-Krieger.

The two daughters worked and continued their education at the same time, which helped to make life livable for the family. Olga pursued the area of fine arts at the Laval University, and she became very competent in pottery and other arts. Helene was eventually able to find work in a company in Shefferville, Québec (in northern Québec, near the Labrador border).

By 1958, all 3 had become settled in Canada. They had become citizens, and they had managed also to save some money. Consequently, they were able to travel together. In the summer, they sailed back across the Atlantic Ocean, and they were able to visit the grave of Leonid Jurgens in Brussels, and to pray there during the 10th anniversary of his repose. They were able also to visit friends and relatives. It was a blessed visit.

In 1963, Helene married John (“Jack”) W Culhane in the Holy Trinity Parish in Québec. Jack was of an old “United Empire Loyalist” (UEL) family. Afterwards, since Jack worked in the Department of External Affairs of Canada, she accompanied him to diplomatic postings in several countries for the next several decades (although both their children were born in Canada).

Move to Ottawa, 1967

Olga kept her mother company first in Québec City, and then they moved to Ottawa, Ontario in 1967 (Canada's Centennial year). In Ottawa, Olga worked at the Canadian Commission for UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) until her retirement. Amongst the works that came from her labours there was the book “Native broadcasting in the North of Canada : a new and potent force”, published in 1988. She also contributed to the “Dictionary of Canadian Biography”.

Anna Alexandrovna and Olga Leonidovna became members of the recently-established Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in Ottawa, situated in “The Glebe” district, near “Lansdowne Park”. Anna Alexandrovna in particular was an active singer in the parish choir, and she was active also in other groups in the parish, such as the sisterhood. Olga’s greater activity came later on.

In both cities (Québec City and Ottawa), they found that they had companions-in-exile, a substantial number of others who had likewise fled Latvia in 1944, and who had found refuge in Canada. There were others (from other countries in which the Jurgens family had lived previously) who likewise had sought refuge in Canada. They supported one another spiritually and emotionally. From 1963, Archbishop Sylvester (Haruns) was the bishop of the Archdiocese of Canada, and he also had come originally from Riga, through France.

In Ottawa, Olga soon found a small house in western Ottawa, near “Tunney’s Pasture” (the development of a cluster of Federal Government office-buildings). Her mother then occupied the small, two-room apartment upstairs.

As a parishioner at the Church of Saint Nicholas, Olga participated in the All-American Council in Montréal, Québec. This was the first time that women were admitted as observers to these assemblies.

At some time in the vicinity of 1970, Olga Leonidovna had an opportunity to travel to Moscow, USSR. At about this time, armed with last-known family addresses from Anna Alexandrovna and Olga Leonidovna, a close friend, Irina Maikapar, had travelled to Moscow, and she had found Anna Alexandrovna’s brother. (Not many years later, Irina was tonsured to be a nun, and she became Mother Nil (Maikapar).)

Visit to Moscow and relatives

There had been an intention that her mother, Anna Alexandrovna, would also go to Moscow to see her brother, Alexander Alexandrovich Solodovinikov, but it was felt necessary to make certain that it was both possible and safe for her. Olga Leonidovna went first and briefly to see her uncle, and she was able to prepare the way for her mother.

Anna Alexandrovna later went first to her daughter Helene in Vienna, Austria, and then to Moscow alone, where she saw her brother. Afterwards, Olga was able again to travel there to see her uncle before his repose. Her uncle had survived all sorts of trials since he had last seen his sister in the 1920s.

He was a well-known and competent author, poet, prose-writer, playwright and composer who had suffered repression by the Soviet Union government from 1938 through 1956. He spent these years in the Magadan region of Russia. For 10 years, he was confined to the village of Nizhny Seimchan, where he served as a teacher of small children.

Olga Leonidovna had the great opportunity not only to speak with him about his own experiences, but also to share information about other members of the family, and to receive information from him about other family members who were still in Russia.

Likewise, her mother had a similar opportunity. As a by-product of these visits, Olga Leonidovna was later able to be in contact with her second cousin, Anna Petrovna Shpakova, who was instrumental in helping to publish many works of Alexander Alexandrovich which had remained in “samizdat” (self-published and secret) format.

Olga Leonidovna also became more aware of the fact that Dmitrii Ivanovich Abrikosov, their cousin, and Tsarist ex-diplomat, had managed to arrive after World War II in California, USA. where he had reposed in 1951.

In 1972, Julie Woodsworth of “The Ottawa Journal” wrote about Olga Jurgens in her article ”Book year encourages Canadian reading”.

Olga Jurgens, Ottawa, 1972

 While developing countries suffer from what’s been described as book hunger, our own 
 affluent society, for various reasons, is in the grip of poor reading habits.  
 
 Some surveys have indicated that eight million Canadians do not read or have access 
 to books, that a large part of the age group between 16 and 30 does not read for 
 pleasure, and that around the age of 12 children begin to get lost to books.  
 
 This is International Book Year, the year in which Canadians are being asked to help 
 developing countries increase their literacy by buying gift coupons or contributing 
 to ‘penny a book’ campaigns.  In libraries across the country you may buy books for 
 refugees in the Middle East, help establish a children’s library in Ceylon, contribute 
 to a letterpress for textbooks in Lesotho or support adult literacy in Jamaica. 
  
 Those are just a few of the projects sponsored by the United Nations Educational 
 Scientific and Cultural Organisation for the less well-off countries during the 
 book year. 
  
 But collecting money to help poorer countries is far from being the sole aim of the 
 organisation in the field of reading. 
  
 Olga Jurgens, a program officer for UNESCO in Ottawa, is as concerned as others in 
 the book world that Canadians should read for enjoyment as well as for information, 
 and that Canadian children should develop the habit of reading.  
 
 As part of the Canadian program for IBY, she organised a one-day workshop on reading 
 habits and the production and use of children's books.  
 
 Librarians, publishers, editors, teachers and government representatives took part 
 in the discussions, which led to a proposal for the creation of a Canadian Book 
 Council. 
 
 ‘Canadian children can’ t read about their own country because we have such a poor 
 collection of children’ s books’ , comments Miss Jurgens.  Ninety-six per cent 
 of children’ s books sold in Canada are imported.  
 
 One of the points which emerged from the workshop was that sometimes foreign 
 authors are commissioned to write about Canadian settings and often project 
 a wrong image.  
 
 ‘Television’, says Miss Jurgens, ‘can be as beneficial as it is sometimes harmful 
 to children’s reading.  Some programs such as those based on history or well-written 
 novels may stimulate the audience to further reading’.  
 
 What’s to be done to encourage Canadian children to read ? Higher library standards, 
 for one thing. ‘Canadian libraries are improving fast’, according to Olga Jurgens, 
 ‘but they’re still not reaching people in remote places’.  
 
 Government subsidies for publication and authorship, and literary awards to encourage 
 the writing of children’s books were among recommendations following the workshop.  
 A graduate of Laval University, who helped compile the French version of the 
 Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Miss Jurgens is concerned that Canadians should 
 read more, that the quality of material should be high and that they should know 
 that reading can be a pleasurable experience.

The ancestral family of Olga and Helene includes a large number of entrepreneurs, business-people, philanthropists, public servants, philosophers and teachers in the Moscow Region. The large Abrikosov family had a very big enterprise in confections and sugar, under the name “A I Abrikosov Trade Partnership”, later known as the “Babaevsky Group”. The revived family version of the company is known as “Abrikosov and Sons”. Also included in the extended family are such names as Musatov, Solodovnikov, Perlov, Tolstoi.

Culhanes return to Ottawa, 1980

Eventually, after a final posting abroad in New York City, Helene, her husband Jack, and their 2 children Anna and Matthew returned to Ottawa in 1980. Both sisters began to participate in the “Orthodox Theological Institute” retreats and lectures that were now offered (after 1978) in Montréal, Québec, through the new “Sign of the Theotokos” parish there. They also (without abandoning the Saint Nicholas parish) became founders and participants in the new “Holy Transfiguration Mission” in Ottawa, where services were offered in English.

Both sisters sang in the choir in all the places where they worshipped. Both sisters had a thirst for a deeper understanding of their Orthodox Christian Faith. They began to attend various meetings, such as Diocesan Assemblies and All-American Councils (as delegates or observers).

Holy Transfiguration Mission, Ottawa

As time passed, the 2 sisters became more and more involved in both parish council meetings and then in meetings of the archdiocesan council of the Archdiocese of Canada. They were active participants in preparing the archdiocesan council meetings in general, and those in Ottawa in particular. In addition, they were amongst those who prepared for the several archdiocesan assemblies which were convened in Ottawa.

Bereavement, 1986

On Wednesday, 16 April, 1986, after an illness, Anna Alexandrovna Jurgens reposed in the Lord at the age of 91 in the home of her daughter Olga Leonidovna.

On Thursday evening, 17 April, 1986, at 7:30 p.m., Archpriest Oleg Boldireff served a Panikhida (Memorial Service) in the Kelly Funeral Home on Somerset Street in Ottawa.

On Friday Morning, 18 April, 1986, at 10:00 a.m., the Funeral Services for the Burial of a Lay-person were led by Mitred Archpriest Oleg Boldireff at the Russian Orthodox Church of Saint Nicholas in Ottawa.

After the funeral services, the body of Anna Alexandrovna Jurgens was interred at the Saint Nicholas Section of the Pinecrest Cemetery in Ottawa.

Parish co-operation, establishment of the new cathedral, 1987

In 1987, as a result of the labours of Boriss Iliich Mazikins (the “Starosta” (President) of the Saint Nicholas Parish Council, together with Nikita and Mary Ann Lopoukhine (participants in both communities), the growing Holy Transfiguration Mission began to share space with the shrinking Saint Nicholas parish in the Temple of Saint Nicholas. This move was not directly related to (but occurred at the same time as) the arrival in Ottawa in July, 1987, of a new bishop. Archbishop Seraphim (Storheim), who became the rector of Saint Nicholas’ Church.

By the end of the year, the 2 parishes had merged to form the cathedral parish of the Archdiocese of Canada. The Holy Synod of Bishops blessed both the fact that this parish was to be the cathedral, and that the naming of this cathedral was to be the “Annunciation to the Theotokos-Saint Nicholas Cathedral”.

The “Starosta” (President) of the Parish Council Boriss Iliich Mazikins approached Olga Leonidovna and asked her whether she would consider renting her now-vacant apartment temporarily to the new bishop. This was a very intimidating prospect for her, but she agreed. Because of the weak economic situation of both parish and diocese, the temporary arrangement lasted for about 18 months.

In late 1988, the bishop moved south to the new rural property acquired by the diocese in the autumn.

Archdiocesan office work 1988-2013

Previously, because of very complex circumstances, the archdiocese had been forced to lead a sort of “subsistence” existence for the majority of its history since its inauguration in 1916.

It was only with the arrival of Archbishop Sylvester (Haruns) in 1963 that the archdiocese had begun to arrive at being able to function in a more normal and cohesive manner. However, the diocesan administration was still very much dependent upon the kindness of the Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral in Montréal. The cathedral provided the living-accommodations for the archbishop. It provided office-space within those accommodations for the administration of the archdiocese. The cathedral also provided temporary living-space for diocesan clergy who needed such accommodations while they went about their duties in the archdiocese, and under the blessing of Archbishop Sylvester (Haruns). After his retirement as the ruling bishop, Archbishop Sylvester had continued to live at the cathedral and to serve as its de-facto pastor.

When the new bishop arrived on the scene, a completely new arrangement was required. This was so because Metropolitan Theodosius (Lazor) had directed the archdiocesan administration to do whatever was necessary to establish a distinct and permanent diocesan office. This office was required to be somewhere that would allow it to operate independently.

Until then, the diocesan office moved with the bishop, and it was dependent upon the kindness of the parish where the bishop resided (Winnipeg, Montréal, Toronto). Diocesan and parish operations were to become clearly separate. It was understood that such an office would eventually include living-quarters for the bishop.

Metropolitan Theodosius understood that this was the opportune moment for the Archdiocese of Canada at last to achieve the clarity of operation which had until then been impossible. This impossibility was primarily due to the great poverty of the archdiocese.

Weekly office assistance

Beginning in 1988, with the establishment of a distinct diocesan centre south of Ottawa, Olga and Helene also began to help with the regular office work required in the administration of the archdiocese. In fact, they were responsible for the actual establishment of the more normal functioning of the office of the archdiocese.

Olga and Helene hearing a presentation at an early archdiocesan council meeting in Ottawa

This offering of such service brought about 25 years of almost weekly work in the Archdiocese of Canada. Olga and Helene both had had a good experience in the operation of offices, and they spent one day per week (unless the bishop was away) at the office in “Fair Haven” (the name for the property).

Every week from 1988, in all weathers they would drive together the 80 km (50 mi) from Ottawa to the diocesan centre at Johnstown, Ontario (south of Spencerville). There, they spent a day in helping with correspondence and filing and other important matters in the office. Their assistance with correspondence, filing, various publication projects, mailings, and meeting-preparation was of inestimable value both to the bishop and to the diocese as a whole. Translation of documents and letters to and from various languages was included in their offering. They served as a sort of “think-tank” (which actually involved prayer as well) for the bishop and for the diocese. Conversations at the diocesan centre frequently included other volunteer and paid workers who were present for one reason or another.

From 1988 until 2004, Olga Leonidovna bore the responsibility and title of Eastern Secretary of the Archdiocese. She shared this diocesan responsibility with the then Protodeacon Andrew Piasta, who acted as Western Secretary of the Archdiocese from a branch-office which was established in Edmonton, Alberta, at Saint Herman of Alaska's Sobor. Her position, and that of Protodeacon Andrew, made them part of the executive of the archdiocese. During those years, Protodeacon Cyprian Hutcheon began to serve as the recording secretary at meetings, a responsibility that he inherited from Mother Sophia (Zion).

1993 Archdiocesan Council Meeting at Christ the Saviour Sobor in Toronto

Olga's home

For many decades, Olga's home was a meeting-place for family, friends, and parishioners. On this occasion, she took a photo of her sister Helene Culhane, her nephew Matthew Culhane, his wife Debora (Quayle) Culhane, Monk Pierre (Vachon), Bishop Seraphim (Storheim), and Hieromonk Luke (Majoros).

Olga's home

New office for the Archdiocese, 1994

In 1994, when the “Metamorphosis Project Committee” led by Dr. John Hadjinicolaou had completed the project of renovating a part of the Diocesan Centre in order to provide a proper office, a tour of the building was given to members of the archdiocesan council after its meeting in Ottawa.

1994 new office introduction to council members

From the beginning, Olga Leonidovna established the “Archdiocesan Directory”, which was kept current by her with the help of Helene. Copies of this directory were mailed to the parishes annually. This responsibility continued until a year or two after the archdiocese had developed a reliable web-site that made all that information digitally and instantly available.

Order of Saint Innocent, 2001

On 27 July, 2001, at the triennial Archdiocesan Assembly in Edmonton, Alberta, Olga Leonidovna was presented with the Order of Saint Innocent, Bronze Medal (for lay-persons). The order was presented on behalf of Metropolitan Theodosius (Lazor) and the Holy Synod of Bishops of The Orthodox Church in America in recognition and gratitude for her devoted and dedicated work on behalf of the Archdiocese of Canada.

At the 2001 Archdiocesan Assembly in Edmonton, Alberta

On 5 August, 2001, in Ottawa, Ontario, the same Order of Saint Innocent (Bronze Medal) was presented to Helene Leonidovna, who could not be present that year at the Archdiocesan Assembly. As with Olga, it was a complete surprise to her, and she was given the recognition for similar reasons. Both Olga and Helene had by that time been serving the archdiocese on a completely volunteer basis for more than 12 years by assisting the bishop in the administration.

From 1990 until their retirement, Helene Culhane served as the circulation manager for “The Canadian Orthodox Messenger”, the archdiocesan quarterly news publication.

None of what they did was simple ; it took very many hours of work, and they did it for love of the Lord and for the Church.

At Annunciation-Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Ottawa, Ontario, 2001

In January, 2002, Olga Leonidovna was a participant (with the Archpriest Dennis Pihach) along with a few other Canadians and Americans in a pilgrimage to the cities of Kyiv, Ukraine, and Moscow, Russia, which was led by Bishop Seraphim (Storheim). The winter pilgrimage was a challenge, especially walking on the icy slopes of the roadways of the Kyiv Caves Monastery, and on a few other streets in Kyiv, but it was certainly a blessing.

In the autumn of 2004, the 2 secretariats (east and west) were combined into one, and Protodeacon Cyprian Hutcheon was assigned to the responsibility of serving as Secretary of the Archdiocese of Canada. Olga Leonidovna then accepted the responsibility of serving as the Bishop’s Chancellory Secretary. The title was later modified in 2006 to Bishop’s Office Assistant. This title and responsibility was shared with Helene Leonidovna as well.

In 2005, at the 50th Anniversary of the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Ottawa, the bishop called attention to 4 persons in the parish who had diligently and lovingly supported the development of the archdiocese. These were “Olga Jurgens and Helene Culhane, who have been supporting the bishop in his office with frequent visits for almost 18 years ; and Nikita and Mary Ann Lopoukhine, who have cared for the treasury, and for the communications of the diocese for just as long. Without these 4, the bishop could not have managed to do much at all, and the diocese would not have managed to develop as it has”.

Even though they are quite different persons, Olga and Helene have worked together in a complementary manner. Anyone knowing them would comprehend that they are not merely sisters by blood, but also spiritually sisters in the Orthodox Christian sense. Olga always referred to Helene as her “golden sister”. She repeated this frequently. One would seldom think of one sister alone, but rather, of both together.

In the course of their work, they developed the system for the operation of the diocesan office itself. It was Helene Leonidovna who developed the filing system. They both were involved in the preparatory work which led to the establishment in 2003 of an archival system by Ms Kathryn Szalasznyj of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

2007 Archdiocesan Council

On 1 August, 2008, when the new secretary, Protodeacon Nazari Polataiko arrived, they introduced him to the existing office system, and to the archives, and they supported his work of developing the system further. During that autumn, Olga and Helene continued to visit the office regularly in order to help make the transition as smooth as possible.

After 25 years of direct support, their efforts changed to prayerful support of both the cathedral parish and the archdiocese. They were grateful, however, that his work now enabled them to rest more.

After their retirement from active archdiocesan service, both Olga and Helene continued each in their manner of service at the cathedral in Ottawa (besides their prayerful support for both the cathedral and the archdiocese). They both attended any adult education and adult discussion groups in the cathedral parish (as far as health would permit). Helene continued on in her service as a regular prosphora-baker, an offering shared with Mme Catherine von Schönberg and a few others.

Bereavement, 2014

On Tuesday, 21 January, 2014, John (Jack) Culhane fell asleep in the Lord after a brief illness.

On Wednesday, 22 January, 2014, from 6:00-9:00 p.m., at the Kelly Funeral Home on Somerset Street West, there was visitation, which included the serving of a Panikhida (Memorial Service) by the Archpriest James Griggs.

On Thursday, 23 January, 2014, from 1:00-5:00 p.m., at the Kelly Funeral Home on Somerset Street West, there was visitation, which included the serving of a Panikhida by the Archpriest James Griggs.

On Friday, 24 January, 2014, at 2:00 p.m., the Funeral Services for the Burial of a Lay-person were offered at the Annunciation to the Theotokos Cathedral in Ottawa, Ontario by the Archpriest James Griggs and others.

Following the funeral services, his body was interred at the Saint Nicholas Section of the Pinecrest Cemetery in Ottawa.

Jack Culhane

Olga moved to a retirement apartment, 2014

Before 2014, Olga Leonidovna had understood that her own health would not permit her to continue to live in her home (as she had hoped). She had worked hard on its maintenance and on its beautification, and she was very much enjoying being able to sit at the new access to her backyard and to appreciate the flowers and the birds (but not so much the mischievous squirrels). She therefore determined to sort out her belongings, and most particularly her papers. Of course, her pottery kiln in the basement was a major concern. When Olga perceived that it was at last necessary that she leave this house, with a great deal of help from her family, she put her home up for sale (again with family help). Olga and they found a retirement residence in which she thought she would be able to live, and to keep her piano, paintings, pottery, papers and books. Then, with help from family and friends, the move was undertaken successfully in 2014.

Olga and Helene at Olga's apartment

In later years, Olga's health had begun to weaken noticeably, and she faced a few crises (one of them, in 2014, particularly severe). The Lord pulled her through. However, her activities outside her residence had become quite limited.

In the early summer of June, 2017, a celebration was held for Olga’s 90th birthday. The gathering was at the home of her nephew Matthew, where there was sufficient space, and many of her friends (from her life at work and elsewhere, and from the parish) and her relatives were able to participate.

Helene, Olga, Cousin Tamara, 2017

Olga and Cousin Tamara, 2017

However, it became especially difficult for Olga when she was unable as before to attend services regularly (or latterly even at all) at the cathedral, primarily because of the challenging stairs. The stairs had already been an insurmountable obstacle for those who suffered from physical fragility, or who were confined to a wheel-chair. Olga’s departure to the Lord in February, 2020, missed the inauguration of the new elevator at the cathedral by only a few weeks.

Olga and Helene, late 2019

Repose of Olga, 2020

Olga Leonidovna Jurgens asleep in the Lord peacefully on Thursday evening, 6 February, 2020.

She reposed in Ottawa, Ontario, in the Park Place Seniors’ Residence where she had been living for several years. Olga Leonidovna, who had been waiting somewhat impatiently for the Lord to call her, was called to Him peacefully in the evening after supper.

On Saturday, 8 February, 2020, at 4:00 p.m., the first public Litya (Memorial Service) for the Departed was served in the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Ottawa before the Vigil.

On Sunday, 9 February, 2020, at 11:30 a.m., the second public Panikhida was served after the Divine Liturgy in the cathedral.

On Tuesday, 11 February, 2020, at 6:00 p.m., the third public Panikhida was offered at the Cole Funeral Services facility at Pinecrest Cemetery .

On Wednesday, 12 February, 2020, at 1:00 p.m., the Funeral Service for the Burial of a Lay-person was offered at the Annunciation Cathedral in Ottawa. The services were led by the Archpriest James S Griggs, the Dean of the cathedral, and the parishioners sang Olga to her rest.

After the funeral service, her body was interred in the Saint Nicholas Section of the Pinecrest Cemetery in Ottawa.

Helene moved to a retirement apartment, 2020

After the repose of her sister, and all the responsibilities that she had previously carried, Helene now had time to pay closer attention to her own health. Helene had been increasingly suffering from the pain of arthritis, and she was finding it very difficult to cope with the stairs in her home (the laundry was in the basement). Further, she recalled the previous winter's difficulties with snow-removal, and the weekly moving of recycling bins that was a regular requirement there. As a consequence, she understood that she could not delay further. It was necessary to follow the example of her sister in her move 6 years earlier. With the help of her family, she soon found a suitable retirement apartment, and she sold her home. It was all difficult to pass through, but Helene quickly appreciated the reduction in pain and daily demands in her new environment.

Later, Monk Pierre (Vachon) commented that

 after she left her townhouse to move to her new apartment, Helene gave me a complete collection of Tintin comics 
 in French that I sent to my nephew in Québec City for the joy of his two daughters.  Tintin, as everyone knows, is the
  quintessential gift of Belgium to mankind.

Helene’s celebration of 90 years

On 24 June, 2023, Anna Cunning (Helene’s daughter) organised an afternoon gathering at the home of her brother, Matthew Culhane, in Ottawa. A large number of friends and relatives arrived during the 3 hours in order to congratulate Helene. Significant amongst them was her cousin, Tamara Kuzmicki (born Poorten). The day was mostly sunny and warm enough to be a joy for Helene.

Helene Culhane, 90 (left) ; Helene Culhane and Tamara Kuzmicki (right)

Helene had the joy of seeing her grandchildren growing up and finding their places in life, and companions as well. She came to be a great-grandmother as well during these years.

Bereavement, 2024

On 17 August, 2024, Helene's cousin Tamara Hélène Kuzmicki (born Poorten) fell asleep in the Lord in Montréal, Québec, at the age of 97.

Illness

Later in 2023, after the 90th birthday celebration, Helene had a health episode, which included an emergency hospitalisation. During the treatments and tests, it was determined that she was suffering from an inoperable cancer. Under the circumstances, in January, 2024, she accepted to enter the Park Place palliative care service. This was in the building next door to where her sister, Olga, had moved, and lived until her repose.

For the remainder of her days (although she was weak and suffering pains), she remained prayerful, joyful, and hopeful as she had been previously. She was no longer able to attend services at the cathedral, and she was very sad not to be able to be present. However, the dean, Archpriest James Griggs and his wife Tena brought her the Holy Mysteries weekly. These were months mostly of solitude, because of her treatments and because of lack of strength. Nevertheless, she was able to receive the Holy Mysteries (especially Holy Communion) until very near the end of her days in this life.

Helene Culhane in her room in late May, 2025

Repose of Helene, 2025

On the morning of 11 June, 2025, Helene Leonidovna Culhane (born Jurgens) fell asleep in the Lord in Ottawa, Ontario. Her repose was in the Week of Pentecost, and on the day of the Feast of the Revelation of the Hymn "Axion Estin" (It is Truly Meet) by the Archangel Gabriel.

On Sunday, 15 June, 2025, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., there was a time of visitation at Coles/Pinecrest Cemetery Funeral Home. This closed with a Panikhida at 4:30 p.m.

On Monday, 16 June, 2023, at 11:00 a.m., at the Annunciation to the Theotokos-Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Ottawa, the Funeral Service for the Burial of a Lay-person was offered.

After the conclusion of the funeral obsequies, her body was taken for interment at the Pinecrest Cemetery, next to that of her husband in the Annunciation-Saint Nicholas section. It is at the end of the western row.

Pall-bearers at the cemetery

Archpriest James Griggs leads the graveside Litya

Monks et al

Grave-marker

Helene Leonidovna Culhane was survived by her daughter Anna Cunning (Len), and her son Matthew (Deb Quayle). She was the cherished grandmother of Mark (Jessica), Kevin (Melissa), Zak (Kirstyn) and Ben (Brynn). Proud great-grandmother to Zoë, Aias, Loa, and Everett.

Reflections

Olga Leonidovna Jurgens reposed on 6 February, which was at the end of the Feast-day of Saint Dorothy of Kashin. This particular saint was the one after whom Olga and Helene's longtime friend, Mother Dorofea (Mirochnitchenko) had been named in her monastic tonsure.

Olga Leonidovna herself had been named after Saint Olga, the Princess of Kiev, Rus’. Her name-day was 11 July.

Helene Leonidovna had been named for Saint Helen, the Empress. Her name-day is 21 May.

It is hard for all those who have known and loved Olga (some besides Helene for rather more than sixty years) to come to the time of being parted from her. One person commented that the cathedral and the diocese had lost a great example of service and what it means to be a Christian. However, at the same time, we are not parted from her in Christ : we are in Christ nearer than ever. Nevertheless, the comment was apt. Although Olga could express strong opinions, she was not at all prideful. Rather, she cared to serve. She was a wise, self-effacing, modest, kind, generous, hospitable person who loved beauty and cared to make beauty everywhere. She is an Orthodox Christian.

Her former co-secretary (the Archpriest Andrew Piasta) recalled a humourous historical detail which was shared amongst diocesan council members over many years. It had to do with

 our on-going joke about Olga popping into the Hardrock Café.  It all started when 
 we were in Toronto, and after a Diocesan Council meeting we visited the CN Tower 
 and the stadium where there was a Hardrock Café.  I quipped to Olga that we would 
 have to keep an eye on her so she wouldn't wander off into the café.  She, being 
 a good sport and possessing a great sense of humour, played along.  And that evolved 
 into the standing joke that Olga and her cohort would crash a Hardrock Café in every 
 town there was a Diocesan Council meeting.  She was a grand lady.

The Archpriest Cyprian R A Hutcheon (former Archdiocesan Secretary and Archdiocesan Dean) wrote :

 I have been enjoying memories of the ‘good old days’ when we would gather at the 
 Spencerville office – you, me, the two aunties, and the two nuns, plus or minus an 
 episcopal assistant or two !   I so much enjoyed those times, even if we didn’t always 
 accomplish a great deal of work.  I used to look forward to them, to our being together, 
 and to the wonderful meals that we enjoyed habitually.

The Monk Pierre (Vachon), who did practical “handyman” work for Olga for 21 years, wrote :

 The memories which come to my mind always are the wonderful conversations we had, she and I, 
 when I was working for her.  It came through the years in three phases.  The first one, 
 when she was still quite healthy would see me arriving early at her house, let say 8:30, 
 having some coffee and I would work until lunch time.  Then lunch always including what 
 she called ‘l’élixir des moines’ (‘elixir of monks’), that is a cold can of coke.  More 
 work in the afternoon followed by a last drink and conversation.  Phase Two, when she began 
 to be somehow less active.  I would be asked not to show up before 9 and eventually 10 o’clock.  
 By then work would be reduced to one hour before lunch.  More work in the afternoon ; the other 
 drink would be served much earlier, and the conversations would last longer.  Very often she 
 would drive me home.  Phase Three consisted mostly in longer coffee-talk and not much work done. 
 The afternoon drinks (coke) and conversations took most of the afternoon [...].
 I am so thankful to God for having led me to become close friends with her and Helene.

Later, Father Pierre added about his experience of Olga in the many conversations, that he

 was impressed by how deep she could see through people's behaviour and characters.  I cannot divulge 
 any of those intuitions, obviously ; but I think that, living alone and knowing so many people, she had 
 what the Fathers call a «  diakrisis » a discernment that impressed me.

The Priest Gregory Scratch wrote :

 There are not many people who know who Olga Jurgens was, yet there are many aspects of the 
 Archdiocese of Canada that reflect her love of the Church.  I have an old photo of the 
 Transfiguration Mission in Ottawa sometime in the 1980s of which Olga was a founding member.  
 Among the families and their children (yes I am in the photo) and young men and women is Olga.  
 The young me thought it was a little strange that a mature and established woman would associate 
 herself with a ragtag group of twenty-somethings and their kids.  If a ‘real adult’ like Olga 
 could be an active participant at this mission of ragtag men, women and children, serving in a 
 parishioner’s home, maybe this was Church, and not just a social club ?  Her presence in that 
 photo, and my memory of her at every service, has stayed with me all these years.  The fact that 
 Olga could recognise the Church, even if it didn’t necessarily reflect her,  speaks volumes about 
 her dedication to the Church, a dedication manifested throughout her life and work at the 
 Transfiguration Mission, the predecessor to what is now the cathedral, and her life in the 
 Archdiocesan offices that she helped set up with her sister (Helen Culhane). [...]

It is perhaps a charming detail that Olga and Helene are descended from the Abrikosov and Perlov families (amongst others, of course). An Abrikosov ancestor established a famous jam-making company in Moscow. A Perlov ancestor found a way to import tea from China overland via Lake Baikal (in Siberia), and he made tea-drinking widely affordable in Moscow. It remains a popular custom in Russia to drink tea with jam on the side.