Red Deer AB Three Holy Hierarchs Orthodox Mission 2026

Red Deer AB Three Holy Hierarchs Orthodox Mission, 2026

Three Holy Hierarchs Orthodox Mission, Red Deer, Alberta, 2006

Prehistory

There are several elements to the prehistory of the community of Saint Nicholas in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada.

The general area was inhabited for many centuries by First Nations peoples including the Blackfoot, Plains Cree and Stoney before the arrival of European fur traders in the late eighteenth century. A First Nations trail ran south-north from the Montana Territory, across the Bow River (near what is now Calgary), and on to Fort Edmonton (later known as the Calgary and Edmonton Trail). The trail crossed what is now known as the Red Deer River at a wide, stony shallows. The “[ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_crossings_of_the_Red_Deer_River Old Red Deer Crossing]” is 7 km (41⁄2 mi) upstream from the present-day city.

Cree people called the river “Waskasoo Seepee”, which means “Elk River”. European arrivals sometimes referred to North American elk as “red deer”, after the related Eurasian species, and it was they who later named the community after the river.

First Nations on the north side of the river entered into Treaty 6 in 1876 and on the south side, Treaty 7 in 1877. After this, farmers and ranchers began to settle on the fertile lands.

Settlement and development of Red Deer

Although what is now Red Deer began to develop after the founding of Fort Normandeau in 1885, the city’s origin was in the development of the Calgary and Edmonton Railway, and the acquisition of a large tract of land (500 hectares (1,240 acres)) from Leonard Gaetz (the first Eastern Canadian to settle there), a little to the east of the fort.

The city of Red Deer is approximately equidistant from the cities of Edmonton and Calgary (in fact, slightly nearer to Calgary). Because of the nature of the work and movements of people, there have likely been solitary (or nearly so) Orthodox Christians living in Red Deer for at least a century.

This city experienced the arrival of some Orthodox Christians ([Greeks], Romanians, Serbs, Ukrainians, converts, and others) from towards the end of the 20th century. Primarily, they arrived from other places because of transfers in their work, or because of work-opportunities. The city provided more and more work opportunities beyond agricultural supply : oil-related companies, sand and gravel companies, various large industrial operations, chemical plants, pipeline supplies, refineries, and others. Red Deer has been a growing city for many years, and in 2022, the population was more than 105,000.

Regardless, for most of the 20th century, Orthodox Christians had to travel to Calgary, to Edmonton, or to other places where an Orthodox Christian Church existed in order to receive spiritual and pastoral care.

Romanian services from Calgary, 1988

To begin with, the Priest Michael Lupu from Calgary offered some services to the Orthodox Christian believers in Red Deer from 1988-1990. Although the primary focus may have been Romanian, Father Michael would have used English to some extent in the services. He, personally, was one who embraced all Orthodox.

In the years that followed, various further attempts were made to establish an Orthodox Christian mission in Red Deer. As in very many other missionary endeavours throughout the country, these attempts faced many difficulties because of challenging practical circumstances.

Temporary services from Edmonton, 1993

In 1993, since some Orthodox Christians in Red Deer asked for the possibility of services in the city, the Hieromonk Raphael (Vereshak) with some Faithful from Saint Herman's Sobor in Edmonton served Vespers and the Divine Liturgy bi-weekly until 1995. These efforts were supported by Cliff and Lynn Stegman, her sons Joshua, and Jonathan, and several local Greek Orthodox families.

In about 1995, Father Raphael discontinued his visits because of a transfer. There followed sporadic services by clergy from Saint Herman's Sobor in Edmonton. However, there was no-one available who could provide regular services during many of the following years.

Moreover, Cliff Stegman was killed by the Pine Lake Tornado on 14 July, 2000. Others in the family were injured. This had a devasting effect on this family.

Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Mission, 1999

The Ukrainian Orthodox Christian community in Red Deer was first established as an official mission of the Western Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada in 1999, in order to try to meet the spiritual needs of this small and growing community, and it was dedicated to the Most Holy Trinity.

At first, liturgical services were provided by clergy from either Edmonton or Calgary on a regular basis.

Historical comment

A historical comment about the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada and its relationship with other Orthodox Churches in Canada is in order, in view of events which followed the establishment of the mission. The comment is merely for the sake of context.

From 1918 until 1990, the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church (as it had been known at that time) had existed outside canonical communion with the Orthodox patriarchs around the world. There had been initial concerns about the canonicity of the first bishops of this Church. However, in 1990, the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada made 2 significant adjustments which were part of the resolution of most of those difficulties.

In 1990, the “Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada” was officially renamed “The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada” (UOCC) by an Act of the Parliament of Canada.

Also in 1990, the 18th Sobor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada in Winnipeg, Manitoba, decided to enter into Eucharistic Union with the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople (Istanbul). This decision also changed the relationship with the other Orthodox dioceses and parishes in Canada in a positive way.

Development of the Holy Trinity Mission

During the 15 years following 1999, Holy Trinity Mission functioned in various funeral homes, community halls, and other rentable spaces. Services were offered in the Ukrainian and English languages. Visitors were always welcome.

Divine Liturgies were offered on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month, at 10 a.m., eventually at Clearview Hall (93, Cornett Drive, Red Deer, Alberta). Vespers was served on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the same address.

Saint Nektarios Mission, 2003-2008

Then, in 2003, the Priest Michael Schaplowsky began a missionary venture only in the English language in Red Deer. A few more parishioners of Saint Herman’s Sobor in Edmonton now lived in Red Deer, and they hoped to be able to develop a stable community. Thus, the mission in the name of Saint Nektarios of Aegina was initiated. Services were held at the Parkland Funeral Chapel at 6287-67A Street.

This venture lasted until 2008, by which time circumstances had changed. Father Michael Schaplowsky departed from Alberta for a time for study in the field of medicine.

It was understood that the already-existing mission of the Ukrainian Orthodox diocese in Red Deer would be able to care for everyone, and the Saint Nektarios Mission was closed.

Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 2014

Meanwhile, the Holy Trinity Mission continued to offer services on the basis of missionary outreach from Calgary and Saint Vladimir’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church there. This was under the leadership of the founding priest, Archpriest Timothy Chrapko, who was at that time the rector of Saint Vladimir’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Calgary.

It was because of the dedication and persistence of the people in the parish, as well as some very generous donations from Calgary and Edmonton, that the mission community was able to begin building their own Temple in 2014.

Father Timothy travelled from Calgary to Red Deer in order to provide religious services, generally 2 times monthly. On 31 July, 2016, the Temple was sanctified by Bishop Ilarion (Rudnyk), the Bishop of Edmonton and the Western Eparchy, along with many clergy. At this time, the dedication of the parish was changed from “Holy Trinity” to “Saint Nicholas”. The Support of Saint Vladimir’s in Calgary enabled Father Chrapko to serve the community until 2019. After that, Father Chrapko continued to serve the parish (along with other clergy) from Saint Anthony of Kyiv Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Edmonton, to which he had been transferred. He served the Saint Nicholas parish on the first Saturday of every month. Archpriest Stephen Keaschuk (retired and attached to Saint Anthony's parish in Edmonton), served additionally on the third Sunday of every month. The parish was served also by other priests of the Western Eparchy of the UOCC when they were available.

With the passage of time, there began to be an increase everywhere in Alberta of Ukrainian-speaking immigrants, including in Red Deer.

Other developments

During the 2020s, there was a renewal of interest by English-speaking Orthodox Christians in Red Deer in trying to establish again an English-speaking Orthodox presence. Upon occasion, clergy would serve in various places in Red Deer. They were travelling principally from Saint Herman’s Orthodox Church (Sobor) in Edmonton.

Mission-station status

By May, 2026, there enough faithful Orthodox Christians in Red Deer who wished to begin worshipping together, fundamentally in English, that the groups was blessed to become a Mission Station of the Archdiocese of Canada, The Orthodox Church in America. This is the first stage in the development towards parish status.

From then, the community grew quickly in commitment, and in number.

Mission status

On Friday, 11 September, and Saturday, 12 September, 2026, Archpriest Vincent Lehr visited the mission, and he served Vespers, and the Divine Liturgy.

On this day, he declared that the community had progressed sufficiently to become an official mission of the Archdiocese of Canada.

The mission began officially to be named “The Three Holy Hierarchs Orthodox Mission”, named for the 3 saints commemorated on 30 January, namely Saint Basil the Great, Saint Gregory the Theologian, and Saint John Chrysostom.

From then, deanery clergy began to take it in turn to offer services at the Three Hierarchs Orthodox Mission in Red Deer. When clergy were not available, the Faithful in the community gathered for worship. They used the reader’s form of Vespers, Typika, and other services for this.

Already, the Mission of the Three Holy Hierarchs had available a book-store, with icons, books, candles, and other useful items for sale.

Particular parish information

The Mission of the Three Holy Hierarchs in Red Deer, Alberta, is a mission of the Alberta Deanery of the Archdiocese of Canada in The Orthodox Church in America. The Dean is Archpriest Vincent Lehr. The bishop is Archbishop Irénée (Rochon).

This mission parish follows the New (Revised Julian) Calendar.

The Altar Feast-day of the Mission is the Feast of the Three Holy Hierarchs, 20 January.

Meeting Place :

Three Holy Hierarchs Orthodox Church

5305-50 (Gaetz) Avenue

Red Deer, Alberta

T4N 4B6

Mailing address :

Three Holy Hierarchs Orthodox Church

c/o GB Music & Sound

5303-50 (Gaetz) Avenue

Red Deer, Alberta

T4N 4B6

Telephone : 403-352-6358

Facebook

Local contact : Gregory Burkin

Telephone : 403-352-6358

Directions :

Red Deer is accessible by various interurban bus lines.

By car :

From north or south, travel on Highway 2 (Queen Elizabeth II) towards Red Deer. The place of worship is at 5303-50 Avenue.

From the north, use the exit for Highway 11 eastwards. At Gaetz Avenue (50 Avenue, Highway 2A), turn right, and drive southwards. The meeting place is on the left, just before 53 Street.

From the south, use the exit for 32 Street eastwards. At Highway 2A (50 Avenue), turn left (north), and drive northwards. Follow Highway 2A as it veers to the right and becomes 49 Avenue. Continue northwards until 54 Street. Turn left onto 54 Street (west), and then turn left onto 50 Avenue (south). Drive south less than 1 block. The meeting places is on the left, just before 53 Street.

Alberta Deanery Clergy

c/o Archpriest Vincent Lehr, Dean