The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

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 two significant adjustments which resolved most of those difficulties. First, 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. Second, 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.

Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Mission in Red Deer

The Ukrainian Orthodox Christian community in Red Deer was first established as a mission of the Western Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada in 1999, in order to try to meet the spiritual needs of the small and growing community. In 2003, the Priest Michael Schaplowsky began a missionary venture in the English language in Red Deer. A few 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. This venture lasted until 2008, by which time circumstances had changed. 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. During the 15 years from 1999, Holy Trinity Mission functioned in various funeral homes, community halls, and other rentable spaces. Services have been offered in the Ukrainian and English languages. Divine Liturgies were offered on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month eventually at Clearview Hall. Vespers was served on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month.

Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Orthodox Church

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. The mission parishioners were particularly grateful to Saint Vladimir’s Ukrainian Orthodox Congregation in Calgary for their founding of the Southern Alberta Mission Project who, in the context of its missionary purpose, allowed this mission to receive the pastoral care and guidance of their founding priest, Father Timothy Chrapko. He traveled from Calgary to Red Deer in order to provide religious services, generally two 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 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.