The celebration of the remarkable 120 years Anniversary of the St. Jacob’s Church at Mundare took place on August the 17^th at the historical grounds of the holy temple.

The Divine liturgy was presided by the Dean of the Patriarchal Parishes in Alberta and Saskatchewan and the Rector of St. Barbara’s Cathedral, Father Igor Kisil, co-served by the Rector of this church and the Orthodox V Parishes Father Alexiy Suraev, the Rector of the Orthodox IX Parishes archpriest Yevheniy Protsenko, and Protodeacon Andrey Boldireff, with the help of altar helpers of the church, and with the beautiful singing of the joint church choir of Orthodox V Parishes under the direction of Andrea Zacharuk.

There were a lot of partakers of the Holy Communion at the Liturgy.

After the Liturgy there was a commemoration Litya for the founders and benefactors of the holy church and all the parishioners lying asleep at the church cemetery and elsewhere. Here are the names of the founders: Andrew and Palagia Chmilar; Theodore and Mary Chmilar; Alexi and Feodosia Dolinski; Simeon and Mary Lysyk; Jacob and Theresa Maiko; Michael and Tatiana Olecho; Peter and Agaphia Olecho; Dimitri and Agaphia Rudyk; Michael and Evdokia Rudyk; Jacob and Tatiana Sadoway; John Sheremeta; Kondrat and Mary Sheremeta; Stephen and Anna Shewchuk; Wasyl and Evdokia Ulan; Yakim and Paraskevia Wilinsky.

After the litya, Father Rector of St. Jacob’s church Rev. Alexiy Suraev proclaimed the highlights of the holy temple’s history; how the church was organized in 1901 at the home of Kondrat Sheremeta when 17 families left the Uniate Church and joined the Holy Orthodox Church, and forty-two children were baptized by Rev. Jacob Korchinsky, the first parish priest of this church, as well as of the future St. Barbara’s Cathedral, who later became a New-Martyr of the Church, and suffered death for Christ on July 19, 1941 in Odessa region.

Father Alexios recently made a marvelous discovery on the back side of one of the oldest parish icons – of St. Jacob, and found and restored, based only on the pressure marks left after the handwriting of the Holy Martyr and the first priest, that appeared to be Father Jacob’s inscription of the gift on this icon to his “brothers in faith and nation and the spiritual children…” dated by April 1905.

Then the Dean of the Patriarchal Parishes in Alberta and Saskatchewan and the Rector of St. Barbara’s Cathedral, Father Igor Kisil read the Congratulation Message of His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh and Temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the United States and Canada to the clergy and parishioners of the parish of the Apostle James, the brother of the Lord, in Mundare:

Beloved in the Lord fathers, brothers and sisters!

With a feeling of deep joy, I congratulate you all on the 120th anniversary of the consecration of the Church of the Holy Apostle James, the brother of the Lord, which is one of the oldest churches of the Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in Canada.

It is significant that this church, erected by the efforts of the community, which was at that time cared for by the holy martyr and missionary Archpriest Jacob Korchinsky, was consecrated by the future His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow and All Rus’, when he was Bishop of the Aleutians and North America.

Over the past 120 years, the faithful children of our Church have not only managed to carefully preserve the legacy of the founders of the parish, but also to increase with great love the interior decoration of the church.

Particularly noteworthy is the pastoral work of the clergy who have carried out their service from the moment the community was formed to the present. Today, the successors of the Orthodox historical traditions – the clergy of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada – bear their care for the care of the parish. I am grateful to them for their tireless work and wish them God’s gracious help in their future pastoral service and missionary activity.

Once again I congratulate you on this important holiday and wish you spiritual and physical strength and God’s help in developing church and parish life, for, according to the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, “where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20).

The Archpastoral Certificates of Merit and Recognition (Bishop’s Gramotas) were awarded to the Church Board and the Parishioners of the Holy Church, to the President of St. Jacob’s Church at Mundare Michael Koroluk, and to Andrea Zacharuk, the Secretary-Treasurer of St. Jacob’s Church at Mundare, on occasion of 120 Anniversary of the Founding of the Parish and in recognition of dedication and great labours, and zealous efforts in maintaining Christian life and supporting the Holy Church of God.

Father Igor also on his behalf paid a special tribute to the servant of God Andrea for so many years helping him with any kind of support at the parish of Vegreville, for her hard work, her kindness, respect, and support of the clergy.

Every time “Aksios” (Worthy) was sung by the church choir and the people.

Many Years were proclaimed by Deacon Andrew to His Grace Bishop Matthew, the Rector of the temple Father Alexios, to the Church Board, Choir, and Parishioners, which was sung in the traditional tones, heartily, with all the parishioners.

After the service all the clergy and the parishioners were invited to join the festive meal at the Church Hall, and the clergy served a short commemoration Litya at the Cross at the Parish Cemetery.

At the Church Hall during the festive lunch, several congratulatory and acceptance speeches were said: by the President of St. Jacob’s Church at Mundare Michael Koroluk, who addressed the clergy – having given special thanks to Father Alexios and his Matushka Anastasia for many years of faithful service, and the parishioners and guests and expressed on behalf of the Church Board gratitude for their prayers and supporting the church life and the festivities; the Secretary of the Patriarchal Parishes Roman Lopushinsky, who also shared his memories about serving in this holy church as an altar boy, which triggered a chain of the heartily commemorations by the elders of the church – about the living history of the temple, its dedicated clergy and the spiritual atmosphere of the past; the rector of Orthodox IX Patriarchal Parishes Yevheniy Protsenko congratulated the brotherly parish on behalf of the Church Board and the parishioners of Orthodox IX Parishes.

Deacon Andrew on behalf of the Father Dean Igor Kisil read the message of greeting to the celebrants of the remarkable 120^th Anniversary.

The Sisterhood of the Church and all the contributors were applauded in thanks for having prepared such a wonderful lunch.

The prayers of thanksgiving were sung and the ‘Many Years’ to all the people present!