The minor Consecration and the Liturgy at the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Bonnyville, Alberta

On Saturday, May 20, 2023, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the United States and Canada, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Bonnyville, Alberta.

Before the beginning of the Liturgy, the Archpastor performed a small consecration of the church.

At the divine service, His Grace was assisted by Archpriest Igor Kisil, Dean of the Patriarchal Parishes in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, and Archpriest Yevgeny Protsenko, Secretary of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada, Rector of the Church.

At the end of the Liturgy, the Archpastor addressed the clergy and parishioners with words of sermon and spiritual edification.  Vladyka noted that the last hierarchical service in this church was celebrated more than 20 years ago by Archbishop Mark of Kashira (Petrovtsiy).

In commemoration of the work on the major repairs of the church building, which was carried out from 2018 to 2022, Stephanie Zhuk, Secretary of the parish council, and Nicole and Erik Sample, Nester and Linda Zuk, and Louis and Paulette Levasseur were awarded Bishops’ blessing gramota (letters of recognition).

In addition, to recognize all the people (since there were many of them) a special common Certificate of Recognition was issued for the whole Parish.

The was a publication on the Grand Renovation in the bulletin of August 2022, but let us just remind some main facts: untouched by the renovation remained only the inside of the walls; four generations, inspired by their Mother Stephania Zuk, laboured selflessly – at the same time giving and accumulating the donations, involving a lot of local people in the godly work.

May the Lord God remember in His Kingdom her belated husband Walter, and the sons, William and Joseph, in whose memory it was done with God’s help!

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After the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, temporarily Administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in the USA and Canada, visited the Orthodox parish cemetery on the western outskirts of Bonnyville.

The Archpastor served a panikhida and prayed for the repose of the parishioners, founders and worshipers of St.Peter and St.Paul Church, who had been buried in the cemetery since its creation. Vladyka was accompanied by clerics of the Patriarchal parishes in Canada – Archpriest Igor Kisil and Archpriest Yevgeny Protsenko.

In conclusion, Vladyka Matthew visited the parish house, where he met with the parishioners at a meal arranged by the big extended and friendly Family of the servant of God Stephania.

 

 

The Liturgy at St. Barbara’s Cathedral in Edmonton, Alberta

On May 21, 2023, on the 6th Sunday after Pascha, about the blind man, the day of commemoration of the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in the USA and Canada, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara in Edmonton.

In the vestibule of the church, His Grace Vladyka was greeted with bread and salt, and flowers by the church warden Roman Lopushinsky and his wife Diana.

At the Divine Liturgy, His Grace was assisted by the Dean of the Patriarchal Parishes in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, Rector of the Cathedral, Archpriest Igor Kisil, Deacon Andrey Boldyrev, and Deacon Stefan Nagi.

At the Little Entrance, in consideration of the diligent church labours, Patriarchal and hierarchal liturgical awards of the Russian Orthodox Church were conferred by Bishop Matthew to the clerics of the Patriarchal parishes in Canada: Deacon Andrey Boldyrev – the right to wear a kamilavka, and Deacon Stefan Nagi – the right to wear a double orarion.

Following the prayer behind the ambo, Vladyka Matthew performed glorification and venerated the holy relics of the Great Martyr Barbara, whose left foot is the main shrine of the Cathedral.

The Right Reverend Archpastor congratulated the clergy and parishioners of the Cathedral on the feast and addressed those present with words of spiritual edification.

In response, Archpriest Igor thanked Bishop Matthew for the long-awaited archpastoral visit and the joy of prayerful communion between with the clergy and parishioners of the Patriarchal parishes of Canada.

 

A divine service in the home church and a working meeting at the bishop’s residence in Edmonton

On May 21, 2023, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada, visited the home church in honour of the Pochaev Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God, located in the bishop’s residence in Edmonton, Alberta.

The Archpastor offered up prayers in the church, and venerated the shrines kept in the altar.

Then Vladyka Matthew met with the clergy of the Patriarchal parishes in Canada, during which they discussed current issues of parish life.

After the meeting, His Grace Vladyka continued to work with documents and considered a number of administrative and economic matters.

 

 

The Liturgy in the “Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village” in Alberta

On May 22, 2023, on the feast day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, temporarily Administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in the United States and Canada, officiated the patronal feast and celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, located on the territory of the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village.

His Grace was assisted by Archpriest Igor Kisil, Dean of the Patriarchal Parishes in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan; Archpriest Yevgeny Protsenko, Secretary of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada, Archpriest Yevgeny Protsenko, Rector of the Orthodox V Parish District, Priest Alexy Suraev, Priest Viktor Kramarenko, Rector of the church of St.George the Victorious in Red Deer (ROCOR), and Deacon Andrei Boldyrev.

At the end of the Liturgy, the Right Reverend Archpastor addressed the clergy and parishioners with words of spiritual edification in Russian and English, drawing the attention of those  gathered to the life of the heavenly patron of the church honoured on that day.

In conclusion, a common meal took place in the open air, where parishioners were able to communicate with Vladyka and ask questions of interest to them.

A unique wooden church in honour of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, built in 1908, was moved in 1972 to the Kalina Country Eco-cultural Reserve, located on the outskirts of the Ake Island National Park. Traditionally, services in the memorial church are held several times a year – on the patronal feast, during the Easter period, on “Victoria Day” – a public holiday in Canada, in honour of the birthday of Queen Victoria.

 

 

A working meeting on the improvement of the bishop’s residence in Edmonton

On May 23, 2023, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada, held a working meeting on the repair and improvement of the bishop’s residence located in Edmonton, Alberta.

The meeting was attended by Archpriest Igor Kisil, Dean of the Patriarchal parishes in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, Rector of the Cathedral of the Great Martyr Barbara in Edmonton, Roman Lopushinsky, churchwarden of the Cathedral, and Treasurer of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada John Prokopuk.

After discussing household issues, Vladyka Matthew spoke with the family of the Secretary of the Patriarchal parishes in Canada, Archpriest Evgeny Protsenko.

 

 

The Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara in Edmonton on the day of the Leave-taking of the feast of Easter and remembrance of Sts. Equal-to-the-Apostles Methodius and Cyril

On May 24, 2023, on the day of the leave-taking of the feast of Easter, the fore-feast of the Ascension of the Lord, the day of commemoration of Sts. Equal-to-the-Apostles Methodius and Cyril, Enlighteners of the Slavs, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, temporarily Administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in the USA and Canada, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara in Edmonton.

At the Divine Liturgy, His Grace was assisted by the Dean of the Patriarchal Parishes in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, Rector of the cathedral, Archpriest Igor Kisil, Deacon Andrey Boldyrev, and Deacon Stefan Nagi.

The Divine service was celebrated according to the Paschal rite.

In conclusion, Vladyka Matthew addressed the clergy and parishioners with a sermon, especially noting in his speech the invaluable contribution of Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Methodius and Cyril to the development of Slavic writing and culture in Ancient Russia and expressed words of gratitude and appreciation from all Patriarchal parishes in Canada to the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, who celebrates his name day on this day.

 

 

An evening service at the Cathedral of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara in Edmonton on the eve of the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord

On May 24, 2023, on the eve of the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, temporarily Administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in the United States and Canada, celebrated an all-night vigil at the Cathedral of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara in Edmonton, Alberta.

His Grace was assisted by the Dean of the Patriarchal Parishes in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, Rector of the Cathedral, Archpriest Igor Kisil, and  Secretary of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada, Archpriest Yevgeny Protsenko.

After reading the Gospel, the Archpastor anointed the clergy and parishioners with consecrated oil.

 

 

On the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh led the patronal celebration at the Ascension Church in Skaro, Alberta

On May 25, 2023, on the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, the day of commemoration of Hieromartyr Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, miracle worker, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in the United States and Canada, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in Skaro, Alberta.

At the entrance to the church, the Right Reverend Archpastor was greeted, with flowers and bread and salt, by the reader Joachim Lopushinsky and Varvara Lopushinsky – direct descendants of the first Ukrainian settlers who arrived in Canada from the Russian Empire in the 19th century.

At the Divine Liturgy, His Grace was assisted by Archpriest Igor Kisil, Dean of the Patriarchal Parishes in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, Priest Alexei Suraev, Rector of the Patriarchal Parishes in the Orthodox V Church District, and Deacon Andrei Boldyrev.

The liturgical hymns were performed by the choir under the direction of Subdeacon Theodore Golden, son of Vasily Golden, Honored Regent of the Cathedral of the Great Martyr Barbara in Edmonton, who at one time worked hard in the field of church singing in the Patriarchal parishes.

At the end of the divine service, His Grace Vladka addressed the clergy and parishioners with a word of sermon and spiritual edification.

In response, Priest Alexy Suraev, Rector of the church, warmly thanked Vladyka Matthew for the archpastor’s visit and the opportunity to pray together.

 

***

On Friday, May 26, 2023, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh visited the Cathedral of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara in Edmonton, Alberta.

The Archpastor served a moleben in front of the main shrine of the Cathedral – part of the relics of the Great Martyr Barbara (+306).

A particle of the left foot of Saint Barbara was taken out of Russia by the Archbishop Panteleimon (Rudyk) of the Autonomous Orthodox Church in Ukraine and, after his return from the Russian Church Abroad to the Moscow Patriarchate, was donated by him to the Cathedral of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara in Edmonton on the day of its consecration in 1960.

After communicating with the Rector of the church, Archpriest Igor Kisil, His Grace Vladyka and his personal secretary N.V. Trubnikov left from the Edmonton airport to Ottawa, capital of Canada.

 

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