Parishes
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Consecration of the new Church of St. Tikhon and New Martyrs of Russia in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.
Consecration of the new Church of St. Tikhon and New Martyrs of Russia in
Cambridge, Ontario, CanadaOn May 2nd, 2015, through the Grace of God, the new Church of St. Tikhon and New Martyrs of Russia was consecrated in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. The service, Divine Liturgy and the All-Night Vigil the evening before were headed by His Eminence, the Most Reverend Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and all of Canada. Many guests and clergy attended these festive services from neighbouring parishes in the area. During the service, the rector of the parish father Evgeniy Shchukin was presented with the right to wear the kamilaukion, and the director of the choir, reader Alexander Oreshkin, was made subdeacon. The parish choir was enriched with voices of visiting choir members from the Holy Trinity Church in Toronto, which helped the choir to sing very festively and prayerfully during the services. The guest clergy included protopriest Vladimir Malchenko (Toronto), protopriest Vladimir Morin (London), protopriest Fyodor Ganchanin (Windson), priest Viatcheslav Davidenko (Toronto), priest Antoniy Filchak (Hamilton), protodeacon Vasiliy Milonow (Ottawa), protodeacon Alexander Morin (Toronto), deacon Dmitry Grigoriev (Calgary) and deacon Boris Bakhvalov (Toronto).
Archbishop Gabriel congratulated the parish with the fact that the Lord has granted them this Church building, and wished that the parish would grow and serve the Lord in love, peace and with humbleness. The same words were echoed by all other clergy who congratulated the parish following service.
After Divine Liturgy, the sisterhood of the parish, lead by head sister (and treasurer of the parish) Raisa Ratsen, organized a charity banquet dinner to raise funds for the church. There were over 210 people in attendance in the newly renovated dining hall of the church building. The students of the parish school, with their teachers Elena Suhak and others, brought more smiles for the guests with a small fairy tale performance, along with other children who performed at the banquet. In addition, the guests were treated to war-time songs by professional singer matushka Maria Bakhvalova, with Lika Entel accompanying her on the piano. Overall, the whole day felt as a festive, warm family event for the entire parish and guests.
For the parish and local community of Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo and surrounding area, the consecration of the new Church building is a very long-awaited event. The Russian-speaking Orthodox community in Kitchener and Waterloo has been in existence for over 14 years, and has had significant growth in the last 4 years – during which, the community has a local priest and regular Church services in the old building – a small rented office space. There is also a successful parish school for children with several subjects taught each week. It was obvious that the small rented space was not enough to fit the needs of the Church, sisterhood and parish school, and it is a story worth sharing as to how the new building was acquired.
The rector of the parish, father Evgeniy Shchukin, has been looking and applying for mortgages for various buildings for a number of years, but was declined from the banks each time. Eventually, a building that seemed to be perfect for the parish was found – an old Anglican church with a spacious room for the Church, large parish hall, stage, classrooms and parking. After a church and parish council meeting, it was decided to proceed to collect funds for a down payment, and an unprecedented fundraising effort helped gather a very large sum in a short amount of time. The sellers of the building agreed to the sale, but the bank refused the mortgage application once again. This all happened the night before the feast of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, and father Evgeniy was visiting the Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY. How wonderful are the Works of the Lord, and through the prayers of St. Nicholas, as the next day, the feastday of St. Nicholas, as father Evgeniy was leaving the monastery with heavy thoughts, he received a phone call from the agent at the bank – she said that she decided to resubmit the mortgage application when it was rejected, and miraculously, it was instantly approved! The news was received with great joy by the parish, and after a thanksgiving moleben, the parish began to prepare for the renovations and move to the new building.There was very little time to prepare for the move – in one month, with the colossal help from volunteers from the parish, the main renovations were complete in the new Church space, the dining hall and classrooms. Below are some photographs that show the extent of the work that was made in such a short time.
The rector and parish of St. Tikhon and New Martyrs of Russia thank the Lord for the new Church building, and also Archbishop Gabriel for his prayers, support and visit for the Consecration of the new Church. The rector and parish also thank all visiting clergy and guests who came to share the joyous occasion with the parish, the sisterhood for their tireless work in organizing the charity banquet dinner, and all those who donated and helped with the renovations and preparations for this day.
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Celebration of 70th anniversary of Victory in Great Patriotic War at the parish of Our Lady of Smolensk Russian Orthodox Church in Jackson’s Point, Ontario (Berezki)
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Easter Bazaar at the parish of Our Lady of Smolensk Russian Orthodox Church in Jackson’s Point, Ontario (Berezki)
Easter Bazaar at the parish of Our Lady of Smolensk Russian Orthodox Church in Jackson’s Point, Ontario (Berezki)
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The Parish of St.Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow in Waterloo, Ontario purchase new church building.
The parish of St. Tikhon and New Martyrs of Russia in Waterloo, Ontario, is celebrating a very important event in their parish life – through God’s grace, they have acquired a new building for the church, located at 100 Pollock Ave, Cambridge, Ontario. The first Divine Liturgy was held in the new church building on March 1st, 2015, the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy. The new church was full with parishioners and guests.
The parish had just one month to prepare the new building for moving the church and parish school. All work was done by the hands of the parishioners, which united everyone as one family.
The rector of the parish Fr. Evgeniy Shchukin, the church council, parish school, sisterhood and the entire parish are thankful to God for sending them the means and people to help realize their long-awaited wish of having their own building for the church. There was a huge fundraising success in helping to gather funds for the downpayment, as well as many individuals who responded to the call for help in the moving efforts. Work is still ongoing in the new church building.
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700th anniversary of venerable Sergius of Radonezh in Toronto, Ontario.Photo Album
To be published soon.
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700th anniversary of venerable Sergius of Radonezh in Toronto, Ontario.
To be published soon.
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The feast of the Parish of St.Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow in Waterloo, Ontario. 2013.
The parish of St. Tikhon and New Martyrs of Russia celebrated its parish feast day on November 10th, 2013. To the great joy of the parish, all-night vigil and Divine Liturgy were lead by Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and all of Canada. He was joined by the parish priest Evgeniy Shchukin, father protodeacon Vasily Milonow from Ottawa and father deacon Boris Bakhvalov from Toronto. During Liturgy, father Evgeniy was awarded the right to wear the nabedrennik. After the Archbishop’s sermon, two parishioners were given letters of recognition from the Archbishop for their tireless work in the parish. Olga Markina was congratulated for her long-time efforts in the choir since the beginning of the parish community, and Elena Suhak received recognition for her work with the parish children’s school.
Following Divine Liturgy, everyone was invited to a banquet dinner, prepared by the hands of the sisterhood and with the help of the parish. All this further added to the family-like atmosphere of the event. Children of the parish school, together with their teacher Elena Suhak prepared a wonderful programme for the guests. It was humbling to hear children read poetry about the life of St. Tikhon and New Martyrs of Russia. Other musical performances from young parishioners and the choir then followed. In his speech at the banquet, the Archbishop Gabriel wished God’s help to the parish in the important journey of having their own church building, and stressed the importance of working with and educating the children of the parish, as “children are our future”, according to the Archbishop.
The parish in Waterloo has been in existence for over 12 years, and has had its own priest father Evgeniy Shchukin with year-round services for the last 3 years. The parish is currently renting a space for the church, but hopes for God’s help to one day have their own building. The parish is mostly made up of newcomers from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic States, as well as local Canadians, long-time émigrés, and other nationalities. For a second year, the parish school is successfully functioning at the church, with over 20 students enlisted. This is quite a lot of students for the small space available.
The parish wholeheartedly thanks Archbishop Gabriel and the visiting clergy for their attention and visit to their small, yet growing parish. The Parish Feast and the Archbishop’s visit were very much awaited for by the parish, and they are left with a feeling of joy after the celebration – for the Glory of God. -
Celebration of 400 years of Romanov Dynasty, Toronto, Ontario
From September 4-8, 2013, at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Toronto, Canada, ceremonies were held dedicated to the 400th anniversary of the House of Romanovs. By decision of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, the center of the celebrations was the Canadian Diocese, and the Toronto church specifically, which boasts the largest parish in the entire Russian diaspora. The celebrations began with the arrival of two miracle-working icons of the Mother of God: the Kursk-Root Icon “of the Sign” and “Softener of Hardened Hearts,” also called “of the Seven-Arrows.” The visit began with a moleben and akathist in the cathedral, headed by His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.
September 5 was the first day of a working session of the Synod of Bishops, also held in Toronto, and Mitred Protopriest Vladimir Malchenko, Senior Priest of the cathedral, and Protopriest Michael Luboschinksky, Rector of Veil of the Holy Mother Church in Hamilton, Ontario, celebrated Divine Liturgy.
On Friday, September 6, the members of the Synod of Bishops visited the youth summer camp “Ruskoka,” located in a picturesque region of Ontario, on the Muskoka River. The organization’s director, Mr Alexander Viktorovich Sakuta, and volunteer counselors, who had all spent many years working at the camp, ceremoniously and lovingly received the miracle-working images of the Mother of God. The archpastors took a tour of the campgrounds, after which they performed a moleben at Holy Martyr Tsarevich Alexey Chapel, built in the traditional Russian wooden style.
Saturday, September 7, also began with Divine Liturgy at Holy Trinity Cathedral by the local clergymen. Then, all the churchgoers were offered brunch at the parish hall, where the great number of those gathered heard lectures by Mr VV Chukanov on Tsar Alexey Mikhailovich and Mr Yuri Miloslavsky on Emperor Paul I. Ms ON Kulikovskaya then talked about the work her organization, the Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna Foundation, does. The duchess was the sister of Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II.
That Saturday evening, Holy Trinity Cathedral, where there are usually 300-400 worshipers for Saturday night vigil, was filled beyond capacity. Metropolitan Hilarion led the service, joined by His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America, His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada (who originated the idea of holding a celebration for the Romanov Dynasty in his diocese), His Eminence Archbishop Michael of Geneva and Western Europe, His Grace Bishop Peter of Cleveland and His Grace Bishop George of Mayfield.
The crowning moment of the event was Sunday’s Divine Liturgy headed by Metropolitan Hilarion along with the other archpastors, as well as other honored guests: His Grace Bishop Iov of Kashira, Head of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada, and His Grace Bishop Irenee of Quebec of the Orthodox Church in America. Mr George Skok led the cathedral choir, which sang beautifully and ceremoniously at all services.
The final “act” in the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty was a banquet, at which Metropolitan Hilarion addressed the audience, as did Archbishop Gabriel, Archbishop Kyrill, Bishop Peter, Bishop Iov, Bishop Irenee, Fr Vladimir, Mr SV Chernenko, Associate Consul of the Russian Federation in Toronto, Ms Magdalena Zinyak, Vice President of Omni Video, and others.
A concert was also given, divided into two parts: a performance by the “Troitskiye Solovushki” children’s choir under Ms MV Bakhvalova and Mr Skok’s cathedral choir. Both executed inspired performances which moved their audience. Vladyka Gabriel drew attention to the fact that George Skok, renowned throughout the Church Aborad, has been a choir director for forty years. Georgy Anatolievich was given a gramata of blessing signed by the members of the Synod of Bishops, which the eminent choir director received with tears of gratitude.
Below are photographs of the celebrations:
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The feast of Our Lady of Smolensk Russian Orthodox Church in Jackson’s Point, Ontario (Berezki)
On Saturday, August 3, 2013 at the Our Lady of Smolensk Russian Orthodox Church in Jackson’s Point, Ontario (Berezki), the Annual Feast was celebrated. 2013 marks the fifty-sixth year of the parish. The All-Night Vigil and the Divine Liturgy were presided by Archbishop GABRIEL of Montreal & Canada; with Archpriest Michael Orlov, the parish rector; priest Viatcheslav Davidenko from Toronto; Protodeacon Wasili Melonov from Ottawa; Deacon Boris Bakhvalov from Toronto; subdeacons and readers from within the Greater Toronto Area.
On Sunday, during the reading of the sixth hour, after Psalm 90, Reader Walter Gitow, Jr. was blessed to wear an orar. In addition, Dimitri Matveev, the Church Warden’s assistant, was tonsured a reader. After the Divine Liturgy, there was a moleben followed by a procession around the Church. The Church was full, the parishioners well dressed, the candle stands full, joyful faces everywhere and the choir, led by Reader George Skok, boldly singing “Eis Polla Eti.”
During the trapeza, Archbishop Gabriel welcomed dignitaries from the local, provincial and federal levels of governments that always attend this annual event. A concert of poems and songs were presented by the youth after the delicious meal served by the Sisterhood of the parish. As always, the meal was served warm to over three hundred persons.The parish is always welcoming new visitors to become parish members and are strongly encouraged to volunteer their time and resources to assist positive growth within the parish. The clergy and parishioners thank all the volunteers for their assistance in making the fifty-sixth Anniversary, a truly remarkable event.
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Visit of The Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God in Waterloo, Ontario
On June 22, 2013,the miraculous Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God first visited, the parish of St. Patriarch Tikhon, New Martyrs and Confessors in Waterloo, Ontario.
The church was very crowded on this day as many people from our parish and from other Orthodox parishes of the city came to participate in Moleben and Akafist that has been served in front of the Icon. Many parishioners could not hide their tears of joy, as they were so happy to see the Icon in our small temple. After the service, Fr. Nikolay, the keeper of the Icons, told us about his visit to Russia with the Icon and how thousands of people spent hours just to kiss the Icon and how we are lucky in the Diaspora, to see and pray in front of this Shrine way more often. Our entire parish hopes and pray that in the future we would be made worthy of hosting this great Shrine
