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TOrthodox congregation was first organized by Bukovynian settlers in Smoky Lake as far back as 1903. The priests were with the Russian Orthodox Mission, not all of whom were highly regarded by the more nationally conscious members of the burgeoning Ukrainian community.
Writing to Ukrains’kyi holos in February 1922, local photographer and businessman, Nicholas Gavinchuk, reported that farmers in the area were becoming increasingly prosperous. They were also showing greater interest in Ukrainian affairs thanks to the work of the Narodnyi Dim, or National Home. He also noted the following about Rev. Ivan Chrustawka, who had been recently assigned to Holy Trinity Russo-Orthodox Church and served as its pastor from 1921 to 1926: “The newly arrived priest, Fr. I. Chrustawka, is also helping a great deal with national work; this is not the kind of priest like the previous ones, who spread katsapism and hooliganism: he is working sincerely for the Ukrainian people.” Notwithstanding this sympathetic portrayal of Fr. Chrustawka’s efforts, the fact that he served with the Russian Orthodox Church ultimately made him unacceptable to those community leaders. They were increasingly determined to establish a Smoky Lake congregation affiliated with the newly created Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada. With the growth of national awareness and pride that accompanied Ukraine’s short-lived independence in 1918-1920, influential Smoky Lake Ukrainians like Gavinchuk were committed to building local support for a distinctly Ukrainian Church in Canada.
Thus, in 1924 Rev. Ivan Kusey was invited to celebrate the first Orthodox liturgy in the Ukrainian language at the home of Joseph Danylevych. The historic visit brought about the formation of the nucleus of a congregation on 9 June 1924, the initiatory group henceforth working to recruit new members to the fledgling ranks of Ukrainian Orthodox adherents. Father Kusey subsequently returned to the district in the spring of 1925 to commemorate Palm Sunday (on 21 April), giving further encouragement to those working to establish a Ukrainian Orthodox congregation.
Later that year Rev. Dmytro Seneta settled in the town of Smoky Lake, and began to provide regular services for the Smoky Lake faithful. Initially meeting at the homes of supporters, the congregation eventually used the T. Shevchenko Narodnyi Dim for services until they had built a church for their own purposes. Besides attending to his religious duties and organizing a church choir, Father Seneta also helped to establish a Ukrainian school, a children's orchestra, and an adult secular choir, thereby making an important contribution to the development of Ukrainian cultural life in Smoky Lake.
On 18 October 1925 Archbishop Ioan Theodorovich made a visitation to Smoky Lake, inspiring parishioners in their efforts. The following year the congregation's existence was formalized, at which point it already claimed 32 members. N. Woycenko became the first head of the newly constituted executive, with N. Gavinchuk serving as the secretary, and I. Kinasevich as the treasurer. At the time, the congregation was making use of the Smoky Lake School for services. But problems arose with this arrangement in the fall of 1927 after several Bolshevik sympathizers were elected as trustees and passed a motion prohibiting the use of the school for worship. Consequently, no liturgies were celebrated in Smoky Lake in the winter of 1927-1928.
Undaunted by this setback, in the spring of 1928 members of the congregation resolved to build a church, with William Czumer being appointed to lead the construction committee. Work on the sanctuary proceeded quickly over the summer months, with N. Woycenko overseeing the project assisted by a crew of volunteers, among whom S. Tkach and M. Romaniuk were designated as the head carpenters. The impressive structure, which then became one of the largest Ukrainian Orthodox churches in Western Canada, was completed in the fall, and on 25 November the first liturgy was sung in the new church by Rev. T. Horbay. The following spring, Fr. Horbay, who had been living in the Hamlin district, relocated his family to Smoky Lake, and the town henceforth became the base from which Ukrainian Orthodox priests served congregations in outlying rural districts.
In a letter written 23 May 1936 to the Consistory, N. Gavinchuk requested information about where large-sized icons printed on paper might be found.
During his tenure as the parish priest, the artistically inclined Father Lorne Kubin was responsible for beautifying the interior of the church with decorative rozpys and stained-glass windows of his own making. The inside of the church is painted in mauve, and boasts an impressive three-tiered iconostasis [apparently also painted by Fr. Lorne]. In 1994 the domes of the church were re-sheathed with copper.
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GPS Co-ordinates: 54.111020, -112.475374
Cemetery GPS: 54.093943, -112.479304
Affiliation: Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
