As in many immigrant communities, the origins of Ukrainian religious life in Waskatenau were somewhat clouded by controversy. For although a common sense of purpose prompted local residents to purchase six acres of land for a church and burial ground on 25 May 1934, it subsequently became apparent that allegiances were split between Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox supporters. In 1937 the pro-Catholic faction invited Rev. Dzigolik of the Basilian Fathers to conduct an outdoor Mass on the commonly-held property, the same year that a Ukrainian Orthodox congregation was officially initiated in Waskatenau with the formation of a church executive comprised of Joseph Mulak, Andrew Shwetz and John Kobrinko. The following year, Rev. M. Fyk celebrated the first Orthodox liturgy in the hall above the Co-op store, which the Catholic camp also used before relocating their services to John Kobrinko's pool hall. The latter individual provides a good example of the contradictory tendencies within the Waskatenau community, for although Kobrinko was a founding member of the Orthodox executive, his wife remained a committed Catholic, and eventually determined the family's affiliation.
Initially, both groups uneasily co-existed, until finally one of the visiting Basilian Fathers announced that he would not agree to sharing a single church. This declaration set off an open competition for denominational supremacy, at stake being control over the property that had originally been obtained from the CNR for the sum of $600.00. A tense tug-of-war then ensued until the Orthodox were finally able to secure a two-thirds majority among church-goers in 1940, at which point one-third of the value of the jointly-held land ($200) was paid to the Catholics as a settlement. Afterwards the latter group secured a four-acre parcel northwest of town for a cemetery, and henceforth the two congregations went their separate ways, allowing the wounds of the division to gradually heal.
Consequently, during an episcopal visitation in the summer of 1940, Archbishop Ioan Theodorovich could bless the cemetery and a cross at the site where the church was eventually to be built, helping to inspire the fledgling congregation at a critical time in its development. It was during this second year of the war that the Orthodox faithful of Waskatenau began renting the Anglican Church for their periodic services, since the Anglicans were similarly without full-time pastoral care. This arrangement enabled the Orthodox to consolidate themselves organizationally, and to begin regularizing religious observances which in turn contributed momentum for further endeavours. Although the congregation had been legally incorporated in 1939, when it reported having a combined total of twenty-seven adherents, it only officially joined the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada in 1944. Two years later, the St. Volodymyr's faithful decided to purchase the Anglican church because they wanted a more permanent place of worship but could not yet afford the cost of erecting a new sanctuary. At the time of the acquisition, the congregation had twenty-two individual and family memberships, but was able to hold just six Sunday services annually, since a shortage of priests made it difficult to fulfill all of the pastoral needs of the Radway district.
Be that as it may, by 1950 it was becoming increasingly obvious that the congregation was outgrowing the Anglican Church, since the twenty-eight paid members of St. Volodymyr's were now celebrating Divine Liturgies on a monthly basis. At a meeting held on 1 March 1952, it was moved by Tekla Dehod, and seconded by Alex Bozniak, that the executive proceed with the construction of a new church. Upon the passing of this resolution, an intense fund-raising campaign was launched involving such activities as carolling, the hosting of pyrohy suppers and teas, and the staging of concerts and carnivals. The well-known church builder, Ivan Mnoholitny, of Kahwin, was contracted to oversee the project with the assistance of Opanas Denesiuk, though the resources of the entire congregation were mobilized behind the endeavour. Thus, while the women took on the difficult job of washing the rocks that were used to create the foundation, the men served as volunteer carpenters on the work crew.
Construction began on 27 May 1953, and on Easter Sunday of the following year (25 April 1954), Very Rev. H. Wasyliw celebrated the last liturgy held in the old Anglican church, which was subsequently sold and converted into a Masonic Temple. Soon after, the congregation was ready to move into their very own place of worship, an impressive cruciform structure (40' X 60') that featured four small domes, and a large central dome ringed by windows over the nave. Thanks to the volunteer labour, the building committee had been able to complete the church for the relatively modest sum of $19,200, the Waskatenau Branch of the Ukrainian Women's Association generously contributing toward the furnace, chandelier and other furnishings. The cornerstone of the new St. Volodymyr's Church was then solemnly blessed at the patron saint's day commemorations on 28 July 1954, with the Very Reverend Wasyliw officiating, joined by Very Rev. M. Fyk (who was then serving as a pastor in Oshawa), and Rev. P. Satsewich of Smoky Lake. A large crowd attended the festive gathering, which auspiciously took place on a beautiful midsummer's day.
By 1992, the congregation could look back with pride on more than half a century of progress, and to mark the centennial of Ukrainian settlement in Canada resolved to complement their church with a belltower. A committee was struck to seek out an appropriate and affordable structure, it eventually being decided to purchase a 700-pound bell from Edmonton for the sum of $5000 (one that was generously offered by St. Volodymyr's Church in Vegreville proved to be unsuitable because it was cracked). Paul Dehod designed a twenty-seven-foot-high structure made of steel to accommodate the new bell, which was hung with two smaller bells donated by Jim and Anne Zinyk. The project was completed on 13 November 1992 for a total cost of $15,000, members once again contributing their volunteer labour to this endeavour. The bells first pealed to mark the 50th wedding anniversary of long-time church activists Steve and Sophie Shwet. The tower was then formally blessed after the patron saint's day commemorations in 1993.
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GPS Co-ordinates: 54.093654, -112.777331
Affiliation: Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
