Antonivka church of the Assumption of the B.V.M. constructed 1906, 6 miles north ofCanora; R.M. 304.

ANTONIVKA — The church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the first church of the parish.

The parishioners constructed this church in 1906, on a level two acre site six miles north of Canora. The church was blessed in 1913 by Rev. Joseph Bala, CSSR, the chancellor of the diocese at that time, and visited by the Servant of God Metropolitan Sheptytsky on November 16, 1910, Bishop Nicetas Budka in 1914 and Bishop Andrew Roborecki in 1955.

The wood constructed church is in the form of a rectangle, 40 x 24 feet, with a shingled gable roof apexed by a small central domed tower and cross. The structure is west-east oriented with the sanctuary and main altar in the west and a small choir loft, reached by stairs from the nave, in the east. The main entrance is through an adjoining porch-vestibule. A low vaulted ceiling extends over the interior of the church. Lighting is with candles and heating is by a wood burning stove. The parishioners constructed the church through voluntary labour and $1,500 total costs. The organizers and directors of the construction were, respectively: Yurko Mykytsey, Stefan Shewchuk; Hryhoriy Ratushniak and Yakiv Ratushniak. The artistic decoration of the church was done by Paul Zabolotny in 1936

Near the church a wooden belfry, with one bell, was constructed m 1907; a mission cross was installed in 1931. South of the church is a one acre parking lot previously used for horses and wagons which were the means of transportation to holy services. The parish cemetery adjoins the church grounds. The combined site was donated to the parish by Stefan Lehkun (Lychkun).

Ukrainian settlers arrived m this area in 1904 from the village of Antonivka m the Chortkiv county and thus named their parish. The founders of this parish were: Hr. Ratushniak, Yakiv Ratushniak, And. Lobo-dian. And. Maslynsky, Kindrad Kucheravy, Yo. Yab-lonski, Panas Hrycenko, Vasyi’ Kohut, Vas. Danyluk, Muk. Lehkun (Lychkun), S. Lehkun, Iv. Krasniuk, Mykyta Martynuk, Iv. Rakochy, Danylo Wenarchuk, 01. Wenarchuk, Pavlo Pikula, Vas. Yurkiw, V. Dut-chak, Demko Dutchak, Vas. Oleniuk, Myk. Stusyk, Hr. Stusyk, Panko Parnetta, Iv. Hospodaryk, N. Dem-chynsky, Prots Bilous, Myk. Predinchuk, Yurko Mykyt-sey and Stefan Shewchuk. Rev. A. Delaere CSSR, served the first holy services in this area initially at the homes of Stefan Shewchuk and Demko Dutchak and later, from 1906, in the newly constructed church.

In 1941 the parish consisted of 40 members with 100 children (Prop. Knyha) and in 1961 a total of 100 souls remained (Directory). At present, the parishioners have joined the parish in Canora. The church, however, is sentimentally maintained as one of the oldest still existing churches in the Eparchy in which holy services are held every summer.

The Ukrainian Catholic parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Antonivka, is under the pastoral charge of Canora.