Church of St. Nicholas constructed 1912 near Brooksby; R.M. 458.

BROOKSBY — The church of St. Nicholas is the first church of the parish.

In 1912 Rev. E. Andruchowicz blessed the site and that year the parishioners constructed a church which was visited twice by Bishop Nicetas Budka and blessed by him in 1915. Subsequent episcopal visitations were by Archbishop Basil Ladyka in 1930 and Bishop Andrew Roborecki in 1955, 1962 and 1974.

The church is five miles south-east of Brooksby on a hilly and partially forested two acre site donated by Roman Yurchyshyn. The wooden structure is in a cruciform plan, 40 x 25 feet, with an architecturally complementing shingled gable roof and one blind cupola apexed by a metal cross. The main entrance is through an adjoining porch-vestibule with a separate gable roof. The church is east-west oriented. The east sanctuary with its main altar is separated from the nave by an iconostas imported from Halychyna (Galicia) in 1925 for $850. Paintings for the iconostas were done by P. Lypynsky of Edmonton, Alberta. On either side of the sanctuary, along the lateral walls, are two small side altars with traditional paintings of the Mother of God and Christ the Redeemer. A small choir loft extends over the west end of the nave.

Originally the church was dominated by a large beautifully decorated central dome. Presently, this dome is sealed, the walls are finished in donnacona painted a light color and the lower walls have imitation wood panelling. The church contains wooden pews, seating approx. 50 persons, electrical lighting and central oil heating. Construction of this church, $950 total costs, was accomplished through the generous donations and voluntary labour of the parishioners directed by Mykhaylo Ilkiv.

The church site contains a belfry with three bells, a mission cross installed in 1959 and a parish hall constructed in 1933 named after Rev. Markian Shash-kevych. This is the second parish hall, the first was constructed in 1918. The parish cemetery across the road is on land donated by Vasyi’ Panchyshyn. A memorial plaque gives a brief account of its history.

Ukrainian settlers arrived in this area in 1904 predominantly from the Zaiishchyky and Zbarazh counties. The first parish executive was formed by Osyp Prytula, Vasyi’ Moskal and Vasyi’ Panchyshyn.

In 1961 the parish registered 120 souls (Directory), in 1967, 21 families (quest.) and in 1975, 15 families were counted. In 1976 the parish was under the directorship of: Rev. John Kobelak, MSF, pastor, Bill Arsenic, Henry Antonichuk, Steve Syniuk, Steve Prytula, Bill Syniuk and Peter Panchyshyn.

The Ukrainian Catholic parish of St. Nicholas at Brooksby is under the pastoral charge of Melfort.