Memorial containing carved silhouettes of the first and second churches of the Cudworth Transfiguration (Spasa) Parish, R.M. 401.

[Closed-no church; Memorial Marker & Cemetery]

CUDWORTH (farms) — The church of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ was the second church of the parish.

The first church was constructed in 1915 on a five acre site four and one-half miles south-west of Cud-worth. The church was a small wood constructed rectangular structure with a gable roof and a centrally located small blind cupola. It was destroyed by fire in 1934 and that year on its site the parishioners constructed the second church. The second church was visited by Archbishop Basil Ladyka in 1936. Bishop Andrew Roborecki last celebrated Divine Liturgy in the church on May 31, 1964. On Sunday May 8, 1967, the church was set ablaze by flames from the wood burning iron heater and, in a very short time, was completely destroyed in the fire.

The church was a wooden cruciform structure measuring 50 x 20 feet and had a large central dome and two small cupolas above the frontal towers. In the interior the church contained a sanctuary with the main altar, sacristies, a choir loft which extended over the nave, and a small adjoining porch-vestibule. The church patron painting and the two traditionally dedicated paintings of the Holy Mother of God with the Christ Child and Christ Who Loves Mankind were glass mounted oil prints. Wooden pews provided seating for approx. 100 persons. Lighting was by candles only, heating was by a wood burning heater.

The church was constructed by the parishioners at a total cost of $4,100. Chief foreman of the construction was Joseph Janishewski, the five acre combined church and cemetery site was donated by Ivan Solomyany thus the location of the church was often referred to as “Kolo Solomyanoho”.

Near the church stood the parish hall Prosvita named after the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky; it was constructed in 1934 and was destroyed in the same fire as the church. Remaining on the site are a mission cross installed in 1916, a belfry constructed in 1940 containing the bell purchased by the parishioners in 1914, and a memorial which was placed on the site of the church;

the memorial contains a carved portrayal of the Transfiguration and the exterior silhouettes of the first and second churches of the parish and was blessed by Bishop Andrew Roborecki on August 19, 1973, before a multitude of faithful from the parish and surrounding district.

Ukrainian settlers arrived in this district in 1900 predominantly from the Borshchiv county. The parish was founded by Onufriy Shawaga, Ivan Baraneski and Ivan Dubyk and was served by pastors from Alvena and later Cudworth. The second church was constructed with the assistance of Rev. P. Reshetylo.

In 1941 the parish consisted of 40 members with 40 children (Prop. K-nyha); in 1961 there were 75 souls (Directory). In 1966 the parish registered 19 families, a total of 50 individuals who, after the destruction of the church by fire, registered to the neighbouring parishes. The parish of the Transfiguration is now liquidated.

The Ukrainian Catholic parish of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Cudworth farms, was under the pastoral charge of Cudworth.

Updated December 2020

The Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery of the Transfiguration of Our Lord (Spasa), falls under the Deanery of Saskatoon, under the pastoral charge of the Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Holy Eucharist-Cudworth, which is included in the Cudworth District, with Very Reverend Janko Kolosnjaji as Administrator, and served by Reverend Mykola Romanets.