Humboldt church of All Saints constructed 1950; R.M. 370.

HUMBOLDT — The church of All Saints is the first church of the parish.

The church was constructed in 1950 on a four lot site in southerly Humboldt. On June 20, 1954, during the pastorate of Rev. Emilian Nakonechny, Bishop Andrew Roborecki blessed the cornerstone of the church; he consecrated the church on September 3, 1960, during the pastorate of Rev. Jerome Lashkewich. On the evening of July 12, 1968, His Beatitude Cardinal Patriarch Josyf Slipyj served a Moleben in the church.

The wood constructed rectangular church measures 60 x 36 feet, has two cupolas above the frontal towers and an asphalt shingled gable roof. The walls are finished with painted exterior narrow wood siding and contain rectangular windows with arched summits. The church is south-north oriented, the main entrance is from the north through a small attached porch-vestibule with a separate low roof.

In the interior the walls are finished with donna-cona, the central aisle and sanctuary are carpeted, the ceiling is vaulted and has a large chandelier suspended from its central area. The main altar is an elevated sanctuary with east and west adjoining sacristies; the west sacristy has an exit to the church grounds and an entry into the church basement. A choir loft extends above the north end of the nave and is entered by a stairway originating in the west front tower. Built-in confessionals are found in the east tower.

In 1955, during the pastorate of Rev. J. Lash-kewich, the church was artistically decorated by Theodore Baran. The wall behind the main altar contains a large icon of the Mother of God, Queen of Ukraine, with the Christ Child; on corresponding sides of the sanctuary and facing the nave are two additional oil on canvas icons of the Holy Mother of God and Christ the Teacher. The remaining areas, the ceiling and walls of the nave, are decorated with symbols and flora ornamentation.

The church contains wooden pews seating approx. 120 persons, has electricity, central gas heating and plumbing facilities. Classrooms, parish hall and kitchen facilities are found in the church basement. Construction of the church, total costs $60,000, was accomplished through the voluntary labour and private donations of the parishioners; one-half of the total costs were assumed by the local branch of the Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League of Canada. The four lot church site was donated to the parish by the town council for a symbolic nominal fee.

Near the church a mission cross was installed in 1955, adjacent to it stands a belfry containing the bell which was imported from France in 1956 for $1,400 by the local branch of the Ukrainian Catholic Youth of Canada. The parish hall, a short distance away, was constructed in 1971 during the pastorate of Rev. Vladimir Flak.

Ukrainian settlers arrived in Humboldt from neighbouring parishes and rural settlements. The founding members of the parish were: Theodore and Mary Bilinski, Fred and Mary Demko, Nick and Anne Dutka, Bill and Paraskevia Hyrhorkiw, Mike and Anasthasia Hrynkiw, Martha Ilnitzki, Nick and Jean Indzeoski, Jacob and Tilly Kokotailo, Vincent and Anasthasia Olchoway, John and Helen Prosak, Alex and Frances Ruzycki, Anthony and Teklia Skulski.

Rev. Cyryl Lotoski celebrated the first Divine Liturgy with the parishioners in 1949 in a local Roman Catholic church. That year the first parish executive was chosen consisting of Vincent Olchoway, Jacob Kokotailo and Nick Indzeoski; simultaneously a women’s executive was chosen consisting of Anne Dutka, Helen Prosak, Mary Toms and Frances Ruzycki, and a construction committee with Nick Dutka and John Prosak. The three executives worked jointly towards establishing the parish and initiating the construction of the church which became a reality in 1950; in 1973 the church was enlarged and the main entrance was reconstructed. Foremen of the construction were; Alex Kachur, Onuphrius Hyshka, liko Sembalerus and Nick Zary. In later years the parish executive was headed by John Prosak, Joseph Fedorchuk and Alex Senko; the Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League of Canada was headed by Ann Indzeoski. The parish chronicle preserves for posterity and in gratitude the name of Martha Ilnitzki for her dedication in teaching church music, and the names of the cantors Hryhoriy (Gregory) Adamko, William Komarnicki and Dmytro Choma.

The parish was founded in 1949 by 12 families; in 1954, the year the church was blessed, the parish registered 35 families. In 1961 there were 120 souls (Directory) and in 1975, 74 families were accounted for. In 1976 the parish was under the directorship of: Rev. Andrew Choronzy, pastor, Ostap Zary, Matt Cho-moway, John Zmud, Mike Bay, Joe Hnatiw, Ann’ Dutka, Jeanie Chomoway, Helen Prosak, Victoria Stadnyk, Mary Kosmynka, Lena Remenda, John Prosak and Mike Kosmynka.

The Ukrainian Catholic parish of All Saints in Humboldt is the seat of the pastoral district of Humboldt with satellite parishes at Bruno (farms), Bruno, Wolverine, Lanigan and Guernsey. Pastor of this district is Rev. Andrew Choronzy.

Updated December 2020

The Ukrainian Catholic Church of All Saints, Humboldt, 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 Reverend Ivan Nahachewsky as Administrator, and served by Reverend Mykola Romanets.