Orolow church of the Holy Spirit constructed 1910, 12 miles south of Krydor; R.M. 435.

OROLOW — The church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit is the first church of the parish.

The church was constructed in 1910 on a four acre forested site twelve miles south of Krydor. This land was donated by Mr. Stephan Tesluik when his child died and there was no cemetery close by.The first Divine Liturgy was celebrated in this church by Re
v. Tymofy Wasylevich. Subsequent enlargement and renovation took place in 1948. It was blessed on June 4, 1933 by Archbishop Basil Ladyka. Bishop Andrew Roborecki honoured the parish with several visitations and celebrated Divine Liturgy in the church on September 16, 1974.

The wood constructed cruciform structure, 50 x 30 feet, is constructed on a low basement and has a shingle gable roof with a small central blind cupola. Its exterior walls are covered with imitation brick asphalt siding and contain rectangular windows with sharply arched summits. There is no vestibule, the main entrance is from the west and leads directly into the nave.

The sanctuary with the main altar is in the eastern extension of the cruciform structure while the choir loft is in the western extension and is reached by stairs originating in the nave. Traditional holy images found in the church, the church patron painting behind the main altar and icons of the Holy Mother of God and Christ Who Loves Mankind, are all glass mounted oil prints. The interior walls are finished in narrow tongue and groove wood siding and are painted. The floor is constructed of wood and is carpeted with a red rug at the central aisle and in the sanctuary area. A vaulted ceiling dominates the interior in which wooden pews provide seating for approx. 90 persons. The structure has electricity and central oil heating.

Construction was accomplished through voluntary labour of all parishioners who also, by their generous donations, assumed the construction costs of $2,800. Chief carpenter of the construction was Petro Kotelmach.

Near the church are two mission crosses commemorating the Holy Missions of 1933 and 1950, and a bell installed on a post frame. A short distance away, a parish hall was constructed on the site in 1953. The parish cemetery lies in continuation of the church property.

Ukrainian settlers arrived in this area about 1904 predominantly from the Sokal county. The founding members of the parish were: Roman Zerebetsky, Ivan Shewchuk, Dioniz Didych, Ivan Boyko, Vasyi’ Podo-liuk (Podiluk, Podiluke), Vasyi’ Mamchur, Onufriy Swystun, Nykola Boklaschuk, Ivan Swystun, Vasyi’ Lutsyk, Mykhaylo Yakimchuk, Stefan Tesliuk, Myk-haylo Skopyk, Kypriyan Oliynyk, Stefan Chomitsky, liko Podoliuk, Luts Vozniak (Woznik), Pavlo Shewchuk, Stefan Matviyishyn (Matwishyn) and Vasyi’ Zerebetsky. The first Divine Liturgy was celebrated in 1910, in the already constructed church, by Rev. Tymofey Wasylewich.

In 1941 the parish consisted of 18 members with 38 children (Prop. Knyha). In 1961 there were 60 souls (Directory), in 1967, 70 souls and in 1975 the parish registered 14 families from a radius of approximately twelve miles (questionnaire). In 1976 the parish was under the directorship of: Rev. Roman Homenko, pastor, Walter Charko, Peter Prystupa, Michael Me-tanchuk, Ann Woytiuk, Tekia Charko and Michael Swystun.

The Ukrainian Catholic parish of the Descent of the Holy Spirit, Orolow, is under the pastoral charge of Krydor.

The name Orolow (previously Orliv) is of Ukrainian origin (What’s in a Name – ed. E. T. Russell).

Updates:

*  In 1980 the church received new siding.

* June 30, 1984 Bishop Basil Filevich paid a canonical visitation to the parish.

* 1985 the Bell tower stand was replaced with new posts.

* 1986 the old sidewalk was removed and a new one constructed.

* In 1988 the interior of the church was repainted and speckeled with luminous stars.  All renovations were accomplished through voluntary labour of all parishioners. The main paid painter was Mike Harbus assisted by Mike and Mary Swystun and Morris and Evangeline Shyluk.  The large iron cross made by Nelson Nicholson of Speers was mounted on the main dome.

* 1994 the parish hall was repainted

·       1994 also saw the construction of new washrooms and a storage building.

* June 8, 2003 Bishop Michael Wiwchar C.Ss.R. paid a canonical visitation to the parish.

·       At present the church and its parishioners are under the pastoral supervision of Rev. Michael Fedoriw of Hafford

·       The parish in the year 2003 has 23 active members.

The executive in 2003 is :

President – Mr. Peter Prystupa

Vice-president – Mr. Lorne Shewchuk

Secretary – Mr. Morris Shyluk

Treasurer – Mr. Peter Metanchuk

Trustee – Mr. Ben Swystun

Ladies executive in 2003:

President – Ms. Eugenia Prystupa

Vice-President – Ms. Laurie Shewchuk

Sec. Treasurer – Ms. Evangeline Shyluk

Updated December 2020

The Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit, Orlow, falls under the Deanery of Saskatoon, under the pastoral charge of the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of St. George-Saskatoon, which includes the North Battleford and Hafford District, with Very Reverend Janko Kolosnjaji as Parish Administrator.