Church of the Holy Eucharist constructed 1948 in westerly Pelly; R.M. 301.

PELLY — The church of the Holy Eucharist is the first church of the parish.

The church was constructed in 1948 in westerly Pelly. Bishop Andrew Roborecki celebrated Divine Liturgy in this church on July 8, 1962.

The church is a wood constructed rectangular structure standing on a low concrete basement and measuring 40 x 24 feet. Its exterior and interior walls are finished in narrow wood siding and contain rectangular windows; the shingled gable roof is apexed by a cross at its frontal summit. On corresponding sides of the main entrance, which is through an adjoining porch, are two towers apexed by cupolas and crosses. The church is east-west oriented with an east elevated sanctuary which contains the main altar and has north and south adjoining sacristies; the north sacristy also exits to the church grounds through a small lean-to adjoining porch. A choir loft extends above the west end of the nave and is entered by a stairway at the south wall of the nave. The north side of the nave, beneath the choir loft, contains built-in confessionals and a furnace room; the church has central oil heating.

The icons in the church were done in the oil on canvas technique and were mounted onto the walls while the decorative stylized ornamentation and symbols were painted directly on the walls; the icons and church decorationwere done in 1951 by Theodore Baran. The church has a vaulted ceiling and electrical lighting; its wooden floor is carpeted throughout including the stairs leading to the choir loft. Wooden pews provide seating for approx. 80 persons. Construction of the church was accomplished through the private donations and generous voluntary labour of the parishioners.

The church site contains a wooden belfry, which houses a single large bell and stands near the church, and a parish hall purchased in 1960. The two acre parish cemetery site is one mile south-west of the church.

Ukrainian settlers arrived in Pelly in 1940 from various Canadian communities but predominantly from the nearby settlements. Sr. Virginia E. Pryslak, SMI, originates from this parish. In 1961 the parish registered 80 souls (Directory), in 1975 there were 30 families. In 1976 the parish was under the directorship of: Rev. Zdzislaw Karcz, MSF, pastor, Orest Dedio, Nettie Gulka, and Diane Dedio.

The Ukrainian Catholic parish of the Holy Eucharist at Pelly is under the pastoral charge of Arran.