Saskatoon – Ss. Peter & Paul

Church of the Holy Apostles SS. Peter and Paul constructed 1961 at 10th St. and Munroe Ave., Saskatoon.

SASKATOON NUTANA — The church of the Holy Apostles SS. Peter and Paul is the first church of the parish.

In 1954, with the blessings of Bishop Andrew Roborecki, the parishioners purchased a seven lot site on 10th Street and Munroe Avenue. In 1955 they placed the church basement which was finished to include the parish hall and other necessary facilities. For six years, until the completion of the church, holy services were held in this basement auditorium. The church structure was completed in 1961. Bishop Andrew Roborecki blessed the church and the cornerstone on June 28, 1970. His Beatitude Cardinal Patriarch Josyf Slipyj honoured the parish with a visit and celebrated Pontifical Divine Liturgy in the church on July 13, 1968, and November 6, 1976.

The church is a massive iron and blown concrete structure, 132 x 70 x 46 feet, in the architectural plan of an extended barrel vaulted cross. The axis of its intersecting arms is apexed by a one-armed cross. The north, south and west arms have tall vertical semicircular glass walls composed of double panes in an attractive shade of blue. These window walls are sectioned into large rectangles by white framing which reinforces the glass, accentuates the decorative character of the church and supports the large crosses. The church is east-west oriented with a west vestibule and main entrance reached by a series of concrete steps. Stairways at the north side of the vestibule lead to the choir loft and church basement; a room at the south side of the vestibule accommodates the parish library. An imposing clear glass wall with large double doors separates the vestibule from the nave.

The church interior follows the semicircular barrel vaulted extended cross contour of the exterior. Six inches of blown asbestos insulate all interior walls thereby perfecting the acoustics of the church and creating an illusionary solemn prayer cave lined with silver grey moss. The central ceiling area is reinforced by plaster beige arcades which have a decorated face and intersect at the axis of the cruciform church. This creates a decorative fan which has a large chandelier suspended from its central point. The deep apsidial sanctuary is band shell shaped and further enhances the cave-like atmosphere of the church. A wide arched header frames the sanctuary and contains two entrances into a semicircular sacristy. The sacristy has two entrances into the sanctuary, a south stairway leading to the church basement, and an exit to the church grounds.

In addition to the main entrance, the two on corresponding sides of the main entrance and the sacristy entrance, the church may also be entered through large doors at the south semicircular glass-wall,

The church has electricity, central gas heating and plumbing facilities and contains wooden pews seating approx. 700 persons. The church floor is covered with linoleum; the central aisle and sanctuary are carpeted.

In 1976 during the pastorate of Rev. Superior Michael Bzdel, CSSR, an iconostas was installed and the sanctuary of the church was artistically decorated by George Sviatoslav Hordynsky. Due to the modern and simplistic architectural style of the church, the artist adopted a complementingly modern and simplistic interpretation of traditional Byzantine art. A large oil on canvas painting was mounted directly onto the wall immediately behind the main altar. This painting portrays Christ seated on His throne entrusting the Holy Apostles SS. Peter and Paul with the symbolic keys and sword. On corresponding sides of this composition are medallion-in-form paintings of the six-winged angels. Beneath these paintings, an ornamental border on a gold base extends throughout the sanctuary. Directly above the church patron paintings is a large painted cross. The wide arched header, which frames the sanctuary, contains medallion icons of the salvation history or the life of Christ in chronological order, including most of the important feastdays of the year with the crucifixion icon at the top center. These icons are an extension of the iconostas which contains the four traditional icons, the Deacons, the four Evangelists and the Annunciation composed of two separate icons; all icons are painted in oils on canvas and are mounted on wood backing. The artist commissioned for this work also designed the iconostas which was executed by John East of Modern Cabinets in Saskatoon. The iconostas is constructed of white oak and finished with bees wax; the decoration, the frames and background of the icons, are gilded in 23 carat gold. On June 29, 1976, the church patrons’ feastday. Bishop Andrew Roborecki with the assistance of the parish pastors and the participation of the parishioners blessed the icons and the decorated iconostas.

Construction of the church was accomplished under the auspices of the construction committee selected February 19, 1961. Under the leadership of Rev. Volodymyr Korba, CSSR, this committee consisted of: Peter Saganski, Dmytro Shawaga, Larry Herchak, Peter Letwinetz, Orest Bobyn, Michael Shawaga, Gerald Muzyka and Lawrence Lashyn. The church was constructed by the Saskatoon Architectural firm of Kerr, Cullingworth, Riches and Associates and totalled $250,000 in cost, this includes the iconostas. The parishioners raised these funds, over a period of years, through private donations, monetary pledges and proceeds from various fund raising campaigns organized primarily by the parish branch of the Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League of Canada.

The parish rectory, home of the Redemptorist Fathers, purchased in 1965, is being currently replaced by a new structure. The first rectory was on 11th Street, three lots to the east of the church site.

Prior to the official founding of the parish, the faithful of Saskatoon Nutana were occasionally served by the pastors of St. George’s Cathedral parish: Rev. J. Olynyk, Rev. P. Kryworuchka, Rev. W. Iwaszko, and Rev, S. Kolankiwsky who, for a limited time, regularly served the parish. With Rev. Kolankiwsky’s departure from Saskatoon, Bishop Andrew Roborecki delegated the ministerial directorship to Rev. Volodymyr Korba, CSSR, who, later, became the parish’s first permanent pastor of many years. Holy services were held at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic parish hall on Broadway Avenue and at the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky (Sheptycky) Institute on College Drive.

The first preorganizational meeting of the parish, called by Bishop Andrew Roborecki on November 5, 1953, was attended by Bishop Andrew, Rev. John Olynyk, Rev. Stephen Kolankiwsky, John Gallon and Morris Korpan. The first parish meeting took place on November 8, 1953, at the home of John Gallon; present at this meeting were: Rev. S. Kolankiwsky, Rev. J. Olynyk, Wasyi and Anna Charko, John and Eleanor Gallon, Morris and Anne Korpan, Gordon and Alice Syrota, Dmytro and Pauline Shawaga, Ksenia Siroish-ka, John and Chris Lotochinski, Andrew Chilliak, Sophie Gaydycz, William and Mary Esaiw, John Rawlyk, Stella Sawa, Bill and Emily Shalansky. The first parish executive was selected at the succeeding meeting of November 22, 1953, with Bishop Andrew Roborecki in attendance and consisted of: John Rawlyk, president; Morris Korpan, secretary; John Gallon, treasurer; Stella Sawa, Mary Chilliak, Anne Korpan, Joseph Kotelmach and Paul Kostyshyn (Kosten), controllers. December 6, 1953, the parish was officially placed under the patronage of the Holy Apostles SS. Peter and Paul, June 14, 1954. Rev Volodymyr Korba, CSSR, was appointed the first permanent pastor of the parish and remained in this office for ten years. Celebration of the first Divine Liturgy in the church basement took place in November 1955; celebration of the first Divine Liturgy in the completed church structure took place in December 1961.

In 1964, as the parishioners prepared for the 10th anniversary of the parish, they faced an $80,000 outstanding loan on the church construction. Consequently, they embarked on an extensive campaign to raise the needed funds. Under the direction of the pastor Rev. V. Korba and the committee, eighty-two men, women and youth brought this campaign to its successful completion. Thus, the joyous celebrations of the official mortgage burning and consecration of the church took place in 1970.

The parish was founded in 1953 by 14 founding members. On its 10th anniversary there were approx. 200 member families; in 1975, 380 member families were registered at the parish. In 1976 the parish was under directorship of: Rev. Superior Michael Bzdel, CSSR, Rev. George Perejda, CSSR, and Rev. Frank Szadiak, CSSR, pastors, Lawrence Lashyn, Eugene Suchoboki, Dan Chura, Morris Smysniuk, Michael Mykytiuk, Antoinette Katerynych, Olga Shutiak, David Horbay. Orest Romanko, John Wandzura, Michael Drabyk, Modest Kowal, Joseph Lozinski and Julian Yaniw.

The Ukrainian Catholic parish of the Holy Apostles SS. Peter and Paul in Saskatoon Nutana belongs to the Saskatoon church district and is under the spiritual directorship of the Redemptorist Fathers.

Updated December 2020

The Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Holy Apostles Ss. Peter & Paul, Saskatoon, falls under the Deanery of Saskatoon, under the pastoral charge of the Saskatoon Redemptorist Fathers, which is included in the Saskatoon: Ss. Peter Paul District, with Reverend Raymond Lukie, CSsR as Pastor, Reverend Michael Smolinski, CSsR as Assistant Pastor, and served by Deacon Thomas Nahachewsky.