Smuts -St. John the Baptist
SMUTS — The church of St. John the Baptist is the second church of the parish.
The first church was constructed in 1905 on a fifteen acre site one and one-half miles west and one mile south of Smuts. It was destroyed by fire in 1925; in 1926 the second church was constructed on the same site which was reduced to ten acres as five acres were released by the parishioners for the construction of a Ukrainian Greek Orthodox church. In 1954, for practical reasons, the church was relocated on a half acre site in westerly Smuts. Archbishop Basil Ladyka blessed the church and altar in 1932; Bishop Andrew Roborecki visited the parish in 1954 and 1962.
The church is a wood constructed cruciform structure, 67 x 39 feet, with an open central dome and smaller cupolas above the front towers. Both the interior and exterior walls have narrow wood siding, the roof is shingled while the domes have white sheet metal covering.
The interior is dominated by a large well-illuminated octagonal central dome and contains a sanctuary, sacristies, the nave
and a choir loft. An adjoining separately roofed porch serves as a vestibule. The main altar in the sanctuary and two small side altars in the nave, which are dedicated to the Mother of God and Christ the Redeemer, were hand carved by a technique known as “rizba” by Stepan Meush; the church patron oil on canvas painting behind the main altar is also the work of this artist. The church contains wooden pews seating approx. 170 persons, has electricity and central oil heating. Construction was accomplished at a total cost of $11,000 and through the generous voluntary labour of the parishioners. Chief foreman of construction was E. Slonetsky.
In 1926 the parishioners constructed a single bell belfry near the church and, also nearby, installed a cross commemorating the Holy Mission of the parish. The parish hall, Prosvita Home of Andrey Sheptytsky, served as a rectory on the original site; in 1934, during the pastorate of Rev. Stephen Semczuk, it was reconstructed into a parish hall and was later relocated together with the church to the site in Smuts. The parish cemetery is on the original site. The combined fifteen acre church and cemetery site was donated to the parish by Ivan Pryma, thus the adopted name of the parish became “na Pryymovim”.
Ukrainian settlement in the Smuts district began in 1900 with settlers predominantly from the Borshchiv and Horodenka counties. The formation of the parish occurred during the construction of the first and second churches and through the assistance of the first pastors of this parish: Rev. Tymofey Wasylewich, and Rev. Roman Cherepaniak. In 1926 the parish executive included: P. Rypchynski, V. Shawaga, D. Turchyniak and I. Dziadyk. In 1941 the parish registered 45 members with 120 children (Prop. Knyha), in 1961, 125 souls (Directory), in 1967, 138 persons (questionnaire) and in 1975, 10 families were accounted for. In 2003 the parish was under the directorship of: Rev. Deacon Ray Lalach.
The Ukrainian Catholic parish of St. John the Baptist at Smuts is part of Vonda mission district.
Smuts (Prymove) St. John the Baptist Church
52°26’04.6″N 106°07’00.9″W
52.434597, -106.116903
Smuts (Prymove) St. John the Baptist UC/UO Cemetery
52°25’07.1″N 106°08’48.6″W
52.418631, -106.146844
Bulletins for Saskatoon District Parishes
Saskatoon Dormition and District Parishes Information
Ukrainian Catholic Parish of the
Dormition of the Blessed Mother of God
120 - 105th Street
Saskatoon, SK S7N 1N2
Tel: (306) 652-4837
Fax: (306) 374-4235
E-Mail: admin.ducc@sasktel.net
Website: www.dormitionsaskatoon.ca
District Parishes
Sacred Heart – Hawruliuke
Sacred Heart – Vonda
St. John the Baptist – Smuts
St. John the Evangelist – Prud’homme
Ss. Peter & Paul – Bodnari
Ss. Peter & Paul – Borshchiw
St. Volodymyr – Laniwci
Saskatoon Protopresbyterate (Deanery)
Saskatoon, St. George's Cathedral
210 Avenue M South, Saskatoon, SK S7M 2K4;
(Office) 306-664-3459; (Res) 306-244-2604
Cell: 306-370-2866
E-mail: chan.skeparchy@sasktel.net
10th Street East and Munroe Avenue,
(Church Auditorium) 306-343-0033;
(Res) 1202-11th St. East, Saskatoon, SK S7H 0G3 (Office) 306-343-6516
Email: sspp@sasktel.net
Cell: 306-361-1555
120-105th Street West, Saskatoon, SK S7N 1N2 (Church) 306-652-4837; (Res) 306-477-1704; (Cell) 306-280-2941
Email: alalach@sasktel.net
List of Parishes
Albertown - Ss. Peter and Paul
Alticane - St.John the Baptist
Alvena Farms - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Alvena Town - St. Michael the Archangel
Antonivka - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Arran-Vesna -Ss. Peter and Paul
Balcarres - Holy Eucharist (closed)
Bankend - Ascension of Our Lord (closed-no church)
Beaver Dale - Assumption of the BVM
Beckenham -Transfiguration of Our Lord
Bienfait - Ss. Peter and Paul (closed)
Biggar - Sacred Heart (closed)
Birmingham - St. Paraskevia (closed-no church)
Blaine Lake - Our Lady of Perpetual Help (closed)
Bobulynci - Transfiguration of Our Lord
Borshchiv - Ss. Peter and Paul
Broadview - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (closed-no church)
Bruno - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (closed-no church)
Buchach - Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Buchanan - Descent of the Holy Ghost
Calder - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Candiac - Descent of the Holy Ghost
Carpenter - Ascension of Our Lord
Cecil - Holy Trinity (closed-no church)
Chaplin-Thunder Creek - Ss. Peter and Paul
Chekhiv - Descent of the Holy Ghost
Cudworth Farms -Transfiguration of Our Lord (closed-no church)
Cudworth - Our Lady of Sorrows Shrine
Cudworth Town - Holy Eucharist
Dana - St. John the Baptist (closed & sold)
Dobrowody - Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Dnipro (Dnieper) - Transfiguration of Our Lord
Dysart - Holy Eucharist (closed-no church)
Erwood - Blessed Virgin Mary of Succour (closed-no church)
Estevan - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (closed & sold)
Fosston - St. John the Baptist (closed-no church)
Glen Elder - Danbury - Holy Eucharist
Glentworth - Assumption of the
Goodeve Town - St. Michael the Archangel
Guernsey - Holy Eucharist (closed-no church)
Havryliuke (Prud'homme) - Sacred Heart
Hazel Dell - Ss. Peter and Paul
Hodgeville - Ss. Peter and Paul
Holar (Elfros) - St. Demetrius
Hubbard - Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Hudson Bay - Holy Eucharist (closed & sold)
Hyas Village - Descent of the Holy Spirit (closed-no church)
Insinger Farms - Ss. Peter and Paul Insinger - St. Nicholas
Invermay - Ss. Vladimir and Olga
Janow Corners-Meath Park - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Jaroslaw - Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (closed-no church)
Jasmin-Doroshi - Immaculate Conception (closed-no church)
Jasmin - Ss. Peter and Paul (closed-no church)
Jedburgh Village - Ss. Peter and Paul
Kelliher - Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Kelliher - St.Vladimir the Great
Kindersley - St.John the Baptist (closed)
Kipling - Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (closed-no church)
Kovalivka-Tiny - Transfigurartion of our Lord
Krasne - St. John Apostle the Theologian
Kulykiv - Holy Eucharist (closed-no church)
Laniwci - St. Volodomyr (2016) - Ascension of our Lord
Lipton-Herzel - Dormition of Blessed Virgin Mary (closed-no church)
MacDowall - Descent of the Holy Spirit (closed-no church)
Madge Lake (Pelly) St. Michael Camp - Holy Eucharist Church (from Pelly)
Major - Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary (closed-no church)
Mamornitz - Virgin of Sorrows Ruthenian Church
Meadow Lake - St. Catherine (closed & sold)
Melfort - Descent of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost)
Melville - St.George the Martyr
Model Farm - Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Montmartre - Ss. Peter and Paul
Moose Jaw - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Nipawin Farms/Silver Pine - Ascension
Nora - Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ (closed-no church)
Norquay Farms - Holy Trinity (closed - no church)
Olesha - Sacred Heart of Jesus
Orolow - Descent of the Holy Spirit
Pelly-Holy Eucharist (closed - church moved to Madge Lake, St. Michael's Camp)
Peterson - Descent of the Holy Spirit (closed - sold)
Plain View - Descent of the Holy Spirit
Podillia - Ss. Peter and Paul Cemetery - (closed-no church)
Ponass Lake - St. Michael the Archangel
Porcupine Plain - Ss. Peter and Pau (closed & sold)
Preeceville - Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Prud'homme - St. John the Theologian
Radisson - Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Rose Valley - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (closed-no church)
Rosthern Farms - Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (closed)
Rosthern Farms-Adamivka - Descent of the Holy Spirit
Runnymede - Ss. Vladimir and Olga (closed-no church)
Samburg - St. John the Baptist
Saskatoon - Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God
Saskatoon - St. George's Cathedral
Saskatoon - St. Volodymyr Villa Chapel
Sheho Farms - Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Sheho Village - Christ the King
Shipman Rural - Ss. Peter and Paul
Sich-Krydor - St. Michael's (closed-no church)
Smuts/Prymove - St. John the Baptist
St. Julien - Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Pokrov)
St. Philip's - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (closed-no church)
Stenen - St. Nicholas (closed-no church)
Stornoway Cemetery (closed-no church)
Stove Creek - St. Elias (closed-no church)
Swift Current - St. John the Baptist (closed & sold)
Tadmore - St. John the Baptist
Thunder Creek - Ss. Peter and Paul
Tuffnell Village - Holy Trinity
Tway Farms - St. Paraskevia (closed-no church)
Tway Town - Ss. Peter and Paul
Ukrainian Park - Pike Lake - St. Volodymyr Memorial Church
Vasyliw - Ss. Constantine and Helena
Verigin - St. Nicholas (closed-no church)
Wadena - Descent of the Holy Spirt
Watrous - Holy Mother of God (closed-no church)
Watson - St. George (closed-no church)
Welechko - Presenation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Whitebeech - Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Whitesand - Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Whitkow - Ascension of Our Lord
Willowbrook - Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Wishart Farms - St. Michael the Archangel
Wishart Town - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Wolverine - Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Wroxton-Farms - Ss. Vladimir and Olga
Wroxton-Village - Ss. Peter and Paul (closed-no church)
Yellow Creek - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (closed-no church)