Welechko – Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary 

Welechko church of the Presentation constructed 1911,6 miles south of Hafford; R.M. 435.

WELECHKO — The church of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the first church of the parish.

The church was constructed in 1911 on a three acre site six miles south of Hafford. That year, on the holy day of the Ascension, Rev. Timofey Wasylewich, celebrated the first Divine Liturgy in the church. Bishop Andrew Roborecki honoured the parish with several visitations and celebrated Divine Liturgy in the church in 1954, 1956 and 1967.

The wooden structure is in the form of an elongated cross, 43 x 33 feet, with an architecturally complementing shingled gable roof and a centrally located small blind cupola. In 1959 the church was renovated and the
exterior was given a stucco finish. In the interior the church contains the main altar, which is separated from the nave by an iconostas, a choir loft, and wooden pews. Lighting is by candles and heating is by a wood burning heater. Construction of this church wag accomplished through the voluntary labour of all the parishioners under the foremanship of Ivan Sawyshyn of Radisson. The church site was donated by Ivan Welechko; hence the parish became known as the “Welechko” parish. Near the church is a wooden belfry. The parish cemetery is also on this site. During the winter months, the church is closed.

Ukrainian settlers arrived in this area m 1906 from the Stanyslaviv, Horodenka and Borshchiv counties. The parish was established by 21 founding members. The first founders of this parish were: Ivan Welechko, Ivan Wintonyk, Ivan Swidrowich, Ivan Kormish, Ivan Pluta, Ivan Yaremovych, Ivan Sawyshyn, Ivan Rawluk, Ivan Tsalyn (Salyn), Ivan Semko, Yas’ Yaremovych (Jaremowich), Nykola Petriv (Petrow), Stefan Betzkal, Mykhaylo Salyniuk, Konstantyn Kuzyk, Nykola Oschi-pok, Pylyp Bratko, Yurko Romansky, Volodyslav Gzybovsky (Grzybowski), Hryhor Kormish and Dmy-tro Tomyn. The first parish executive was formed in 1911 and consisted of the following: Ivan Sawyshyn, president; Ivan Welechko, organizer, Mykyta Kohut, secretary. In 1941 there were 14 families with 26 children (Prop. Knyha); in 1961, there were 50 souls (Directory), in 1967, 19 souls and in 1975, 7 families remained. In 1976 the parish was under the directorship of Rev. Roman Homenko, pastor, Mike Betzkal, Michael Gramiak and Paul Katerynych.

The Ukrainian Catholic parish of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Welechko, is under the pastoral charge of Hafford.

Updated December 2020

The Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Welechko, 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.