Welcome to...
...the wide open spaces at...
...Saint Wolodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Cemetery near Cappon, Alberta.
A weathered sign on the south side of the church.
On the north side of the church there is a cairn beside a large mound...
...where the remains of Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Oyen, Alberta are now buried.
The view looking southwest.
The entire church building is wrapped in metal siding and covered with a metal roof. Note the wrought iron Orthodox cross standing at the front corner of the church. At one time it may have been mounted on the roof peak above the door.
The stunningly ornate cemetery marker stands well away from the church.
The most recent burial in the cemetery was 2004.
The church and cemetery occupy about four and one half acres...
...with the church at the top of a low rise.
A look through the windows reveals simple plywood pews and an oil burning heater.
A communion table stands on a raised platform...nothing fancy here.
Looking south from beside the church. Desolate and Isolated.
The road northwards.
Photographed on October 6, 2021.
I have been here. One of the few places that I managed to get to before you. This place is weirdly remote. Nice post.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed my visit to Saint Wolodyymyr's...so much so that I've returned a few times since these photos were taken. Glad that someone still cares for it.
DeleteI am often bemused by the very ornate gates that seemingly sit in the middle of nowhere. At the very least you'd think the surrounding fence should rise to the occasion a little more. And, I do love the burial plot and marker for the remains of the church. Wish that would become the norm!
ReplyDeleteGates or gate-signs are the most common way to mark the site of a church and/or cemetery. A more ornate fence would be a welcome addition but most likely it would be an expense that such a tiny congregation simply could not afford. In a nutshell, they've done what they could to preserve their heritage.
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