"Церква Святої Трійці"

"Church of the Holy Trinity"

The church was built in the early 1900's.  

But after years of rural depopulation the church was eventually closed and then forgotten.  

Sadly, no one mows the lawn here anymore.

If you look closely you'll see that a hawk has made a nest in the open lantern above the dome.

Information courtesy of the Canadian Orthodox History Project.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity was photographed in Arran, Saskatchewan on September 24, 2023.

Another View of Saint Elias

First look inside the country church.  Breathtakingly beautiful!

Heaven up above the chandelier.  The inner dome is painted sky blue and filled with gold stars.

The choir loft.

Something about blue and white is so comforting. 

A side view of the iconostasis and royal doors.

Each window is glazed with a blue and gold cross.    

The view from the choir loft.

Behind the royal doors.

This is Saint Michael the Archangel.  The face is hand-painted onto a wooden sculpture that hangs between the royal doors and chandelier.  He is attached to a pully that can be lowered in order to light the candles then raised again to "shine the light."  

The chandelier has now been turned on.

When the church was built the parishioners would have been standing all the way through a service.  Now that everyone is a little older there are chairs with a soft back and seat.

The outside view of Saint Elias.

Each of the three domes is topped with a simple wrought iron Orthodox cross.

Historical grave markers in the cemetery. 

During a short walk through the Prayer Garden I found these delphiniums in full bloom.  Beautiful way to end my visit.

Saint Elias truly is a treasure on the Alberta landscape.  

A special thanks to Sylvia and all the ladies who made my visit to Saint Elias so memorable and a heartfelt "thank you" to all those who keep things looking beautiful.

Photographed near Pakan, Alberta on July 19, 2023.

Lilac Time at Saint Elias

A little late in the season for lilacs but...

This is the beautiful Saint Elias Russo Greek Orthodox Church near Pakan, Alberta.

Click the following link to view a brief history of Saint Elias: "Щасливого Різдва!"

The photos seen here were taken the spring following the return of the historical bell house to the churchyard.  The old bell house had been tucked away in a museum near Shandro for some sixty years and it was time to bring it back home.

Over the years a Prayer Garden has been established in a grove of trees on the south side of the churchyard.  

A large memorial rock is surrounded by flowers and hand-decorated stones that have been contributed by parishioners.  Along a winding path through the trees are several sitting areas, each enhanced by the addition of flowering plants and shrubs together with an icon.

A view of the cemetery and church from the Prayer Garden.

And, of course, lilacs in full bloom.

Saint Elias is definitely "a beautiful place out in the country."

Photographed on June 27, 2022.

Long Shot - Holy Ascension at Maryville

A long shot of Holy Ascension Ukrainian Orthodox Church at Maryville, Saskatchewan...one of my favourite places to visit and revisit.

The photo shows the approach from the east and reveals a distinct perspective...the creek bordered by shrubs in fall colour with the church rising above it all in the hazy distance.  Quite a beautiful sight in my eyes.

Photographed on September 24, 2023.

Congregational Church and Cemetery

A favourite...

The Congregational Church and Cemetery at Gros Ventre-Tothill. 

And with that...it's time to take a break from blogging.  See you soon.

Photographed near Tothill, Alberta on May 30, 2023.

Westhazel S.D. No. 1337

The sky was thick with smoke from the forest fires in British Columbia as I drove from Medicine Hat to Lloydminster this past Saturday.  Smoky skies are, in a word, oppressive but, to my delight  I woke up to clear blue skies the following morning.  I always function better on a sunny day...after breakfast, it was time to hit the road and enjoy the nice weather and visit some of the historical sites in the area.  Westhazel School was just one of many discoveries during my Sunday drive. 

This little one-room schoolhouse is in pretty rough condition but still looks pretty solid.  Hope it stands upright for many more years.   

Glad I had a chance to visit on such a pleasant day.

Photographed near Westhazel, Saskatchewan on July 16, 2023.

Saint Anthony's at Grosswerder

The kindness of strangers...

...I was taking some photos of Saint Anthony's Church when a couple in a pickup pulled over.  They were curious about who I was and what I was up to way out in the middle of nowhere (both of which are reasonable questions).  It didn't take long and we were chatting up a storm and having some laughs.  Deciding that I wasn't up to no good, they asked, "Would you like to see inside?"

Little seems to have changed inside the church in well over a century.  The addition of electricity is likely the most recent update.  The original altar, colour scheme, captivating set of Stations of the Cross and three bells in the bell tower all in tact.   

The sky was thick with smoke that day so the the outdoor photos aren't what I'd hoped for...my next visit will be on a "blue sky" day I'm sure.  There is a statue of Saint Anthony above the front door and a small outdoor altar in a protected corner of the churchyard.  The church is still in use.

The cemetery is on the opposite side of the road about a quarter of a mile west and is populated with many grave markers both old and new.  It's also still in use.

Thank you kind people for inviting me into your beautiful country church.  Making new friends is always a good thing...and thank you for brightening up a gloomy day.

Photographed near Grosswerder, Saskatchewan on July 15, 2023.