Shishkovtzy

The Shishkovtzy gate sign at Saint Mary's Holy Dormition Russo-Greek Orthodox Church and Cemetery near Shandro, Alberta in Lamont County.

The Ukrainian settlers began arriving to the area from Shishkovtzy, Bukovina in 1898.  The first church was constructed of hand hewn logs in 1905 and was later replaced in 1963 by the church in these photos.

The wrought iron crosses atop the central dome and front cupola.

The church is still used for special services.  There is a parish priest who also serves at several neighbouring churches.

The Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos is annually celebrated here on August 28 according to the Julian calendar.

The church, cemetery and grounds are immaculately maintained.

The Orthodox cross marking the cemetery...

...and the memorial cairn were raised for the centennial anniversary in 2004.

The three original bells donated to the first church are still used at the new church.  These are cast brass bells from "the old country" and sound wonderful.

The main sign for the church...

...and with the church in the background.

This is just one of many historical churches in Lamont County.

Information courtesy of the Canadian Orthodox History Project, the Orthodox Church in Canada and the Russian Orthodox Church in Canada.

Photographed on January 7, 2019.

Top Ten

May 21, 2017

I've been uploading photos to Google Maps for a little over two years now.  I check in every couple of weeks... it's always interesting to see what does (and what doesn't) get a lot of views.  These are the "Top Ten" according to the number of views each one has received up until today.

Above:
10.  Milk River Valley Church of the Brethren
A beautiful abandoned church north of Kremlin, Montana.  The roads in this area are mostly just graded trails.
45,611 views

August 7, 2017

9.  Cypress Hills
Early morning light on a grain crop near Eagle Butte, Alberta.  Yes, it really is blue!  Lots of fresh bales between the crop and the hills.
52,010 views

June 17, 2017

8.  Cypress Hills
A type of pink-blooming vetch north of Eagle Butte, Alberta.  I look forward to seeing this each and every year.
53,017 views

October 19, 2017

7.  Weyburn Provincial Court - Circuit Point
A stylish brick building in Weyburn, Saskatchewan.  The turquoise-coloured shutters make this one a standout.
64,555 views

December 10, 2017

6.  Holy Rosary Parish
A spectacular old wooden-framed church near Reward, Saskatchewan.  This is the first photo I ever uploaded to Google Maps.
72,966 views

October 20, 2017

5.  Helicopter Weathervane
Anyone who's traveled east of Swift Current, Saskatchewan on the Trans Canada Highway has seen this first-hand.
78,434 views

August 7, 2017

4.  Cypress Hills
The summer residents across from Saint Margaret's Church near Eagle Butte, Alberta.  I think they have a pretty good life out in the hills.
78,870 views

November 24, 2017

3.  Our Lady of the Rockies
A ninety foot statue of Mary (Mother of Jesus) on top of the Continental Divide just east of Butte, Montana.
102,151 views

September 25, 2017

2.  (New) Hillside Cemetery
A young Ohio Buckeye tree displaying it's fall colours on the outskirts of Medicine Hat, Alberta.
111,747 views

March 11, 2018

1.  Medicine Hat Court House
A uniquely designed brick and Tyndall Stone® building in Medicine Hat, Alberta.
120,325 views

Elk

A fine looking domesticated bull elk I saw near Boian, Alberta.  Looks like he has lots to eat.

He posed nicely turning right and then left.  He looks a little sleepy in this last photo. 

Photographed on February 23, 2020.

ЧoБah

The headstone of a married couple in the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Cemetery of Saint Mary in the district of Szpenitz.  Pioneers were ever so resilient.

Photographed near Hairy Hill, Alberta on February 23, 2020.

Blue Jay

Merriment at the cemetery...

A blue jay whirligig at Nativity of Saint Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Church Cemetery.

Photographed near Gronlid, Saskatchewan on October 26, 2019.

Boian Marea

A big and beautiful stone school built in 1937.

It's now used as a community hall.

Photographed near Willingdon, Alberta on February 23, 2020.

Saint Saviour's Anglican Church

Saint Saviour's Anglican Church was the first church built in Foremost, Alberta.  It opened in 1914 and closed in 1968.

It was eventually moved to a farm near Bow Island and some years later it was donated to the Etzikom Museum and Historical Windmill Center where it is now on permanent display.

It's a lovely little church with a warm presence and lots of historical charm.  Stop in for a look.

Etzikom is on the Red Coat Trail, east of Foremost and west of Manyberries.

Etzikom is on the Red Coat Trail, east of Foremost and west of Manyberries.

Photographed on November 13, 2016.

Flaxcombe Grain Elevator

The elevator in Flaxcombe, Saskatchewan.  That's a big chunky annex on the right hand side.

It had been raining off and on all day making for some "slip and slide" side roads.  It's better to walk in to a location that to get stuck.

Photographed on November 17, 2019.

Saint John the Evangelist Part 2

I'd seen a few things in Fort Qu'Appelle and it was time for lunch.  I stopped at a cafe downtown and since I was starving I ordered a clubhouse sandwich with soup and fries...it was winter and I needed to keep up my strength (or so I told myself)!

My waitress was friendly so I asked if she might know someone who had a key to the "little stone church." She soon came back with the soup and a sticky note with a phone number.

After a great lunch I was back to the car.  I phoned the number and he said "be right there."

I met a man at the church a few minutes later.  As it turned out he'd been the organist at the church for seventy years...seventy years!  Wow!  I really can't imagine that to tell the truth.  He's ninety years old.

We had quite a nice chat while I shot some photos inside the church.  As mentioned in the previous post, all of the stained glass windows were donated by members of the church in 1985 on its centennial.  They really are beautiful.  Enjoy!

Above: looking towards the back of the church from the altar.

 These are the windows along the north and south sides of the church.

This is the largest of the eight windows and is the focal point of the back wall.

Looking towards the altar.

Photographed on December 16, 2019.