Ukrainian Orthodox Eparchy of Western Canada
Edmonton and Western Canada | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Ecclesiastical province | Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada |
| Statistics | |
| Churches | ≈60 |
| Information | |
| Cathedral | St. John, Edmonton Holy Trinity, Vancouver |
| Current leadership | |
| Bishop | Bishop Ilarion (Roman Rudnyk) |
The Western Eparchy is an eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, which itself is under the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
The Western Eparchy consists of the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, and has about 60 churches (most of them country churches), and two cathedral churches (St. John's Cathedral, Edmonton, and Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral).[1]
In April 2022, just after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Western Eparchy formalized an agreement whereby they (and the larger UOCC) could send aid to Ukraine via the Orthodox Church of Ukraine directly.[2]
Current bishop
In 2023, the bishop for the eparchy was Ilarion (Roman Rudnyk),[3] and he is stylized as Bishop of Edmonton, and the Western Eparchy. The last serving bishop for the diocese was Metropolitan John (Stinka), who went on to become the UOCC's Metropolitan, and Archbishop of Winnipeg. John (Stinka) served in the capacity of "Bishop of Edmonton" for 20 years (1985–2005). He died in 2022.[4] Ilarion was elected as Bishop of Edmonton at the Ukrainian Orthodox Church's Sobor (Church Council) on August 23, 2008, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. This election was later ratified by the Ecumenical Patriarchate's Holy and Sacred Synod, and he was enthroned as Bishop of Edmonton on Sunday, October 26, 2008, at St. John's Cathedral by Metropolitan John.
On September 7, 2018, the Chief Secretariat of the Patriarchate of Constantinople Holy Synod announced the appointment of Bishop Hilarion and Archbishop Daniel of Pamphilon as ‘exarchs’ of the Patriarchate of Constantinople for Kiev.[5][6]
List of bishops
- Andrew (Metiuk) (1958–1975).[7]
- Boris (Yakovkevych) (1975–1983)
- John (Stinka) (1985–2005)[7]
- Hilarion (Rudnyk) (2008–present)
See also
- Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
- St. John's Cathedral, Edmonton
- Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral (Vancouver)
References
- ^ St Anne’s Orthodox Church website, Parishes of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
- ^ The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada website, Western Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada formalizes agreement with Orthodox Church of Ukraine for direct humanitarian aid, article dated April 9, 2022
- ^ The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada website, His Eminence, The Most Rev. Metropolitan Bishop Ilarion (Rudnyk), retrieved 2024-01-16
- ^ The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada website, ‘’ Press Release for the Schedule of Funeral Services for the Blessed Memory of Metropolitan John (Stinka)’’, press release dated September 20, 2022
- ^ Orthodox Christian Laity website, Bartholomew Sends Exarchy to Ukraine; Moscow Responds with Threats, article by Theodore Kalmoukos, published on September 13, 2018.
- ^ OST Kirchen website, Metropolitan Emmanuel and Hilarion comment on developments between Constantinople and Moscow, article published September 11 2018
- ^ a b The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada website, ‘’History’’
External links