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St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
The first church was built in 1905 on a fifteen-acre site located one and a half miles west and one mile south of Smuts. It was destroyed by fire in 1925, and a second church was erected on the same site in 1926. By then, the site had been reduced to ten acres, as five acres were given by the parishioners for the construction of a Ukrainian Greek Orthodox church. In 1954, the church was relocated to a half-acre site in western Smuts. Archbishop Basil Ladyka blessed the church and altar in 1932, and Bishop Andrew Roborecki visited in 1954 and 1962.
The church is a wooden cruciform structure measuring 67 by 39 feet, featuring an open central dome and smaller cupolas on the front towers. The interior and exterior walls are clad in narrow wood siding, the roof is shingled, and the domes are covered in white sheet metal.
Inside, the church is centered around a large, well-lit octagonal dome and includes a sanctuary, sacristies, nave, and choir loft. An adjoining separately roofed porch functions as a vestibule. The main altar, along with two small side altars dedicated to the Mother of God and Christ the Redeemer, were hand-carved by Stepan Meush using a technique known as 'rizba.' The painting behind the main altar, depicting the church patron, is also by Meush. The church has wooden pews seating approximately 170 people, and features electricity and central oil heating. The total construction cost was $11,000, funded through the generous voluntary labor of parishioners, with E. Slonetsky serving as the chief foreman.
In 1926, parishioners constructed a single bell belfry near the church and installed a cross to commemorate the parish’s Holy Mission. The Prosvita Home of Andrey Sheptytsky, initially serving as the rectory, was reconstructed into a parish hall in 1934 under Rev. Stephen Semczuk’s pastorate and later relocated with the church to its current site in Smuts. The original site remains as the parish cemetery. Ivan Pryma donated the combined fifteen-acre church and cemetery site, and the parish was named 'na Pryymovim' in his honor.
Ukrainian settlement in the Smuts district began in 1900, with settlers mainly from Borshchiv and Horodenka counties. The parish was established during the construction of the first and second churches with the help of early pastors Rev. Tymofey Wasylewich and Rev. Roman Cherepaniak. In 1926, the parish executive included P. Rypchynski, V. Shawaga, D. Turchyniak, and I. Dziadyk. Membership statistics included 45 members and 120 children in 1941, 125 souls in 1961, 138 people in 1967, and 10 families in 1975. By 2003, the parish was directed by Rev. Deacon Ray Lalach.
The Ukrainian Catholic parish of St. John the Baptist at Smuts is part of the Vonda mission district.
Type of Data Point - Website/Blog Post
Smuts -St. John the Baptist - Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon
Visit page of the element - St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
Inserted: 07-09-2024 02:09:59
Questions related to this Data Point
How did the construction costs and voluntary labor for St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church reflect the community’s commitment?
How did the donation of the fifteen-acre site by Ivan Pryma influence the naming of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church?
How did the membership trends from 1941 to 1975 reflect the changing needs or stability of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church?
In what ways did Stepan Meush’s hand-carving technique "rizba" contribute to the distinctiveness of the altars in St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church?
What impact did the relocation of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in 1954 have on its parishioners’ engagement?
What role did the Prosvita Home of Andrey Sheptytsky play in the early development of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church?
What was the significance of Archbishop Basil Ladyka’s blessing in 1932 for the community of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church?
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