On September 20, 2025, a celebration was held to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the blessing of the first Ukrainian Catholic Church in Winnipeg. Named for its patron saint, St. Nicholas, the original church was located on the current site of the Sts. Volodymyr and Olha Cathedral at McGregor Street and Stella Avenue.

 

The celebration was organized by the Planning Committee, which was composed of members selected from the Cathedral’s Parish Council, including the pastor, Father Ihor Shved. Invitations were sent to all the parishes within the Archeparchy, local organizations, businesses, and individual sponsors.

 

The celebration began with a liturgy at the Cathedral, celebrated by Metropolitan Lawrence; Archbishop Stefan; the Archbishop of St. Boniface, Albert LeGatt; and clergy from the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy. In his homily, Metropolitan Lawrence spoke on the theme of the Good Shepherd and the efforts of our first Ukrainian settlers, whose establishment of the first Ukrainian Catholic Church led to the building of a strong faith community in Winnipeg that has been sustained to the present day.

 

Following the Divine Liturgy, a celebratory banquet was held at the Holy Eucharist Parish Centre, where 180 guests enjoyed a program of special greetings from dignitaries, including: City of Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham; The Honourable Bernadette Smith, Minister Responsible for Mental Health and Minister of Homelessness, Housing and Addictions; the Archbishop Albert LeGatt, Archdiocese of St. Boniface; and Mrs. Joanne Lewandosky of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Manitoba.

 

The banquet began with the singing of the Canadian and Ukrainian anthems, after which Metropolitan Lawrence recited the opening prayer. A highlight of the evening occurred when Mayor Gillingham presented a special City of Winnipeg Community Service Award to Father Ihor Shved, who accepted it on behalf of everyone present and offered words of gratitude for the honour. Throughout the evening, attendees were entertained by the well-known and talented singer Rosemarie Todaschuk, nine-year-old Dmytro Vovchyna, and the popular group the Paches Brothers’ Trio.

 

As the evening was coming to an end, Archbishop Stefan Soroka shared a very personal and eloquent reflection on gratitude, tying into the theme of the 125th Anniversary. He emphasized the importance of the local history of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Winnipeg and the need for us all to continue building on our pioneers’ determination and faith in the face of present societal challenges.

 

The Chair of the 125th Anniversary Planning Committee, Yaroslaw Chubenko, concluded by acknowledging all guests in attendance, including the Metropolitan, Archbishops, Mayor, Members of the Legislative Assembly, clergy and the Sister Servants of the Immaculate Heart, members of the Knights of Columbus and the Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League, Orthodox friends, all generous sponsors, and the volunteers. Special acknowledgment was directed to members of the Anniversary Committee: Father Ihor Shved, Lesia Uhryn, Stefan Bandera (Master of Ceremonies), Irka Semaniuk, Ivan Banias, Oksana Dudych, Dr. Taras Babick, Luba Demko, and Oksana Protsyk (Parish Administrative Secretary). The evening concluded with the singing of “Mnohaya Lita!”