The First Church in Canada: The Cross of Freedom
Trembowla is a village founded by the first Ukrainian settlers from Galicia in 1896. It is located northeast of Winnipeg, in the Dauphin Lake area, and is one of the first Ukrainian settlements in Manitoba.
The initial residents of Trembowla were 15 Ukrainian families (78 people in total), led by Vasyl Ksionzhyk. They came from Terebowla, Borshchiv, Chortkiv, and Buchach counties, with the largest number of colonists from the Terebowla region. This is why the colony was named Trembowla, after the then name of the city. The village’s name also extended to the local church parish and the school district “Trembowla School No. 1040.”
In April of 1897, Fr. Nestor Dmytriw (Dmytrow), born in Ukraine, arrived to Manitoba from the United States and celebrated the first Ukrainian Catholic Liturgy. After the Divine Liturgy, Father Nestor blessed a large commemorative cross, known as the “Cross of Freedom,” symbolizing the freedom gained on the new land, erected by the first settlers.
Currently, the Trembowla Cross of Freedom Museum is located on the site of the village. In 1967, the church of St. Michael of Vovkivets, the first and oldest Ukrainian Greek Catholic church in Canada, was moved to the museum. It was consecrated in 1902, with construction beginning in 1897. The church is small, measuring 4 by 5 meters, built of wood, and decorated in the Byzantine style. For its preservation, it was moved twice until it found its place in the museum. The museum also provides an opportunity to explore Ukrainian cuisine, including a preserved clay oven.
In Trembowla, there is also a monument to Father Nestor Dmytriv. Nearby, other settlements founded by Ukrainians include Halych, Zorya, and Ukraina. For more information, click here.
