We are a community that belongs to a larger community known as the UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

      The Ukrainian Catholic Church is the largest non-Western Rite Church in union with the Pope of Rome.  The Ukraine, a prosperous country in Eastern Europe, is the modern-day successor to the Medieval state of Kyjivan-Rus'.  Christianity was made the official religion of Kyjivan-Rus' by Knyaz' (Prince) Wolodymyr the Great, in 988.  Although the land had been missionary territory of German monks, Prince Wolodymyr accepted Christianity from the Byzantine Greeks, Mainly according to legend, because of its aesthetically beautiful liturgical expression.

 

     After the decline and fall of Constantinople, and its domination by the Ottomans (Turks), the Church in Ukraine was, to a degree, in similar turmoil.  By the 16th century, the episcopate, wishing to solidify its ties to a larger Church, looked West -- entering in 1596 into formal union with the See of Rome.  Although most of the bishops accepted union under terms which guaranteed their unique traditions, liturgical Rites, and canon laws, some chose not to enter into union.  Therefore 1596 in fact, marks the birth of a divided Christian Church in Ukraine: one part Ukrainian (or at the time Rutheniun) Catholic and the other Ukrainian Orthodox.

 

     Since that time both Churches have grown and prospered.  The Orthodox Church, however, is the largest numerically, although the Catholic Church does have over 8 million adherents.  As Ukrainians spread over the world, so did their churches.  Today Ukrainian Churches are recognizable and visible in most of the major cities of the world, including such far away lands as Buenos Aires and Melbourne.  In Canada, we have seven bishops in five eparchies (or diocese).  Our Bishop is his Grace Bishop Isidore (Borecky) of Toronto.  All the Ukrainian Catholic bishops belong to the Synod of the Ukrainian Catholic Church which is headed by His Beatitude Patriarch Myroslaw I (Lubachivsky), who resides in Rome.  It is the Synod which directly governs our Church -- The Pope of Rome in only the Spiritual leader of the Church and exercises no direct jurisdiction over our Church.

 

     Although the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the West is prospering, the Church in Ukraine and the U.S.S.R. is suffering harsh persecution.  In the Soviet Union it is forbidden to be a Ukrainian Catholic, although Roman Catholics do have a certain degree of liberty.  We therefore ask you to remember our suffering brothers and sisters in your prayers.

 

 

     St. John Ukrainian Catholic Church was established by Bishop Isodore Borecky in March of 1981.  The first Sunday service was celebrated on April 5, 1981, at Assumption School on the corner of Parnell and Niagara Streets.  Services were held there for nearly three years, as the development of the church and parish went through many exciting stages.

 

     First there was the acquisition of land for our future church at 85 Lakeshore Rd.  Then there was the clearing of the old smoke sheds, broken greenhouses, garage and barn, the demolishing of the old Avondale Store, and the readying of the site for the building of our church.  Many fund-raising events were held, i.e. picnics, flea markets, dances, raffles ... and many sacrificial donations made toward the building fund of our church.  A large number of ladies of our parish, supported by a faithful number of men, incessantly worked (and still work) at making pyrohy, cabbage rolls, pies and other baked goods for sale, to enable us all to enjoy a church of our own.  All this and much more, the clergy and faithful together brought about the blessings of the Lord, so that on October 3, 1982, the foundation stone was laid to signal the beginning of the building of our church.  This was followed by the preparation of the site for services and the erection of footings.  In the spring of 1983, the steel was ordered and subsequently erected in June and July of that year.  Once the steel structure was up, the church began to take better and better shape every day.  The obtaining of a joint cost-sharing grant from the federal and provincial government greatly encouraged all those involved.  By late fall of 1983, the church was already recognizable as such from the outside: by late winter it was recognizable as such on the inside as well.  On April 8, 1984, exactly three years since the first service at Assumption School, and after an outpouring of volunteer men who helped in painting and staining the church and total parish involvement in cleaning it, Bishop Isidore Borecky blessed the church and led in all the clergy and faithful for our first Divine Liturgy celebration.  What a memorable and beautiful day it was!

 

During the next few months, the church was already being used for daily services while the remainder of the work was brought to completion.  The summer months were used to complete the stucco finishing of the outside of the church and the preparation of the grounds for landscaping.  In September, the sod was laid, giving the church and grounds a fresh new look in time for the next memorable event -the Consecration of the Church on October 21, 1984.

 

 

     Since the establishment of the parish, our membership has grown to about 180 families and is constantly expanding.  Already we have developed a vibrant parish life.  We have an active Parish Council, Women's Association, Senior Citizens' Association, Youth Activity Group and Alter Boys Group.  Our Liturgical Singing Group leads the congregation in singing at services in both Ukrainian and English.  We have a Catechetical Team and provide religious education programs for children, youth and adults.  Along with general fund-raising, most of the major needs (including office work, care of alter linens, and building and land maintenance) are all done by VOLUNTEERS!

 

 

     St. John the Theologian Ukrainian Catholic Church Serves the community of St. Catharines and in particularly meaningful way, the Ukrainian Catholics of this community by reaching out in a SPECIAL MINISTRY OF CHRISTIAN LOVE which:

 

     Our patron saint is the apostle and evangelist John, the apostle of love, the "one whom Christ loved".  He is known as St. John the Theologian and also as St. John the Evangelist of St. John the Divine.

 

 

 

     A church that is cross-shaped always symbolizes Christ who achieved man's salvation through his death on the cross.  Our Church is built in the shape of St. Andrew's Cross.  St. Andrew is known as the "apostle of the Slavs" because he preached in the areas along the Black Sea coast.  Like most of the other apostles, he died a martyr's death, only was crucified spread-eagle fashion, on an X-shaped cross, upside down.  The shape of our church thus reminds us not only of his martyrdom, but of the fact that he brought Christianity to the land of our forefathers.

 

 

 

     The number of domes surmounting Eastern Churches has significance; each number symbolizing some truth of our faith.  In the case of St. John Church, the three domes symbolize the three persons of the Holy Trinity - The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.

 

 

 

     Each dome is surmounted with a cross.  Where the pagans saw the cross only as an instrument of punishment, and hence, a symbol of shame, the early Christians regarded it as the symbol of Christ victory, or saving power (cf. 1 Cor 1:18).  The cross atop each dome in effect tells passers-by:  This is the house of the Lord, a place of salvation.

     The shape of the three-barred Eastern (of Slavic) cross can be explained as follows.  The top transverse bar is the title of inscription; the centre is the regular cross bar; the bottom is the foot rest.

 

 

 

     Since darkness occurs with the setting of the sun in the West, early Christians regarded the West as a place of darkness and evil where Satan dwells.  In contrast, since the sun rises out of the East to bring warmth and light to the darkened world, they considered the East as a place of goodness and light, the place of Christ, the Sun of Justice and Truth, the Light of the World.  Whenever they prayed, they faced the East, so when they built special buildings for worship, they constructed them in such a way that the congregation would face the East.

 

 

     On the alter in the sanctuary lies an Antimension.  This is a rectangular linen or silken cloth with the icon of Christ in the tomb and the four evangelists; sewn onto the Antimension are relics of some saint or martyr.  The origin of this custom may be seen in the early Christian practices of celebrating the Eucharistic Sacrifice on the tomb of martyrs in the catacombs, perhaps in accordance with REV. 6:9, and serves to remind the faithful that after Christ Himself, the blood of the martyrs is the foundation of the church.

     In addition, relics are placed into the centre of the alter itself, at the time of the consecration of the Church.  The relics being placed on our alter, are those of St. Martin the Pope.

 

     Public worship in the Byzantine-Ukrainian Rite is a manifestation of faith through the very human tool of symbolism.  As a result, liturgy or public prayer has often been described as DIVINE DRAMA.

     The consecration of the Church is just such a divine drama.  The service itself can be divided into three sections, corresponding to three particular moments during the Burial of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

 

 

 

     The first part of the service is the washing of the altar.  This corresponds to the taking down of Christ's Body from the Cross, its washing, anointing, and binding.  The altar is washed three times by the Bishop and senior celebrants: first with warm water, then with red wine and finally with rose water.  The altar is sealed with a fragrant combination of beeswax, incense and aloe or mastik.  Further the altar is washed with soap: however, the soap must be natural vegetable soap since nothing which is produced by death of a living creature can be used on the altar of life!  Finally, just as Christ's Body was anointed so too the altar is anointed with Holy Chrism.  After all this is done, the altar is garbed in a seamless katasark or "undershirt" -- reminding us of the seamless garment which Christ wore as he was brought to the Cross, and the white linen in which He was wrapped for burial in the tomb.

 

 

 

     We now move on to the second portion of our service which involves the "preparation of the tomb" for Christ's burial:  the Bishop and celebrants proceed around the Church incensing, blessing with Holy Water and anointing with Holy Chrism.  This portion of the service concludes with the lighting of the first alter candle.  The Body of the Lord had been wrapped for burial, the tomb is prepared and consecrated -- but although Christ is dead, His light remains and reminds us that from the dead He will rise and the light of His glorious Resurrection shall shine forth.

 

 

 

     After completing the preparation of the tomb we commence the final section of the service: "laying Christ into the tomb".  The celebrants depart from the Church proceeding out with the Bishop carrying the relics over his head (relics symbolize the Body of Christ).  The relics are placed on a table outside the Church and the doors are closed:  Christ has died and is being placed in the tomb -- He is descending into Hades to free the sinners from their suffering!  The Bishop calls out "Open the gates of kings open you external gates - let the King of Glory enter in!"  The choir responds: "Who is the King of Glory?"  After the question and response are repeated, the Bishop proclaims a prayer explaining the saving activity for our Lord and then responds to the choir's question:  "The Lord of Hosts is the King of Glory!'" The choir jubilantly repeats this great affirmation.

     Once more carrying the relics above his head, the Bishop enters the Church, proceeds to the altar and places the relics in the middle of the altar, and then seals them into the altar.  Christ is placed in His Tomb and the entrance way is sealed!

 

 

 

     So concludes the service of consecration -- the beginning of the life of a new Church.  From this symbolic commemoration of Christ's death and burial begins the NEW LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH WHICH WILL BE A CELEBRATION OF THE NEW LIFE WHICH ARISES FROM THE TOMB!

     It is in the community of faith, as it gathers to worship that the Risen Lord manifests His mystical presence.  This is particularly true when we gather to celebrate the Divine Liturgy and partake of the Most Holy Eucharist.  It is we who are the Body of Christ who are called to make the Risen Lord arise from the tomb and live among us?  And, as only in the Resurrection does the death of our Lord gain meaning, so too in our future use of the Church as a place of prayer and worship does the service of consecration become complete and bear fruit.