Boian, Alberta, Canada, August 1, 2023
Photo: stmarysromanianchurchofboian.files.wordpress.com
On June 6, the wooden Dormition of the Mother of God Church in Boian, Canada, built and consecrated in 1905, was completely destroyed by fire. It was the oldest church in the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada.
But the parish community is determined to stay together and has launched a fundraiser towards the building of a new church (see below for details).
The tragedy struck the parish just days before the celebration of the retirement of Fr. Mircea Panciuk, its priest of 54 years. The Romanian hierarch of Canada, His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian, visited the parish community on the evening of the celebration to comfort and offer prayers with the faithful.
The tragedy also came just a month before the celebration of the parish’s 125th anniversary.
The church before the fire. Photo: stmarysromanianchurchofboian.wordpress.com
On the occasion of the anniversary, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania sent greetings to the community, encouraging them in their intention to rebuild their church:
The celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Romanian Orthodox presence in Boian, Canada, is a blessed event for our Church in general, but especially for the Romanian Orthodox community in this locality.
The spiritual needs of Romanians living far from their homeland have led the Romanian Orthodox Church to prioritize the pastoral strengthening of Romanian communities in the Romanian diaspora—a new reality that has gained unprecedented significance in the history of the Romanian people. Although far from their homeland, Romanians in the diaspora are close to their country through each Divine Liturgy celebrated in Romanian, where they listen to the Holy Gospel and partake of the Lord’s Supper. Through their distance from their homeland and loved ones, Romanians living among foreigners better understand the words of Scripture: For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come (Heb. 13:14).
The Dormition of the Mother of God parish in Boian, with its clergy and faithful, has stood over time as a testament to the Orthodox Christian life lived in this Boian of the Bucovina region of Romania. The historic presence of Romanians in Canada for 125 years shows that they have been inspired by the history of Romanians at home who resisted the adversities of the times and built a country that stands as a testament throughout the centuries.
We were saddened to hear about the fire that destroyed the historic church in Boian on June 6, 2023, but we were overjoyed to hear the news of your decision to build a new church, following the model of the previous one. We congratulate you and encourage you to realize this new project of the soul, which will continue to profess the Romanian Orthodox Christian faith in this part of the world.
On the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the Romanian presence in Boian, Canada, we also congratulate His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada, the entire Romanian Orthodox community in this locality, as well as all the clergy and lay faithful present at this holy and solemn event of spirituality and Christian dignity.
We pray to the Lord Jesus Christ to grant you all peace and joy, health and salvation, to the glory of the Holy Trinity and the joy of the Church of Christ.
With esteem and blessing,
† DANIEL
Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church
Donations for a new church for the Dormition of the Mother of God parish community can be offered via its GoFundMe page. It has currently raised $10,470 CAD of its $100,000 goal.
Canadian benefactors can also donate via etransfer to boianchurchrebuildfund@gmail.com.
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