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Holy Ghost Ukrainian

Holy Ghost Ukrainian

The original Holy Ghost Ukrainian Catholic Church was built in 1911 and opened a year later. The building was devastated by fire in 1932 and all was lost save a few charred beams and the pews, which were later painted in faux wood grain. The church was rebuilt by parishioners in 1934 on the ashes of the old building, abutting new frame work with the old charred beams to protect against future fire. In 1978, Saskatchewan artist Theodore Baran, who was trained in the Ukrainian Catholic tradition of church decorating, adorned the Holy Ghost church with his artwork. He painted a mural of Christ above the altar along with stencilled borders and church symbols (oil and gold leaf on plaster). He also painted portraits of six saints pertinent to the Ukrainian Catholic tradition on the east and west walls and the Ukrainian national symbol, the Trident, above the balcony. In 1979, Mr. Baran made several paintings on canvas that were affixed to the walls and ceiling. These canvases depict a series of religious symbols such as the Chi Rho, the all-seeing eye of God, angels, fish and doves. Sometime in the late 1980s, the roof of the new church collapsed. The canvases decorated the rebuilt ceiling.

The church also features a wooden icon wall, decoratively painted by an unknown artist. The icon wall, made up of portraits of various saints and apostles, was likely painted in 1934 when the new church was built. The original icon wall was five levels high but a former priest, perhaps disillusioned by the structure, threw the whole thing out. Parishioners salvaged the first level and one panel from the fifth level, The Last Supper, which has been affixed to the front of the altar.

City: 
Sydey

Province:

Property Type:

Public:

Construction Details: 
Construction Date: ??-??-1934 Builder Name: The church's parishioners
Current Owner: 
Church Parish Holy Ghost