Theotokos icon blessed in St. Paul for Remembrance Day

Dr. Amil Shapka

As part of its annual Remembrance Day commemorations, on Sunday November 3 an icon was blessed at the All Saints Ukrainian Orthodox Church at St. Paul, in northeast Alberta.

Part of the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Foundation Heroes of Their Day project, the icon is of the Mother of God watching over servicemen and servicewomen. It is especially appropriate since the Покрова image – The Protection of Our Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos – has historically been venerated by those praying for the safety of those serving in defence of country. Acclaimed iconographer, Oleksandr Klymenko of Kyiv created the icon. As with all of his icon work, the icons are written on ammunition boxes sourced from Ukraine in its defence against Russia.

Father Peter Haugen blessing the icon

After the service, there was a showing of the Ukrainian Research & Documentation Centre's film “A Canadian War Story”. Combining archival photographs and film footage with firsthand oral accounts, the film pays dramatic tribute to the Ukrainian Canadian military personnel who contributed to the Allied victory in World War II.

The Ukrainian enlistment percentage was the highest of any ethnic group outside of the British. The film certainly resonated with the many in attendance. Annually, the St. Paul Royal Canadian Legion places banners with photographs of local veterans on the main streetlight standards. Every third banner is a Ukrainian: Shapka, Boychuk, Demanchuk, Strynadka, Brodziak…repeated in every small town across the borscht belt. Our Ukrainian community has much to be proud of.

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