Kyivan Rus' Sovereign, Saint and Hero

Monuments to great heroes, to champions of the good, monuments to mark sad moments that teach us never to forget, and then there are monuments which speak to the spirit. Calgary is home to a special monument, a type of structure explicitly created to commemorate a real person, and an extraordinary historical, cultural and spiritual event.

The Ukrainian Church closest to the Langevin Bridge off Memorial Drive adds some Eastern European flare to our Western Canadian cityscape.  While the hopeful start of the first Ukrainian Catholic Church in Calgary in 1912 was shortlived noteably because of Canada's First World War Internment Operations, the end of the war brought a resurgence of spirit.  The changing political climate in the ancestral homeland meant new Ukrainian Canadians would have to be self-reliant, so they forged ahead embracing the legacy of Kyivan Rus' Sovereign, Saint and Hero -Volodymyr. 


Baptism of Volodymyr-public domain

From the Feast Day in his honor on July 28th to August 14th marking Volodymyr's official Baptism and acceptance of Orthodox Christianity as the State Religion of Kyivan Rus', these are heady, legacy days for Ukrainians.  Interestingly enough,  The Primary Chronicle names Anna, the sister of Byzantine Emperors Basil and Constantine, and records that her brothers agreed to her marriage to Volodymyr upon his receipt of Christian Baptism, in Kherson.  It looks like Volodymyr married into the faith!  Heady times for me too since the the location of these events, the Ruins of the Basilica and Saint Volodymyr Cathedral in National Preserve of Tauric Chersonesos, Sevastopol, Crimea, Ukraine will be part of my summer tour this month. 

Ukrainian-Calgarians, thankful for their huge Canadian inheritance, and emulating their ancestral Sovereign pressed forward with a vision of a people united by a common spiritual culture that transcended the parochial loyalties of their village past.  The church standing on Meredith Road looking over the river to downtown Calgary would welcome all those of Ukrainian ancestry.

St. Vlad's is a great community for Ukrainian-Calgarian hospitality.  On Sunday, July 28th the church marks its Temple Patron Feast Day with Divine Liturgy, followed by prayers and procession around the temple to honor Kyivan Rus' Sovereign and Saint, Volodymyr's  Baptism of Ukraine 1025 years ago. Come and contribute your favorite dish to the pot-luck luncheon, and you will be sure to meet friends, renew aquaintance and be spiritually uplifted!

http://www.ukrainian-orthodoxy.org/saints/otherSaints/volodymyr.htm

http://ukrainiancalgary.blogspot.ca/2013/03/988-2013-makes-1025-years.html

Sviato Pokrova 2012

Today, October 14, is a festive day for Ukrainians everywhere.  Whether you are involved in church life, or a patriot, this is the Day of Ukrainian Cossacks.  Like many things in the Ukrainian life, today has many layers of complexity. 

Today is Pokrova, the day recognizing the act of intercession of the Theotokos, the Blessed Virgin Mary, over the people of the Blachernae church in Constantinpole.  According to Eastern Orthodox Sacred Tradition, in the tenth century on this day, St. Andrew the Blessed Fool for Christ, rose for prayers, and at four in the morning, he saw the dome of the Blachernae church open and the Virgin Mary enter, moving in the air above him, surrounded by the Holy Angels and Saints. She knelt and prayed with tears for all the faithful. St. Andrew and his disciple St. Epiphanius saw it, and the people were amazed.

In the same spirit, the Virgin Mary has appeared in various sites in Ukraine, and over the centuries has become the protector of Ukraine. 

Pokrova is also tied to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army UPA and has indeed become a day recognizing the struggle for national liberation.  But complexity its is by-line. 
Of course, history is all dependent upon who writes the words.  As I have recently read in the book Bloodlands by Timothy Snyder, people don't frequently have many choices during war, and during the course of Ukraine's last century (and for many before it seems) the people have been vulnerably between a rock and a hard place.  Difficult to choose options when you have none, and yet somehow the world goes on. 

The Ukrainian political movements of the 1920's and 1930's were fighting foreign and domestic enemies.  The organization mentioned above was formed to protect the people from repression and exploitation by the various "ruling bodies", and drive to the goal of an independent, free and unified state.  Extremely difficult circumstances dictated the acceptance of violence as an acceptable tool.  Hindsight is 20/20, and historians can interpret the strategic errors those in the trenches were too busy to sort out. 

Тарас Петрененко Україна
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bF-hynOwRA&feature=share

Warrior heritage of Ukrainian Cossacks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7rqdQ7dgCM&feature=share

 

http://ukrainiancalgary.blogspot.ca/2012/10/giving-thanks_7.htmlFor Ukraine, for its diaspora, for Ukrainians everywhere, on this October 14th, whether you like red borsch, green or white, greetings on this day of Pokrova!  (The photo is from Edmonton's Borsch Fest 2012 - wish I 'd had the chance to attend!

http://ukrainiancalgary.blogspot.ca/2012/07/borshch-fest-ukrainian-male-chorus.html






 

Alberta's Ukrainian Summer Camp Season 2012



life.nationalpost.com

Summer camp as a Ukie kid in Alberta was always an interesting experience.  The excitement of going to camp with your friends really overshadowed the fact that the whole summer was summer vacation!  Packing involved leaving all the trappings of "living in a house" and meant roughing it a bit.  Have to admit that the "biffy" days are over for kids these days, but there is still a lot to be gained from the outdoor summer camp experience.

For one thing, there are never enough hours to tell the stories of summer camp. Once you start telling camp stories, you might just as well .....well, maybe it is time for your children to experience the Ukie camp thing in Alberta - here are a few to choose from. 


youth.edmontoneparchy.com

The Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy has their Annual Eparchial Children's Summer Camp again this year at Camp Oselia on Lake Wabamum.  This year's children's camp will take place from Sunday July 15 to Saturday July 28 and is programmed for children ages 7-14.  A safe, positive program based on Christian living, creative lessons about faith, complete with lake activities, canoeing, swimming, archery, camp fires, scavenger hunts, crafts and fun activities awaits.  The program is based on the teachings of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, but children do not need to be Ukrainian Catholic to attend.  Please make your interest in the program known at oselia.camp@gmail.com  or call 780-426-4176.     The cost of the program is $350 which includes accomodation, meal, and a t shirt.. 

Camp Oselia also hosts a Teen camp from July 30th to August 3rd, for teens ages 13-18.  Contact Namisha at 780-554-8543 or oselia.camp@gmail.com
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uocc.ca

Alberta’s beautiful Pigeon Lake, offers a quintessential overnight camp experience in a Ukrainian Orthodox setting from July 8-21, 2012 . Children 8-14 will enjoy a wide variety of cultural, sporting, religious and recreational activities, throughout this fun-filled, 2-week summer adventure!
Camp Bar-V-Nok is the perfect way to get the most out of summer and make lifelong memories from lake-side activities, off-site excursions, and unforgettable “vatra” (bonfire) and “zabava” (dance) nights. Campers will spend their days and evenings participating in:
Traditional Ukrainian arts and crafts workshops Ukrainian dance classes Swimming and canoeing Folk singing and music classes Religion lessons and services Guest presentations (various themes) Theme nights, talent shows, friendly competitions, beach activities, zabavas, vatra nights, and much more!
Camp Bar-V-Nok’s programming focuses on elements of the Ukrainian language, culture, traditions, and the Orthodox faith, in a Christian environment. Indoor and outdoor recreational activities allow children from across Alberta to interact and learn about one another’s communities.
All staff live on-site at Camp Bar-V-Nok, including the chaplain, director, co-director, counsellors and volunteers.
CAMP FEES: Camp fees include room and board, all camp activities, supplies and a camp t-shirt. Members* 1 child: $375 2 + children: $350/child Non-members: 1 child: $425 2 + children: $400/child    programs@stjohnsinstitute.com   or www.stjohnsinstitute.com  (780) 439-2320 or 1-800-439-2320.

Kiev's-K-Hi Ukrainian Orthodox Youth Camp

Summer camp offers a wonderful opportunity for boys and girls to enjoy happy character building summer days in the great outdoors near lakes and the woods. Boys and girls will receive Ukrainian Orthodox Christian religious instruction, conversational Ukrainian and a fundamental knowledge of the Ukrainian culture. They will have the opportunity to swim, dance, do crafts, participate in sports and enjoy the fun of hikes, campfires, cookouts and singsongs. All this will be accomplished in an atmosphere of friendship, trust, kindness and fun.

Camp starts July 8 for 6 - 8 yr olds       July 15 for 8 - 10. $160       July 22 for 9 - 12. $160

July 29 for 9 - 12. $160       Aug 5 for 12- 15. $190       Aug 12 for 15 - 17. $190      

All sessions run Sunday to Sunday          For more info please contact:

Linda Boser 780-826-4935       Camp Phone 780-635-2384