Hieromonk Policarp Athenagoras, abbot of Canada’s only Romanian Orthodox monastery, visited the Orthodox community in Timmins, Ontario, in early October.
The cleric made a round trip of more than 1,350 kilometres to join the faithful at the Dormition of the Mother of God Parish.
The programme included prayer, liturgical services and meetings with members of the community.
The abbot of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and St Ephraim the New Monastery in Mono visited elderly parishioners and those unable to leave their homes, and offered prayers at the graves of the departed.
Parishioners also had the opportunity to receive the Mystery of Confession in preparation for attending the Divine Liturgy and receiving Holy Communion.
The meetings sought to strengthen spiritual ties within the community and maintain a living connection with the Church, particularly given the parish’s small membership.
Parish members helped organise the visit, providing accommodation and practical assistance throughout the programme.
The community expressed gratitude to everyone involved, as well as to His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian of Canada for his pastoral care for the faithful in Timmins.
More than a century of history
The Dormition of the Mother of God Parish in Timmins is one of the oldest communities in the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada.
It was originally established before the First World War in the mining area around Sudbury, Ontario.
From the outset, the community welcomed Orthodox Christians from different ethnic backgrounds, including Romanians, Greeks, Syrians, Ukrainians, Serbs and Canadians.
After 1930, the parish relocated to Timmins, where it has remained ever since.
It is the only Orthodox church in the area.
