Description of Historic Place

The Mohela Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church is a Municipal Heritage Property located on a small parcel of land in the Rural Municipality of Keys No. 303. The designation applies to a small, one room wood-frame country church approximately fourteen kilometres northeast of the Town of Canora.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Mohela Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church lies in its association with the establishment of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox faith in the Canora region. Built in 1912, the church, also known as the Swjatoko Mychajila Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church, was built by the area’s Ukrainian settlers to establish their faith in a newly-settled region of the province. The church served its parishioners until it closed in 1968, and today stands as one of the oldest buildings in the Rural Municipality of Keys.

The heritage value of the property also lies in its architecture. Built in the domestic vernacular style, the church is distinguished by the small cupola capped with a metal crucifix that reflects the Eastern religious traditions of the congregation. The property also features a separate bell tower, a common element of Greek Orthodox churches. The building’s mixed architectural style makes it unique and a landmark in the municipality.

Source:

Rural Municipality of Keys No. 303 Bylaw No. 2006-4.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the Mohela Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church resides in the following character-defining elements:
-those elements associated with the establishment of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox faith in the Canora region, such as its location on its original site;
-those architectural elements typical of the domestic vernacular and eastern religious styles, such as the pitched roof, centred front entrance, pointed-arch windows, and the detached bell tower and cupola topped with a metal crucifix;
-those interior elements, such as iconic screens and statues, that represent the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox faith.