All Serbian Saints Serbian Orthodox Church (Mississauga): Difference between revisions

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Directly next to the church is the Serbian Centre – a building that was originally used as a school when it was built in 1921. The architects of the building were Charles Wellington Smith and Percival Ross Wright of Toronto. The building is a rare example of [[Romanesque Revival architecture]] in Ontario. The building was sold in 1962 to the [[Ministry of Transportation (Ontario)|Ministry of Transportation]], which used the building until 1982.<ref name=”INS ref”>{{cite web|url=https://www.insauga.com/former-school-building-approved-for-heritage-designation-in-mississauga/|last=Longwell|first=Karen|website=insauga.com |title=Former school building approved for heritage designation in Mississauga |access-date=2025-01-20 |date=2024-03-15 |language=}}</ref> The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada purchased the building on June 6, 1983. The building was consecrated by Bishop [[Christopher Kovacevich|Christopher (Kovacevich)]] on September 3, 1984. The godmother at the consecration was Marina Selak.<ref name=”PG18″>{{cite book|date=6 October 2024 |title=70 Years: Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church and School Congregation of Toronto |url=https://www.snfpaper.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/St.-Sava-Booklet-final.pdf |location=Toronto |publisher=[[Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Canada|Eparchy of Canada]]|last=Dragašević |first=Draga |page=18 |isbn=}}</ref> The building was renovated from 1984 to 1985 to include a temporary chapel on the lower level.<ref>Hicks, Kathleen. ”Dixie: Orchards to Industry.” Mississauga: The Friends of the Mississauga Library System, 2006, p. 221</ref> Religious services were held in this chapel before completion of the church’s construction. Architect Rastko Mišić designed the iconostasis, carpenters Živan Marković and Siniša Gajić constructed it, and it was consecrated by Bishop of Canada Georgije on May 23, 1989.<ref>[https://pub-mississauga.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=52122 Heritage Property Research Report]</ref> The icons on the iconostasis were painted by Dragomir “Dragan” Marunić. The iconostasis was later moved to the Holy Archangel Gabriel Serbian Orthodox Church in [[Oak Ridges, Ontario|Oak Ridges]], [[Richmond Hill, Ontario|Richmond Hill]].

Directly next to the church is the Serbian Centre – a building that was originally used as a school when it was built in 1921. The architects of the building were Charles Wellington Smith and Percival Ross Wright of Toronto. The building is a rare example of [[Romanesque Revival architecture]] in Ontario. The building was sold in 1962 to the [[Ministry of Transportation (Ontario)|Ministry of Transportation]], which used the building until 1982.<ref name=”INS ref”>{{cite web|url=https://www.insauga.com/former-school-building-approved-for-heritage-designation-in-mississauga/|last=Longwell|first=Karen|website=insauga.com |title=Former school building approved for heritage designation in Mississauga |access-date=2025-01-20 |date=2024-03-15 |language=}}</ref> The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada purchased the building on June 6, 1983. The building was consecrated by Bishop [[Christopher Kovacevich|Christopher (Kovacevich)]] on September 3, 1984. The godmother at the consecration was Marina Selak.<ref name=”PG18″>{{cite book|date=6 October 2024 |title=70 Years: Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church and School Congregation of Toronto |url=https://www.snfpaper.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/St.-Sava-Booklet-final.pdf |location=Toronto |publisher=[[Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Canada|Eparchy of Canada]]|last=Dragašević |first=Draga |page=18 |isbn=}}</ref> The building was renovated from 1984 to 1985 to include a temporary chapel on the lower level.<ref>Hicks, Kathleen. ”Dixie: Orchards to Industry.” Mississauga: The Friends of the Mississauga Library System, 2006, p. 221</ref> Religious services were held in this chapel before completion of the church’s construction. Architect Rastko Mišić designed the iconostasis, carpenters Živan Marković and Siniša Gajić constructed it, and it was consecrated by Bishop of Canada Georgije on May 23, 1989.<ref>[https://pub-mississauga.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=52122 Heritage Property Research Report]</ref> The icons on the iconostasis were painted by Dragomir “Dragan” Marunić. The iconostasis was later moved to the Holy Archangel Gabriel Serbian Orthodox Church in [[Oak Ridges, Ontario|Oak Ridges]], [[Richmond Hill, Ontario|Richmond Hill]].

On October 20, 1992, of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Pavle, celebrated the Holy Hierarchical Liturgy in the chapel of the Serbian Centre. Along with numerous clergy, the liturgy was concelebrated by several members of the delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church: Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral Amfilohije (Radović), [[Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of New Gračanica and Midwestern America|Metropolitan of Midwestern America]] Christopher (Kovačević), Metropolitan of New Gračanica [[Irinej Kovačević|Irinej (Kovačević)]], [[Eparchy of Žiča|Bishop of Žiča]] Stefan (Boca), [[Eparchy of Niš|Bishop of Niš]] Irinej (Gavrilović), Bishop of Canada Georgije, and [[Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Eastern America|Bishop of Eastern America]] Mitrofan.<ref name=”Гласник 3″>{{cite magazine|date=7 January 1993 |title=Прва посета српског патријарха Павла |url=|location=Toronto |magazine=Glasnik |publisher=[[Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church (Toronto)|Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church and School Congregation]] |last=Aleksejčenko |first=Nikola |page=22 |issue=1 (year 21) |language=sr-Cyrl |isbn=}}</ref>

On October 20, 1992, of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Pavle, celebrated the Holy Hierarchical Liturgy in the chapel of the Serbian Centre. Along with numerous clergy, the liturgy was concelebrated by several members of the delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church: Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral Amfilohije (Radović), [[Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of New Gračanica and Midwestern America|Metropolitan of Midwestern America]] Christopher (Kovačević), Metropolitan of New Gračanica [[Irinej Kovačević|Irinej (Kovačević)]], [[Eparchy of Žiča|Bishop of Žiča]] Stefan (Boca), [[Eparchy of Niš|Bishop of Niš]] Irinej (Gavrilović), Bishop of Canada Georgije, and [[Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Eastern America|Bishop of Eastern America]] Mitrofan.<ref name=”Гласник 3″>{{cite magazine|date=7 January 1993 |title=Прва посета српског патријарха Павла |url=|location=Toronto |magazine=Glasnik |publisher=[[Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church (Toronto)|Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church and School Congregation]] |last=Aleksejčenko |first=Nikola |page=22 |issue=1 (year 21) |language=sr-Cyrl |isbn=}}</ref>

The Serbian Centre building was registered as a [[List of historic places in the Regional Municipality of Peel|cultural heritage monument]] in March 2024.<ref name=”INS ref”/> Since September 2025, the Serbian Centre building also serves as the home of Saint Sava Elementary School, the first Serbian Orthodox elementary school in Canada.

The Serbian Centre building was registered as a [[List of historic places in the Regional Municipality of Peel|cultural heritage monument]] in March 2024.<ref name=”INS ref”/> Since September 2025, the Serbian Centre building also serves as the home of Saint Sava Elementary School, the first Serbian Orthodox elementary school in Canada.

Revision as of 00:59, 6 February 2026

Serbian Orthodox church in Mississauga, Ontario

Church in Mississauga, Ontario

All Serbian Saints Serbian Orthodox Church (Serbian: Српски православни храм сабора српских светитеља, romanized: Srpski pravoslavni hram sabora srpskih svetitelja) is an Eastern Orthodox church located in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It is under jurisdiction of the Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Canada of the Serbian Orthodox Church and is dedicated to all the Serbian saints.[3]

History

The history of the church began on June 6, 1983 with the purchase of the property and nearby building (previously a school property) located in Applewood Heights. The building was soon renamed the Serbian Centre. The main design of the project was created by Belgrade-based architect Predrag Ristić. Since Ristić was not able to obtain a Canadian work permit, Toronto-based architect Milutin Michael Kopsa was awarded the contract to design the church on January 17, 1993.[4] The groundbreaking ceremony took place on May 15, 1994.[1] The foundation stone was blessed and laid by the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church Pavle during his visit to Canada on June 14, 1994. Prince Tomislav Karađorđević was also present at the blessing of the foundation stone.[5] Two weeks after the blessing of the cornerstone, digging of the foundation for the future church began.[6] The foundations of the new church were blessed by the Bishop of Canada Georgije (Đokić) on November 26, 1995. Construction of the church was briefly halted but continued on August 15, 1999. The first Holy Liturgy in the church was served on September 10, 2000.[7] Construction was completed on April 22, 2002. The church is built in the Byzantine style, traditional for Orthodox churches. It has three rows for choirs and a hand-made iconostasis. The main part of the church is a squared cross with only one cupola above the central part of the church.

The church was consecrated on June 15, 2002 by the Bishop of Canada Georgije with the concurrence of Metropolitan of Zagreb and Ljubljana Jovan (Pavlović), Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral Amfilohije (Radović), Bishop of New Gračanica Longin (Krčo), Bishop of Britain and Scandinavia Dositej (Motika), Bishop of Central Europe Konstantin (Đokić), Bishop of Braničevo Ignatije (Midić), Bishop of Zahumlje and Herzegovina Grigorije (Durić), Greek Metropolitan Sotirios (Athanassoulas), Ukrainian Bishop Yuriy (Kalistchuk) and OCA Bishop Seraphim (Storheim).[3] Also present were head of the Karađorđević dynasty Crown Prince Alexander and his spouse Crown Princess Katherine, Mayor of Mississauga Hazel McCallion, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to Canada Miodrag Perišić, Acting Consul General in Toronto Dragutin Knežević, MPP Carl DeFaria and Federal Secretary for Religious Affairs Bogoljub Šijaković.[8] The godparents at the consecration of the church were Jovan and Dragana Vujasinović.

On the tenth anniversary of the construction of the church, April 22, 2012, at the Holy Hierarchical Liturgy led by Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church Irinej, accompanied by Bishop of Canada Georgije, Bishop of Britain and Scandinavia Dositej, and three other Orthodox bishops in Canada, the frescoes in the church were consecrated.[9] The frescoes were painted by three fresco painters from Belgrade under the direction of iconographer Dragomir “Dragan” Marunić.[10]

The second Serbian Orthodox Bishop of Canada, Mitrofan (Kodić), was enthroned in this church on September 18, 2016.[11]

On July 31, 2022, the Serbian Canadian Monument, designed by Lilly Otasevic, honouring the first Serbian settlers in Ontario was erected and blessed in the portico of the church.[12] The monument is dedicated to the generations of Serbs who preserved the Serbian heritage and tradition in Canada for over a century.[13]

Serbian Centre

The Serbian Centre next to the church

Directly next to the church is the Serbian Centre – a building that was originally used as a school when it was built in 1921. The architects of the building were Charles Wellington Smith and Percival Ross Wright of Toronto. The building is a rare example of Romanesque Revival architecture in Ontario. The building was sold in 1962 to the Ministry of Transportation, which used the building until 1982.[14] The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada purchased the building on June 6, 1983. The building was consecrated by Bishop Christopher (Kovacevich) on September 3, 1984. The godmother at the consecration was Marina Selak.[15] The building was renovated from 1984 to 1985 to include a temporary chapel on the lower level.[16] Religious services were held in this chapel before completion of the church’s construction. Architect Rastko Mišić designed the iconostasis, carpenters Živan Marković and Siniša Gajić constructed it, and it was consecrated by Bishop of Canada Georgije on May 23, 1989.[17] The icons on the iconostasis were painted by Dragomir “Dragan” Marunić. The iconostasis was later moved to the Holy Archangel Gabriel Serbian Orthodox Church in Oak Ridges, Richmond Hill.

On October 20, 1992, Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Pavle, celebrated the Holy Hierarchical Liturgy in the chapel of the Serbian Centre. Along with numerous clergy, the liturgy was concelebrated by several members of the delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church: Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral Amfilohije (Radović), Metropolitan of Midwestern America Christopher (Kovačević), Metropolitan of New Gračanica Irinej (Kovačević), Bishop of Žiča Stefan (Boca), Bishop of Niš Irinej (Gavrilović), Bishop of Canada Georgije, and Bishop of Eastern America Mitrofan.[18]

The Serbian Centre building was registered as a cultural heritage monument in March 2024.[14] Since September 2025, the Serbian Centre building also serves as the home of Saint Sava Elementary School, the first Serbian Orthodox elementary school in Canada.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Drag, Bo (26 May 1994). “Срби Торонта започињу зидање своје нове цркве у Мисисаги”. Glas kanadskih Srba (in Serbian (Cyrillic script)). No. 2627 (year 60). Willowdale: Serbian National Shield Society of Canada. p. 7.
  2. ^ Award-Winning Architect
  3. ^ a b “Our History”. sabornik.com. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
  4. ^ Aleksejčenko, Nikola (1 May 1994). “О нашој новој цркви”. Glasnik (in Serbian (Cyrillic script)). No. 2 (year 23). Toronto: Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church and School Congregation. p. 6.
  5. ^ “Принц Томислав на освећењу камена темељца нове српске цркве у Мисисаги”. Glas kanadskih Srba (in Serbian (Cyrillic script)). No. 2628 (year 60). Willowdale: Serbian National Shield Society of Canada. 30 June 1994. p. 5.
  6. ^ “Почело је зидање нове српске цркве „Сабор српских светитеља” у Мисисаги”. Glas kanadskih Srba (in Serbian (Cyrillic script)). No. 2629 (year 60). Willowdale: Serbian National Shield Society of Canada. 28 July 1994. p. 14.
  7. ^ Drag, Bo (28 September 2000). “Слава нове Цркве „Сабор српских светитеља” у Мисисаги”. Glas kanadskih Srba (in Serbian (Cyrillic script)). No. 2699 (year 66). Willowdale: Serbian National Shield Society of Canada. p. 8.
  8. ^ D., B. (27 June 2002). “Освећење храма Сабора српских светитеља у Мисисаги”. Glas kanadskih Srba (in Serbian (Cyrillic script)). No. 2720 (year 68). Willowdale: Serbian National Shield Society of Canada. p. 1.
  9. ^ “Саборовање за памћење у Мисисаги”. spc.rs. 2012-04-24. Archived from the original on 16 October 2022. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
  10. ^ “Frescoes – All Serbian Saints Church (altar) – Mississauga”. dragomirmarunic.com. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
  11. ^ “Ustoličen novi kanadski vladika” (in Serbian). RTS. 2016-09-19. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
  12. ^ Finucane, Declan (29 July 2021). “Serbian community wants to install monument in Mississauga park”. InSauga.com. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  13. ^ “Otkriven spomenik srpskim doseljenicima u Kanadi” (in Serbian). Radio Television of Serbia. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  14. ^ a b Longwell, Karen (2024-03-15). “Former school building approved for heritage designation in Mississauga”. insauga.com. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
  15. ^ Dragašević, Draga (6 October 2024). 70 Years: Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church and School Congregation of Toronto (PDF). Toronto: Eparchy of Canada. p. 18.
  16. ^ Hicks, Kathleen. Dixie: Orchards to Industry. Mississauga: The Friends of the Mississauga Library System, 2006, p. 221
  17. ^ Heritage Property Research Report
  18. ^ Aleksejčenko, Nikola (7 January 1993). “Прва посета српског патријарха Павла”. Glasnik (in Serbian (Cyrillic script)). No. 1 (year 21). Toronto: Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church and School Congregation. p. 22.

43°36′28.0″N 79°34′57.6″W / 43.607778°N 79.582667°W / 43.607778; -79.582667

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