Manitoba Municipal Heritage Site No. 14
Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception
SW 10-31-18-W
Winnipegosis
Designation Authority: Winnipegosis (Village)
Present Owner: Ruthenian Greek Catholic Parish of the Holy Acension in Communion with Rome
The Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception, an ambitious village church which references the ornate eighteenth-century Baroque churches of Kiev, Ukraine, is a notable example of the work of Father Philip Ruh, whose ‘prairie cathedrals’ established a standard for Ukrainian Catholic design across Western Canada. This beautifully proportioned structure, set against a forest backdrop near Lake Winnipegosis, was built for a growing congregation and represents a second generation of rural churches – larger, more elaborate and more permanent than the first utilitarian facilities erected by the pioneers. In this case, a notable example of Ruh’s eclecticism, the majestic and symbolic three-dome exterior welcomes the passerby, while the richly detailed interior, adorned with icons by artist Jacob Maydanyk, provides a dignified and comforting liturgical environment. The ecclesiastical compound is completed with a modest bell tower and well-kept cemetery.
