Saint Arsenije Sremac Serbian Orthodox Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Saint Arsenije Sremac Serbian Orthodox Church |
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Saint Arsenije Sremac Church, pictured in 2020
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| Location | 508 Byron Street South Whitby, Ontario L1N 4R3 |
| Denomination | Serbian Orthodox |
| Website | starsenijesremac.com |
| History | |
| Consecrated | October 9, 1993 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Amos W. Cron |
| Architectural type | Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1857–1859 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Canada |
The Saint Arsenije Sremac Serbian Orthodox Church is a special church in Whitby, Ontario, Canada. It is a Serbian Orthodox church. Its name in Serbian is Српска православна црква Светог Арсенија Сремца.
This church is unique because it is the only one in the world named after Saint Arsenije of Srem. He was the second leader, or Archbishop, of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Saint Arsenije was also a student, or disciple, of Saint Sava, a very important saint.
The church serves a large area called a parish. This area covers many towns east of Toronto. These towns include Scarborough, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Clarington, Peterborough, Cobourg, Belleville, and Kingston. The Town of Whitby and the Ontario Heritage Trust have officially recognized this church as a historic building.
Contents
The Church's History
Early Days as a Presbyterian Church (1859–1968)
The building you see today was first built as the St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. Construction happened between 1857 and 1859. It was designed in the Gothic Revival style. This style looks like old European churches.
The architect, Amos W. Cron, designed it to look like a Scottish kirk, which is a type of church. A local businessman, William Laing, paid for the land. He also paid for half of the building costs. The church was built with strong brick walls. It had a tall tower in the middle. Above the front door, there is a carved face. This face is of John Knox, who started the Presbyterian faith. The Presbyterians used this church until 1968. That year, they opened a new St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church nearby. The house next door, built in 1956, used to be the minister's home.
Other Churches Used the Building (1968–1993)
After the Presbyterians moved out, other church groups used the building. These included the Church of the Way and the Byron Baptist Church.
Becoming a Serbian Orthodox Church (1993–Present)
In December 1969, a bishop named Sava (Vuković) gave his blessing. He allowed a new Serbian Church and School group to form in Oshawa. This group was named after Saint Arsenije Sremac. Many Serbian Canadian people worked hard to start this community.
They did not have enough money for a full-time priest. So, priests would visit sometimes to hold services. These services were called the Holy Liturgy. They took place in a rented Greek Orthodox church in Oshawa. This continued until the 1980s. Then, the group joined with the Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Toronto.
Later, the Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Canada was created. Its first bishop was Georgije (Đokić). People in Oshawa and nearby areas wanted to restart their Serbian Orthodox church life. On February 5, 1993, a meeting in Hamilton approved this idea. The Saint Arsenije Sremac Serbian Orthodox Church and School group was officially formed again.
Right after forming, the community decided to buy the old Presbyterian church. This church was located at 508 Byron Street South in downtown Whitby. In May 1993, they bought the church for $285,000. The ownership was transferred on June 11, 1993.
The church was officially blessed, or consecrated, on October 9, 1993. Bishop Georgije led the ceremony. Before the blessing, the inside of the church was changed. It was made ready for Orthodox services. An iconostasis was built. This is a special screen covered with icons that separates the altar from the rest of the church. Dragomir "Dragan" Marunić, an icon painter, made it. An altar, two choir stands, a church store, and places for candles and icons were also added. Church members donated money for everything else needed. The beautiful stained glass windows from the original church are still there.
In July 2012, a golden cupola was added to the church's steeple. A cupola is a small dome. On February 11, 2016, Patriarch Irinej, a very important leader, visited the church. He blessed an icon of Saint Arsenije Sremac. This icon is painted on canvas and placed above the doors of the church's main area, called the nave.
The Mala Gospojina Circle of Serbian Sisters is a women's group at the church. They helped raise money for a special woodcut Tomb of Christ. This beautiful piece was installed and blessed in February 2025.
