St. Peter's History - The 2010s
Priest Gerasim Power was sent to serve St. Peter’s from September 2010 to Pascha 2011, after which time, he was transferred and assigned to serve several rural parishes in central Alberta.
In 2011, now Archpriest Larry Reinheimer was transferred and assigned to serve the parish of All Saints of Alaska in Victoria, British Columbia. The same year Archpriest Phillip Eriksson was transferred to Calgary to serve the parish. It was after his arrival that a more serious possibility began to appear for a move to larger quarters. A long series of discussions and considerations began. After these negotiations, the existing properties were sold, and then an agreement was made for the leasing and possible purchase of the Anglican church building of St. Mark and St. Philip. This structure was near to the building which the community had previously owned.
On 20 October, 2013, Seminarian Kirill Kyle Parrott was ordained to the holy diaconate by Archbishop Irénée (Rochon) at Saint Vladimir’s Seminary in Crestwood, New York. On 25 May, 2014, Deacon Kirill Kyle Parrott was ordained to the holy priesthood by Bishop Michael (Dahulich) of New York at Holy Trinity Church in Yonkers, NY, where he had spent a year serving as a pastoral intern. After his ordination, he returned to Calgary, where he began to serve as the second priest at St. Peter’s.
On Saturday, 6 June, 2015, parishioners of St. Peter’s celebrated a special service in order to mark their move into the building of the Anglican parish of St. Mark and St. Philip, which they were now leasing from the local Anglican diocese. The plan was that, for the near future, the two communities would share the space, while operating independently. Nevertheless, the main worship area was renovated to enable Orthodox worship.
Meanwhile, the iconostasis, the holy table, the proskomedia table, and other items were transferred from the first church to the second. Icons were kept in the first church until the last moment.
In this context, St. Peter’s rector, Archpriest Phillip Eriksson began the celebration of Great Vespers in the parish’s old building. The clergy and faithful then processed two blocks to its new location. Concelebrating Vespers with Fr. Phillip were Fr. Kyle Parrott, the priest of Antiochian Orthodox Church of the Annunciation George Dahdouh, and the priest of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church Peter Rougas and Deacon Kevin Wigglesworth. On this occasion, CBC Calgary (CBR) was represented by reporters and photographers, and there was a televised report about the move.
After Vespers, the Reverend Brian Way of the Anglican parish welcomed the Orthodox faithful to their new home. Also present were several pastors from throughout the community of Marda Loop in Calgary.
On Sunday, 7 June, 2015, the clergy and faithful of the parish offered the first Divine Liturgy together in the new temple.
Since that time, normal parish life proceeded regularly and quietly. The new, expanded space allowed for growth of the community without over-crowding, along with a certain comfort.
In 2017, the second priest in the parish, Fr. Kyle Parrott and his family, moved to Victoria, British Columbia, where Fr. Kyle was assigned to serve at the parish of All Saints of Alaska and Saint Arseny.
On 24 September, 2017, the altar feast day of Holy Martyr Peter the Aleut, Archbishop Irénée (Rochon) made a pastoral visit to the parish. On this occasion, during the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Sunday, Deacon Sebastian Scratch was ordained to the holy priesthood. He was then attached to St. Peter’s. He was assigned as the second priest on 1 February, 2018.
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