In 1898, the first two Romanians from Boian, Bucovina arrived in Alberta. On December 31, 1902, application for land for the church was filed with the Department of the Interior under the provisions of the Homestead Mission Land Grant of Consolidated Ordinances of the North-West Territories. Forty acres of land was granted on November 14, 1903.
By the turn of the century, the number increased and by August 2, 1905 St. Mary’s Romanian Orthodox Church was built and blessed.
On July 5, 1936 during his visit to western Canada, His Grace Policarp Morusca the first Romanian Bishop of the “Romanian Orthodox Church in United States, Canada and the Western Countries” consecrated the church and gave it a second Patron Saint. The Holy Great-Martyr Dumitru the Myroblyte.
On April 6, 1962 His Grace Andrei Moldovan, Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Missionary Episcopate in America and Canada visiting Alberta blessed the church following repairs and improvements were made to the church.
In September 1974, the church was declared an Historic Site and in 1977 declared an Historical Resource.
On May 14, 2017 His Grace Ion Cassian, the first Bishop of the newly formed Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada visited and also blessed the improvements to the church.
The Founders of St. Mary’s Romanian Orthodox Church of Boian, Alberta
| Iona T. Toma | ||
| Ioan Andriet | Vasile Hrapco | Vasile Rusul |
| Florea Axanie | Nicolae Hutzcal | Elie Rvluk |
| Petru Bandur | Petru Hutzca | Lazar Sanduleac |
| Costache Bizovie | Nicolae B. Hutzuleak | Simeon Sanduleak |
| Nicolae Chelbea | Nicolae Hutzcal | Condrea Schirca |
| Stefan Chelbea | Petru Hutzcal | Dumitru Schirca |
| Teodor Chelbea | Nicolae B. Hutzuleak | Ioan Schirca |
| Sandic Chibree | Constantin Iftodi | Stefan Scamita |
| Alex Creison | Ioan Iftodi | Georgi Scranbita |
| Teodor Cruceak | Nicolae Iftodi | Toader Scranbita |
| Sandic Chibree | Petrea Isak | Maria S. Serbu |
| Alex Creison | Costache V. Kachuk | Nicolae Serbu |
| Teodor Cruceak | Ellie V. Kachuk | Ioan Siminiuk |
| G. Elie T.Cucheran | Vasile Kachuk | Stefan Siminovici |
| Ioan Cucheran | Ioan Kokotailo | Elisaveta Steforeak |
| Ioan D. Cucheran | Gvriel Lacusta | Vasile Svecla |
| Mihail T.Cuciurean | Dumitru Matei | Constantin Suprovici |
| Vasile I. Cuciurian | Dumitru S. Mihalchean | Costake Tkachuk |
| Daniel Cutunghevici | Ion M. Mihalchean | Simeon Tkachuk |
| Ioan Darda | Ioni Mihalchean | Dumitru I. Toma |
| Ioan Deneliuk | Zaharie A. Mihalchean | Georghe T. Toma |
| Vasile Dimmitraschuk | Ilie Morgoci | Grigorie M. Toma |
| Georgi Dubitzi | George Moroz | Ioan V. Toma |
| Onofrei Gordei | Vasile Moroz | Mihail Toma |
| Mihail Guriniuk | Dumitru Moscaliuk | Teodar A. Toma |
| Vasile T. Harasin | Gheorghe A. Mihalchean | Vasile D. Toma |
| Petru Hauca | Lazar Nichiforeak | Vasile T. Toma |
| Nicolae S. Hauca | Teodor Nichiforeak | Gheorghe Tracau |
| Dumitru Ihnatiu | Gheorghe Porozni | Nazarie Yurko |
| Ioan Hnetca | Ioan Revega | Nicolae Yurko |
| Simeon Hrapco | Vasile Romancu | Vasile N. Yurko |
A total of $1548.25 was donated by the above founding members
St. Mary’s Church
Romanian pioneers came to Boian in 1898, the first of their nation to settle in Canada. With them, they brought their worldly possessions and their faith. St. Mary’s church was consecrated in 1905, the first of several Romanian Orthodox churches in this district. It is one of the oldest still in use in North America.
St. Mary’s church was designated a Provincial Historic Resource in April 1976, on the recommendation of the Hon. Horst A. Schmid, Minister of Culture, and the Hon. W.J. Yurko, Minister of Housing and Public Works. Designation of this site commemorates the faith of the Romanian pioneers and acknowledges their outstanding contribution to the settlement and the cultural life of Alberta.
The Pioneer Women of Romanian Origin
This plaque is dedicated to those Romanian pioneer women who, with determination and faith, crossed two continents and the Atlantic Ocean to settle in western Canada and build communities like Boian.
Together with their husbands, they cleared the land, built homes, schools and churches and raised families.
They endured great hardship and sorrow but, throughout, gave life, love and comfort in abundance.
They gave their children a beginning in a land of freedom and opportunity – a rich and diverse land called Canada.
They now rest, but are not forgotten, for they were the Pioneers of this great country.
Dedicated this 22nd day of July, 1978 by:
The Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
The Honourable Ralph G. Steinhauer and
The Honourable Horst A. Schmid
Department of Culture
Government of Canada
St. Mary's Romanian Orthodox Church of Boian 