| Saint Michael the Archangel | |
|---|---|
 The church pictured in 2010 | |
| Location | 212 Delaware Avenue Toronto, Ontario M6H 2T7 |
| Denomination | Independent Eastern Orthodox |
| Website | www |
| History | |
| Former names | St. Mary the Virgin Anglican Church (1889–1914) |
| Consecrated | June 14, 1964; 60 years ago (1964-06-14) |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Langley & Burke |
| Architectural type | Serbo-Byzantine Revival |
| Years built | 1888–1889 |
| Clergy | |
| Pastor(s) | Abbot Sofronije Nikić |
Saint Michael the Archangel Serbian Eastern Orthodox Church (Serbian: Српска православна црква Светог Архангела Михаила) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada is a Serbian Eastern Orthodox church which is not a member of the Serbian Orthodox Church due to a tumultuous history.
In 2008, the church was showcased in the annual Doors Open Toronto event.
History
The church structure was built in 1889 as an Anglican church and was used by the Anglicans until 1914. In 1964, it was bought by the Serbian Canadian community to serve as the city's second Serbian Orthodox church (the first being the Saint Sava Church in Cabbagetown). The church is located on the north-west corner of Bloor Street West and Delaware Avenue in Dovercourt Park just across the street from Ossington station. Stylistically, the church building synthesizes Serbian late-Byzantine architectural-styles and icon styles. It has many copper domes, cupolas and trim.
The reason a second church was sought was the 1963 schism where Serbs in North America, distraught that Patriarch German had relations with the League of Communists of Yugoslavia, formed the Free Serbian Orthodox Church which existed up until 1991 when newly-appointed Patriarch Pavle visited North America and returned the church to full communion with the Patriarchate in Belgrade. After this, the Saint Michael the Archangel Church was part of the canonical Eparchy for America and Canada from 1991 until June 2009.
In June 2009, the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America underwent reorganizing, transferring the Saint Michael the Archangel Church from the Eparchy for America and Canada to the Eparchy of Canada.
See also
- Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America
- Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church (Toronto)
- Serbian Canadians
Notes
- Patriarch Pavle visited the church on Delaware Avenue itself in October 1992.
References
- TPL Digital Archive
- St. Mary the Virgin, Dovercourt
- Sander Gladstone Architect. Projects: Serbian Eastern Orthodox Church. Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2005.
- Dragović, Rade (13 June 2015). "Kanadska eparhija bez dolara" (in Serbian). Večernje novosti. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- Čukić, A. (3 October 2015). "Patrijarh nije zacelio rane" (in Serbian). Vesti online. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
- "The Decision of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church on redistribution of dioceses". SPC.rs. 4 June 2009. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
External links
43°39′43″N 79°25′42″W / 43.661868°N 79.428467°W / 43.661868; -79.428467
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