Glory to Jesus Christ! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on Wednesday, December 25, Christmas is the feast of Christ. At 10 AM, the Divine Liturgy will be held in our church. We invite everyone to join in prayer. After the service, according to tradition 
, coffee and we will sing carols, glorifying Christmas. 
May the Lord bless everyone!
Beauty
And this beauty was found in the middle of this package).
On behalf of our parish, I want to thank whoever brought such beautiful things, for such a wonderful gift. They will be a wonderful decoration in our church hall.
God’s blessing to you!
Disciples left the shore
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Just like Peter and the other apostles, we find it hard to believe that God, the God of peace, the God of harmony, can be in the very heart of a storm that seems ready to destroy our security and rob us of life itself.
In today’s Gospel, it is said how the disciples left the shore, where Christ remained alone, in the solitude of perfect prayerful communication with God. They set sail, hoping for safety; and half-way a storm overtook them, and they knew that they were in danger of perishing. They fought with all their human abilities, experience and strength, but mortal danger hung over them; fear and despair seized them.
And suddenly they saw the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of the storm; He walked in turbulent waves, amid an angry wind and, along with it, in a kind of frightening silence. And the disciples cried out in alarm because they could not believe that it was Him, they thought that it was a ghost. And Jesus Christ, from the heart of this raging storm, said to them: “Do not be afraid”! It is I… Just as He tells us in the Gospel of Luke: When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be afraid, lift up your heads, for your salvation is drawing near…
We find it hard to believe that God can be at the center of tragedy, and yet it is so. He is at the heart of tragedy in the most terrible sense; the ultimate tragedy of humanity and each of us is our distance from God, the fact that God is far away from us; however near He may be to us, we do not feel Him with that clearness which would give us a sense of sure security and give rise to triumph.
The whole Kingdom of God is within us – and we do not feel it. And this is the ultimate tragedy of each of us and the whole world, from generation to generation. And so Christ, the Son of God, entered into this tragedy, becoming the son of man, entering into the heart of this separation, this horror, which gives rise to mental torment, separation, and death.
And we are like these students; we do not need to imagine what is happening to them: we are in the same sea, in the same storm, and the same Christ, from the Cross or Risen from the grave, stands in the middle of it and says: “Do not be afraid”, it is I!..
Peter wanted to go from the boat to Christ to reach safety; Isn’t that what we do all the time? When a storm breaks out, we rush to God with all our strength, because we think that in Him there is salvation from danger. But it is not enough that salvation is in God: our path to God lies through self-forgetfulness, heroic trust in Him, and faith. If we forget about God, look back at the waves, and at the eddies, and at the threat of death, we, like Peter, will begin to sink. But even then we must not lose hope: we are given the assurance that, however weak our faith in God may be, His faith in us is unshakable; no matter how small our love for Him, His love for us is boundless and is measured by the whole life and the whole death of the Son of God, who became the son of man. And when we feel that there is no hope, that we are perishing, if in this last moment, we have enough faith to cry out, as Peter cried out: Lord! I’m drowning! I’m dying, help me! – He will reach out to us and help us.
The impressive and surprising Gospel tells us that everyone was at the shore when Christ took Peter’s hand.
Let’s think about these different moments of today’s Gospel and see what they have to do with us in the storm of our lives, in the internal storm that sometimes rages in our hearts and minds, and in the external stormy and terrible circumstances of life. Let us remember, with all the assurance given to us in God’s own testimony through His disciples, that we are safe and in the midst of the storm and saved by His love.
Amen.
Akathist to the Most Holy Mother of God
Glory to Jesus Christ! Dear brothers and sisters, every Wednesday at 6:30 PM (starting from July 10), our church will serve an akathist to the Most Holy Mother of God. Whoever has the desire and time, come and pray. God bless and help you!
The Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul
Dear brothers and sisters, on Saturday, June 29 – the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. Our community is celebrating its Feast of the Throne. We invite everyone to share our joy and common prayer, as well as a festive dinner. The Divine Liturgy will begin on June 29 at 10 a.m.
God’s blessing to you all!
Hosting Oleks Kyya
Today we had the honor of hosting Oleks Kyya, who is walking from Toronto to Niagara Falls with a charitable goal – to raise funds for the Mechnikov Hospital in Ukraine. 
https://www.gofundme.com/f/video-bronchoscope-for-mechnykov-hospital
Christ is risen!
Christ is Risen! Dear brothers and sisters, I want to remind you that the liturgy in our church, with God’s help, will be served every Sunday at 10 o’clock. 00 in the morning. This Thursday, June 13, the holiday is the Ascension of the Lord. In the evening at 6.00 (p.m.) an akathist to our Lord Jesus Christ will be served. June 23 (Sunday) – Descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles (Holy Trinity) – the “birthday” of the Church of Christ. We invite everyone who wishes to share our prayer. God’s blessing be with you all!
Priest Petro.
Vyshyvanka Day 2024
Kudos to Nadia Mykhailiuk for an amazing post on Facebook
Yesterday in Niagara Falls at the Ukrainian Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, a charity event was held in honor of Vyshyvanka Day.
It was an unforgettable evening. We welcomed many guests, friends, partners, and organizations that helped us collect and send aid to Ukraine.
We were extremely pleased to welcome distinguished guests from the City and Regional Government of Niagara Falls. It was a great honor for us. Thank you very much for your support and for sharing this evening with us.
Guests had the opportunity to attend an embroidery master class, taste delicious Ukrainian dishes, buy Ukrainian souvenirs and embroidered shirts, enjoy live Ukrainian music, and dance from the heart.
Many thanks to our musicians Ivanna Che and Zlata Barchuk, who made this evening for everyone fantastic, musical, emotional, in one word – unforgettable
Ivanka, your powerful energy, your passion, your professional and so sincere singing conquered everyone from the first note. I received an incredible charge of positivity and musical enjoyment.
Zlatochka, you are only 8 years old, and you are already breaking the applause of the hall. All the guests listened to you with admiration, held their breath, and gave a standing ovation. You are still so small, but a very talented artist with a big Ukrainian heart.
Thank you very much, girls, and we hope to see you in the future
Many thanks to our cooks and volunteers. Without you, there would not be such a cozy, beautiful, and delicious holiday.
Thank you all for your support and help, for your kind words and generous donations.
You people are extraordinary!!!
Easter 2024
Christ is Risen! We would like to share the joy that Christ’s Resurrection gives . God’s blessing to all!
EASTER MESSAGE
To the UOC Episcopate in Canada, to the venerable clergy, to the diaconate in Christ, and to all the faithful children of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada.
“Look around you, Zion, for behold, your children have come to you like divine lights, from the east and the north, from the sea and the east, blessing Christ in you forever”
Song 8 of the Easter Canon
Honorable fathers, dear brothers and sisters!
Christ is Risen!
We are gathering again all over the world to congratulate each other on the bright celebration of the Resurrection of Christ. For many years now, we have been going through a special way of the cross, and perhaps it is not easy for us to talk about joy in a human way. However, Easter joy does not come from people, but from God! Today, the whole universe celebrates Christ’s victory, His overcoming of evil and death. “You captured hell and resurrected man with your resurrection of Christ.”
The Old Testament Passover commemorates a significant event when the Lord freed his chosen people from Egyptian slavery, and the deadly angel passed by every house whose doors were marked with the blood of the Passover lamb. Actually, the first meaning of the Hebrew word “Pesach”, which was the name of the holiday, indicates the image of God’s punishment, which “bypasses”, “bypasses”. So when we sing that Christ is our Passover, we glorify Him through whom we have the opportunity to escape the consequences of our sins, but if we firmly decide to leave the house of slavery to sin and passions, if we repent and follow in the footsteps of His Gospel. Because he saved us with his blood!
“Know that it was not with perishable gold or silver that you were delivered from your vain life, which you received from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, the spotless and pure lamb, predicted before the foundation of the world and revealed, for your sake, in the last times “, we read in the First Epistle of the Apostle Peter 1: 18–20).
This is a word of salvation, but not everyone understands it. Talking about Jesus Christ, the Lamb on the cross, is as problematic in today’s circumstances as it was in the time of the early Christians. Although the Gospel of Christ has been preached for almost two thousand years, it often happens that the world, even the one that considers itself Christian, continues to understand only the language of wealth, power, weapons and power.
However, at the same time, in every generation there are those who see God’s ways, those who know how to be God’s silent lambs in the history of their people, those who imitate God’s humility, meekness and the spirit of sacrifice, those who realize that crosses and patience not only pass, but that without them there is no Resurrection.
Such are the thousands of sons and daughters of the Ukrainian people who sacrifice their lives for the freedom and independence of Ukraine. In the Risen Jesus, our innocent Lamb, the Easter value of their pure sacrifice, which leads us out of the house of slavery, is revealed to us – the meaning of the patience of all Ukraine at the dawn of the new millennium is revealed to us.
Despite all the trials and uncertainties, the Easter season is for us a time of indescribable joy and hope. On the bright holiday of the Resurrection of Christ, the Church celebrates the sacrament of the combination of opposites: burial and resurrection, death and life, crucifixion and glory, sorrow and joy. This is the great Easter mystery, that the Son of God himself becomes one of us, dies like us, so that we can be resurrected like him!
Christ walks his way of the cross for us and for our good, giving us His bright Resurrection and new life in God.
Therefore, the cross and the resurrection are inseparable. They concern not only Christ, but all people and each of us in particular. The event that took place in the life of Jesus Christ – His death and resurrection – absorbed the entire history of mankind, all suffering, both past and future, and transforms them into new life, new joy.
The Risen Christ enters the heart of each of us, He experiences all our suffering and humiliation, and we are at the same time condemned and crucified with Him — together with Him we rise from the grave and are resurrected. “Yesterday I was buried with you, Christ, and today I rise with you resurrected.”
Today, the Lord comforts us, turns our sadness into joy, as it happened with the myrrh-bearing women. They went to the Lord’s tomb crying, and returned full of true joy. They walked in the darkness of hopelessness, but received the light of the Risen One and announced to the apostles and the whole world that Christ had truly risen. Let this “miracle, miracle of all miracles” change us, and through us, our society and country.
With his resurrection, Christ gives us strength to fight against sin and resurrects our souls. Belief in the resurrection of the dead inspires us to serve God and the Church, our Ukrainian people and the Motherland in the name of love for Christ the Savior and man.
At this moment in history, when the world is being tested, we, as faithful children of Christ, must show generosity, love, and mutual support to our neighbors. May our hearts be open to those who need help and may our prayer be a powerful tool to establish peace and justice in the world.
Easter reminds us that a flower rises through the thorn, and light breaks through the darkness. Just like that oh may our faith lead us to great heights where we will be a light of hope and a living consciousness of peace.
On these festive Easter days, we sincerely congratulate all of you, our God-loving pastors and faithful of the UOC in Canada, in Ukraine, and in the diaspora, on the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ.
We especially congratulate the glorious defenders of Ukraine, who do not spare their lives for the sake of love for their neighbor and for their Motherland. Let’s not forget all those who sincerely love Ukraine and help her, who are doing everything possible for a just peace, for the earliest possible end to the war and victory over visible and invisible enemies.
Easter days are also a time to pay tribute to all those who are not among the living, who left us their love and life experience by passing away into eternity. Let’s visit their graves and remember them with the prayer: “Christ is Risen”.
We wish you that the light of Christ’s Resurrection envelops each of us. May the gracious fire of the Holy Sepulchre illuminate the path of every family and family, and may the Risen Christ strengthen our mental and physical strength and grant us gracious help in good deeds. Let no one and nothing overshadow our spiritual joy.
May the grace of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Truly Christ is Risen!
With the Archbishop’s blessing
- Hilarion, Archbishop of Winnipeg and Metropolitan of Canada
- Andrew, Bishop of Toronto and the Eastern Diocese
Vyshyvanka Day
May 18th, 2024, 3 PM -8 PM. We are so excited and waiting. Everyone’s welcome
