Down Muddy Trails: 12 Days in the Life of a Pioneer Priest 1902 (Country Churches of the Prairies, 1897-1906 Cont.)

“After about 12 miles, the wagon and horses got stuck in the mud. We got the horses out soon enough but it was not so easy with the wagon. We emptied it out completely but the horses could not pull the empty wagon out. We tried every means, but in vain. Finally, we had to take the wagon apart and put each wheel out separately. We were in the same spot for a whole hour and a half. We went farther. Then we got stuck in the mud again and we were there 40 minutes, until with another strong pair of horses and a pair of oxen we managed to get out.”

In April, 1902 Priest Constantine Popov visited the Assiniboia settlements from Minneapolis. This was not his first visit, as his visit the previous fall was reported in the February issue of Vestnik, at which time he held a long conversation with Doukhobors waiting to catch a train in Yorkton. He had also noted that for lack of cemeteries, many Bukovinians had buried their dead on their own farms, but now at Ounz River, as in other places, they had their own cemetery.

He returned to Saskatchewan six months later, and the following are excerpts from his diary describing his travels and activities –

On the evening of the 4th of April I left Minneapolis. Next day, by morning, I was at Emerson, Canada. No one was let off the train until all papers were checked. At Emerson some Bukovinians were already waiting for me with a ride. By evening of that day we got to Stuartburn. I slept on the farm of Tolstovariks.

6 April - I served matins and liturgy in the church that is located on the Hlovatsky farm. There were 43 persons for confession. I spoke on the reading for the liturgy. After liturgy I baptized 3 children.

7 April - same place as yesterday at 6:30 a.m. I served matins, and blessed pussy willows. At 8 o’clock I heard confessions, at the church on the farm of P. Dubniak. There were 132 for confession. At 11:30 I served the liturgy. I talked on faith. After liturgy which finished at 2:30, I baptized 17 children, served a moleben and did two other prayer services (trebi). By then it was 4:30 before the Bukovinians began to depart and I was taken for dinner to the home of the Dubniaks. At 6 in the evening I went by oxen to one or two miles more to the farm of Y. Zachary and there I stayed overnight.

8 April - served the hours and Presanctified, at the same place as Saturday. There were 55 people for communion; I spoke on the sufferings of Christ. After liturgy baptized 3 children. Then we traveled six miles to bless a cemetery. I stayed overnight at the same place as yesterday. Toward evening I began to inquire about a ride so that next day I could leave Stuartburn and at 11, be at Emerson.

9 April - at 2, arrived in Winnipeg. I was met by the Galician, K. …the Galicians who live 35 miles from Winnipeg in the colony of Brokenhead are inviting me to be with them at Pascha. But since I promised to be in Yorkton for Pascha, I told him I could not…but I would try to come to them next time.

19 April - I left Winnipeg at 9, that evening I was in Yorkton. I found a driver who agreed to take me the next day to the Bukovinians 20 miles away.

11 April - at 9 in the morning we left Yorkton, at the beginning the road was quite good, but farther along from Yorkton it got bad, and after about 12 miles, the wagon and horses got stuck in the mud. We got the horses out soon enough but it was not so easy with the wagon. We emptied it out completely but the horses could not pull the empty wagon out. We tried every means, but in vain. Finally, we had to take the wagon apart and put each wheel out separately. We were in the same spot for a whole hour and a half. We went farther. Then we got stuck in the mud again and we were there 40 minutes, until with another strong pair of horses and a pair of oxen we managed to get out and continue our journey. At 10 at night we got to the farm of Bukovinian, Skreliuk. There were 15 Bukovinians gathered there. Served matins and read the Twelve Passion Gospels.

12 April - at 10 in the morning, did the Hours. Presanctified Gifts, with 27 persons present. Baptized 1 child. At 4 served Vespers. There were 25 worshippers.

13 April - Holy Saturday. Served matins and liturgy, there were 44 for Communion….after the liturgy, blessed paska, baptized 4 children, chrismated one child. At 2 left for the colony at Tetlock. Got there at 9 and stayed at the farm of D.Yastremsky, where I was last fall.

14 April – Pascha. At 6 a.m. 75 Bukovinians gathered. Served matins and liturgy, speaking on the Festal theme. There were 58 for Communion. At 4 we had vespers. After vespers the Bukovinians discussed the question of building a bell-tower.

15 April - same place, served matins and liturgy. There were 28 people for communion. Talked on faith. After liturgy baptized 4 and chrismated 3. At 11 left for the Crooked Lake colony. Stayed at the farm home of H. Halybroda.

16 April - served matins and liturgy….there were 33 participants. After liturgy, baptized 1 and chrismated 3. At 12 went 6 miles farther to Yulik. Stayed at the farm of Bukovinian, Kuruluk.

17 April. Served matins and liturgy….There were 62 participants. After liturgy, baptized 7, chrismated 4 children. No Orthodox priest has ever visited this colony before. For their needs the Bukovinians approached the French Catholic priest, who visits this colony twice a year…At 2 I left for Yorkton and got there by evening. I found someone to take me to the colony, Bibilgir.

18 April - rode the whole day, only once did the wagon and horses get stuck in the mud and we had to ask the help of neighbouring farmers….here live 150-200 Bukovinian families. No Orthodox priest has visited yet. At 9 we got to the farm of M. Moroz, and from there to the farm of C. Rokochy, who had very clean and spacious house.

19 April All day it rained. Few showed up from the Bukovinians, they did not know that I had arrived. 6 people for Communion (Presanctified Gifts). I baptized one and chrismated 6 that had been baptized by the Catholic priest.

20 April - served matins and liturgy….for Communion there were 48. After liturgy I baptized 7 and chrismated 6 children.

21 April - served matins and liturgy….62 for Communion. After liturgy baptized 6, and chrismated 6. I read an Akathist, prayed a Molieben and a Panykhyda.

22 April - at 6 in the morning I served matins and liturgy. There were 30 for Communion. At 9 in the morning I left the colony of Bibelger for Yorkton, and left there the same evening. From Yorkton via Winnipeg, I got to Minneapolis.. I did not get to see all the Bukovinians. A few colonies I did not get to at all, and at the ones I visited, not all the Bukovinians knew of my arrival.

Priest Constantine Popov

Pentecost—The Church Bells Rang the Day Long!