2006 4(22) - UCWLC

An Incredible JourneyBy Sister Theodosia, SSJHistory was made on June 27th,2006 when an Air Canada flightbrought the ‘crucial elements’ ofVenerable Nun Martyrs Olympiaand Laurentia, escorted by SistersSophia and Theodosia, to Saskatoon.The ‘elements’ were welcomedby hundreds of faithful who joinedBishops Michael Wiwchar, andAlbert LeGatt, and the Sisters ofSt. Joseph in a foot procession,interrupted by prayers, from theairport to their Shrine, some 7.5kilometres away. At the Shrine aspecial Akathist to the Martyrs,written by the Sisters in Saskatoon,was sung while the faithful personallyvenerated the ‘elements.’This extraordinary ‘once-in-alifetime’occurrence is the culminationof an incredible journeywhich spanned over fifty yearsand several countries. VenerableFront Cover artist credits: VenerableOlympia and Laurentia adorned in thered cloaks of Martyrs. The original icon,which measures 4 feet by 6 feet waswritten by Sister Sophia and is situatedbehind the main altar in the Khram.Nun Martyrs Olympia andLaurentia, faithful servants ofGod and dedicated Sisters of St.Joseph, were exiled to Siberia in1950 by the atheistic communistregime for refusing to denouncetheir God and allegiance to theUkrainian Catholic Church.On June 27th, 2001, during hisfirst and only trip to Ukraine, PopeJohn Paul II beatified 27 Martyrsof the Church, two of whom wereSisters Olympia and Laurentia. InSeptember of 2005, urged on andsupported by the Sisters in Saskatoon,a commission of experts andSisters from Ukraine journeyed toSiberia for the purposes of exhumingthe earthly remains ofthese two Martyrs and returningthem to Ukraine. Their expeditionproved successful. On completionof the required scientific processesand official documentationsthe remains were permanentlyenshrined save for the ‘crucialelements’ that were granted to theSisters in Saskatoon for the establishmentof the only officialShrine, outside of Ukraine, dedicatedto the Venerable Nun Martyrs.The Shrine consists of a smallchurch, in which our Lord andSaviour Jesus Christ will also bepresent, with an attached interpretivecentre with video documentariesand exhibit articles. It is aplace of prayer to which all areinvited to present themselves andtheir needs to God through theintercession of Venerable NunMartyrs Olympia and Laurentia.For more information or to schedule avisit to the Shrine (Khram) please call theSisters of St. Joseph at (306) 382-6306.Venerable Nun Martyr Olympia(Olha Bida)entered the Novitiate of the Sisters of St. Joseph atan early age and with time undertook mission dutiesin Zhuzhel as a teacher and guardian to girls comingto live with the Sisters.In 1938, as the Superior to the Community’shome in Khyriv, Sister Olympia ministered to thespiritual and educational needs of the faithful byestablishing a children’s nursery and expanding theApostleship of Prayer instilling in the people thestrength and fortitude to defend their faith. DuringWorld War II’s great famine of l941-42, the Sistersprovided refuge, food and medicine and continuedinto the second, communist-imposed famine of1946-47 when Sister Olympia personally deliveredVenerable Nun Martyr Laurentia(Leukadia Harasymiv)was born in 1911 in Rudnyky, Lviv District. Atnineteen she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph, inTsebliv. Taking the habit in 1932, she was assignedto the house in Khyriv under the superiorship ofSister Olympia. She was given charge of the children’snursery. Later, Sister Hlikeria would alsocome to live and work at the Khyriv home.Described by those who knew her as a tall,pretty, dark complexioned person with a beautifulsoprano voice and a happy, energetic character, SisterLaurentia was the principal nursery teacher, leadsinger at liturgical services, ministered to the medicalneeds of the people, embroidered altar clothes,cleaned and cared for the Church and prepared chil-Nasha Doroha fall/2006 3