Plain Lake, Alberta — Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Parish in Plain Lake joyfully marked a historic milestone on Sunday, May 17, 2026, celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the church building with a day of prayer, thanksgiving, remembrance, and community fellowship. Parishioners, clergy, guests, and friends gathered to give thanks to God for a century of faith, worship, and parish life centred around this beloved church building and the community that has grown with it.
The celebration was especially blessed by the presence of His Excellency, Bishop David, who joined the parish for this significant anniversary. His pastoral visit added a deeply meaningful dimension to the day, as the parish community welcomed its bishop with reverence, gratitude, and joy. The anniversary program noted that Bishop David arrived for the formal welcome, accompanied by the Honour Guard Knights of Columbus Our Lady of Guadalupe and was greeted with flowers and kolach, reflecting both the warmth of the local community and the richness of Ukrainian Catholic tradition.
At the heart of the centennial celebration was the Divine Liturgy, offered in thanksgiving for the many blessings associated with the church building over the past one hundred years. The liturgical celebration included cantoring by Victoria Kostyniuk and responses by members of the Axios Choir, helping to make the anniversary Liturgy a beautiful expression of prayer and solemnity. Following the Liturgy, those gathered continued the celebration with the blessing of the Centennial Marker in front of the church, a commemorative photograph on the church steps, and a shared luncheon in the parish hall.
Holy Trinity Parish has long been a spiritual home for Ukrainian Catholic faithful in the Plain Lake area. For generations, the church building has stood as a place where the faith was nurtured, sacraments were celebrated, families gathered in prayer, and cherished traditions were preserved and passed on. Reaching the 100-year mark is not only a testament to the longevity of the building itself but also to the steadfast faith, sacrifice, and devotion of the many parishioners who helped sustain parish life through changing times.
The anniversary program reflected both gratitude for the past and hope for the future. Along with opening remarks, a welcome address, and a keynote message from Bishop David, the celebration also included a presentation by parish leaders, a historical review, a commemorative presentation, and a Pioneer Awards Ceremony. These moments offered the community an opportunity to honour its roots, recognize those who helped build and support parish life, and celebrate the many people whose faith and work shaped Holy Trinity Parish across the decades.
The historical review offered a meaningful reminder that parish life is built not only through buildings, but through people — families who remained faithful, volunteers who served generously, clergy who ministered with dedication, and community members who gave of themselves for the life of the Church. In this way, the centennial was not simply the marking of a date, but a living expression of continuity, memory, and belonging.
The celebration also revealed the strength of the parish community today. The presence of clergy, parish executives, choir members, community leaders, and guests from beyond the parish itself showed that Holy Trinity Parish continues to be a place of connection and witness. Moments such as the blessing of the marker, the shared meal, and the gathering at the cemetery after lunch reflected the depth of parish life — rooted in prayer, gratitude, remembrance, and fellowship.
As Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Parish of Plain Lake begins its second century, this anniversary stands as a powerful sign of God’s faithfulness and of the enduring vitality of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Alberta. The centennial celebration was a joyful tribute to the generations who came before, a moment of grace for those gathered in the present, and an encouragement for the future of the parish community.
The Eparchy of Edmonton gives thanks for Holy Trinity Parish, for all who have served and worshipped there over the past one hundred years, and for the witness of faith that continues in Plain Lake today. May the Lord bless this parish abundantly in the years ahead, and may Holy Trinity Parish continue to grow as a place of prayer, welcome, and living faith for future generations.
