Museum and Archives

St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Catholic Museum

Moving into the next millennium!

The distinction of collecting, preserving and exhibiting artifacts relating to the experience of Ukrainian Catholics in Manitoba is what sets St. Volodymyr Museum apart from the rest. Primary focus has been placed on collecting religious materials, however the museum has not forsaken its small Ukrainian ethnographical section collected by league members travelling cross-country to meetings and conventions during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

St. Volodymyr Museum was started as a Canadian Centennial project in1967 by the Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of Canada in Winnipeg. The project was blessed by His Grace, the late Most Reverend Archbishop M. Hermaniuk, Metropolitan of Canada, who himself donated many artifacts. The museum, originally located at 418 Aberdeen Avenue in Winnipeg (previous 'Progress' newspaper headquarters) was moved to Blessed Virgin Mary Parish hall in 1985 to avoid further theft and in preparation for the upcoming Centenary of Ukrainians in Canada in 1991. It remained at BVM parish till 1998 when Bishop Stefan Soroka advised that the collection be moved to the newly renovated Archbishop's Chancery at 233 Scotia in Winnipeg. St. Volodymyr Museum presently finds itself in an environmentally controlled space including storage, workroom, and exhibit areas. Most appropriately it is situated adjacent to the Chancery library and archive which only enhances its location.

The collection is extraordinary - featuring bishops' and priests' vestments, many liturgical items from chalices to hand crosses, icons, church linens, banners etc. Of particular beauty are the growing number of tabernacles and gospel books. A diorama of a rural, Ukrainian Catholic Church c. 1920 is presently being developed in the main exhibit hall and will showcase much of the collection.

The museum is ready to step into the next millennium with its new direction and location striving to meet and maintain museum standards set by the Canadian Museums Association and Canadian Conservation Institute. Together with the leadership and financial support of the Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of Canada (Manitoba Branch), His Grace, the Most Reverend Archbishop Michael Bzdel, Metropolitan of Canada and Bishop David Motiuk, the museum staff and volunteers invite you to visit and witness the development of this most important endeavor.

Did You Know that St. Volodymyr Museum in Winnipeg…

• Is situated at the Archbishop’s Chancery on Scotia Avenue, purchased in 1929 by Bishop Vasyl Ladyka?

• Collects, preserves, interprets and exhibits Ukrainian Catholic material?

• Strives to preserve the stories of the Ukrainian Catholic people?

• Houses the archival collection of Rev. Philip Ruh, O.M.I., architect of Manitoba’s own Prairie Cathedral in Cooks Creek and numerous other churches throughout the province and Canada?

• Houses the canvases (iconography) salvaged from the razing of the ‘Ruh’ church in Portage la Prairie?

• Exhibits the vestments and other personal items used by Blessed Bishop Vasyl Velychkovsky (on permanent loan to the Bishop Velychkovsky Martyr’s Shrine at St. Joseph’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Winnipeg)?

• Exhibits the vestments of two previous Ukrainian Catholic Bishops in Canada, Bishop Vasyl Ladyka and Blessed Bishop Nykyta Budka?

• Exhibits the spoon used by Blessed Bishop Nicholas Charnetsky to secretly administer Holy Communion while in the labour camps?

• Includes in its collection a growing number of tabernacles from Ukrainian Catholic Churches all over the province? The museum has, in fact, initiated a “save the tabernacles” campaign to encourage museums to preserve their tabernacles and other liturgical items no longer used.

• …and much, much more!

Archeparchial Archives

If you need the services of the Archeparchial Archives, please contact:

Gloria Romaniuk
233 Scotia Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba R2V 1V7

page updated on: March 02, 2010

Copyright © 1996-2008 Archeparchy of Winnipeg