Global True Lithuania Encyclopedia of Lithuanian heritage worldwide

St. Catharines, Ontario

St. Catharines Lithuanian community was small yet it created one of the most Lithuanian-looking churches of Canada. While no longer used by Lithuanians, the church still has a Memorial to Lithuania on the outside, with the words „To Lithuania“ („Lietuvai“) chiseled on it and a traditional Lithuanian sun-cross on the top. There is also a Lithuanian inscription on the cornerstone (something that is rare in Canada).

Memorial to Lithuania in St. Catharines

St. Mary of the Angels church began operating in 1949, in a simple house. During 1955-1964, it was reconstructed by the most famous Lithuanian-Canadian architect Kulpa-Kulpavičius who introduced the ethnic details and turned the building into a real church.

St. Mary of the Angels Lithuanian church after reconstruction

Cornerstone of the church (survives)

This would not have been possible if not the Lithuanian Franciscan monks. At the time, the ranks of Lithuanian monks abroad swelled as the Soviet Union has occupied Lithuania in the 1940s and banned monastic orders there. Staying in Lithuania meant death or torture for many monks, without much real possibility to continue their work. Thus, many monks fled and worked among the distant Lithuanian emigrant communities such as the one in St. Catharines, Ontario, and they needed monasteries for that.

Close-up of the dedication 'Lietuvai' on the memorial

Officially, the church was a chapel of that monastery but for the communities of St. Catharines, Welland, Niagara Falls and beyond it served as the only Lithuanian church and the place for Lithuanian activities. For example, between 1949 and 1964 it has Christened 87 children and had 356 members.

Like most Lithuanian churches abroad, the St. Catharines one promoted ethnic activity: Lithuanian scouts, Lithuanian folk dances and songs, etc.

Thus, the chapel had an entirely secular patriotic entrance mural depicting the rise of the Lithuanian flag in the Gediminas Hill of Vilnius (by S. Šetkus), as well as another mural depicting Lithuanian village women praying for killed Lithuanians (also by S. Šetkus). It also had a modern-style door with bilingual inscriptions („Franciscan Fathers - Šv. Marijos koplyčia“ – „Franciscan Fathers – St. Mary chapel“) and a traditional Lithuanian sun-cross above its main triangular entrance.

Raising Lithuanian flag at the Gediminas Hill (by S. Šetkus; mural no longer available)

Lithuanian wayside shrine (by S. Šetkus. Mural no longer available)

The original post-renovation door of the church

However, this and other Lithuanian details of the interior, as well as religious details on the exterior, no longer survives as the church has been acquired by Antiochan rite Orthodox church ~2011 as the Lithuanian community dwindled. For a while, Lithuanian mass still continued there but not anymore. According to the new owners, Lithuanians themselves (or rather the Roman Catholic diocese) has actually removed the art before the building transfer. Currently, the building operates as St. Ignatius of Antioch Orthodox Church.

The current interior of the former St. Catharines Lithuanian chapel

The monument „to Lithuania“ was kept by the new owners. Some of its religious symbols (the image of Virgin Mary) were removed, presumably before the sale but the Lithuanian sun-cross survives.

The map of Lithuanian-Canadian sites

All the Lithuanian-Canadian locations are marked on this interactive map, made by the "Destination Lithuanian America" expedition (click the link):

Interactive map of Canada Lithuanian sites