ncregister.com - 2026-01-10 - Father Raymond J. de Souza | Commentaries | “Christ is baptized … in the Jordan!”
So rang out the liturgy on Jan. 6 … at the Canadian Museum of History.
Both the place and the time would have surprised most (Latin-rite) Catholics in Canada. But not Ukrainian Catholics, who have their own distinctive calendar. And local Ukrainian Catholics in Ottawa know that once a year for “Theophany” (“Epiphany”), their Divine Liturgy is celebrated at the museum.
Two matters of interest arise from this week’s Divine Liturgy at the museum. First, the history of Ukrainian Catholics in Canada. Second, how the Ukrainian liturgy amplifies the feasts of the Christmas season, especially the Baptism of the Lord, which is observed this Sunday in Latin-rite Catholic parishes.
The magnificent Canadian Museum of History, designed by noted architect Douglas Cardinal, opened in 1989, but work on the major exhibitions continued afterward, including the heart of the museum, the Canadian History Hall. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the installation of the hall’s largest artifact, St. Onuphrius church. A whole church.