Posthumous tribute to a member of the Boian parish
and pastoral visit to the Cathedral in Edmonton

On Monday, March 30, His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian was present among the faithful of the Dormition of the Mother of God Parish in Boian, Alberta.

The hierarch officiated the funeral service for Mr. Willis E. Soprovich, together with Fr. Gheorghe Petrovan, the parish priest.

Mr. Soprovich was one of the long-standing members of the parish. He fell asleep in the Lord at the age of 96. For many years, he served as president of the Parish Council and was deeply involved in the life of the parish and the local community.

In his homily at the end of the service, the Bishop of Canada spoke about the power of hope that the Church offers through its message in difficult moments of life:

“We are gathered here to pray for the soul of Mr. Willis E. Soprovich, that God may grant him rest among the righteous. We know that the departure of a loved one always leaves a great void. Yet at the same time, the Church teaches us that this stage of earthly life, though important, continues with the journey of the soul toward God, and ultimately with its reunion with the transfigured body at the final judgment. This earthly stage is limited, and with it pass away the corruption of the body and death itself. Man was created by God for eternal life from the beginning. Sin and death entered human nature through disobedience to God’s command, due to the devil’s temptation.

Bodily death brings an end to evil and sin within human nature and offers the hope of eternal life. Therefore, even though the passing of a loved one brings sorrow, we may also rejoice in the hope we receive - that the one who has fallen asleep in the Lord is journeying toward eternal life, where we shall all meet again.”

The hierarch then read a letter of condolence addressed to the Soprovich family on behalf of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada. On this occasion, he also posthumously awarded Mr. Willis E. Soprovich the Diploma of Merit and the Diocesan Anniversary Medal in recognition of his lifelong contribution to the parish and the Boian community.

The Bishop also officiated a memorial service at the parish cemetery in Boian, in the presence of his wife Jackie and a few relatives, for another parish member, Mr. Robert Michael Dushenski, who had unexpectedly fallen asleep in the Lord approximately two months earlier.

Following the funeral, participants were invited to the parish social hall, where they attended a memorial meal organized for the occasion. Several speeches were delivered in memory of Mr. Soprovich, and a slideshow featuring images from his life, family, and friends was presented.

The day continued with a brief pastoral visit to Saints Constantine and Helen Cathedral in Edmonton. His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian met with Fr. George Bâzgan, the parish priest. They discussed the preparations for the consecration of the cathedral’s new altar, as well as other organizational details, including the reception of a vestment of St. Venerable Parascheva from Iași for the occasion.

Thus, the entire day was marked by prayer, gratitude, pastoral care, and the strengthening of the bonds of the community in faith.