Built between 1920 and 1921 by Ukrainian settlers at Spruce Siding (formerly Sadlow) in the Rural Municipality of Reynolds, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church served as both a place of worship and a gathering space for the community. Painted in the national colours of Ukraine and topped with a traditional onion dome, the modest log structure was blessed by Bishop Nykyta Budka in 1922, and again by Bishop Basil Ladyka in 1937.
The church hosted masses, weddings, funerals, and other Greek Catholic traditions until it was closed in the early 1970s. While the exterior has weathered over time, the interior remains largely intact, preserving original artifacts and religious fixtures.
Adjacent to the church lies a small cemetery, with burials ranging from 1917 to 1951. Though overgrown and weathered, the site remains a powerful reminder of the early Ukrainian pioneers who helped shape this part of Manitoba.
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church (March 1992)
Source: George Penner
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church (April 2015)
Source: Jean McManus
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church (July 2019)
Source: Rose Kuzina
Interior of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church (June 2016)
Source: Holly Thorne
Interior of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church (July 2019)
Source: Rose Kuzina
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery (April 2015)
Source: Jean McManusSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.75322, W96.04278
denoted by symbol on the map above
A list of burials in this cemetery is available from the Manitoba Genealogical Society, including a searchable online database available to members at the MGS Manitoba Name Index (MANI). Some additional information is contained in the 1996 MGS publication Carved in Stone: Manitoba Cemeteries and Burial Sites, revised edition, Special Projects Publication, 106 pages.
Spruce Siding by Murdoch Buchanan, Rural Municipality of Reynolds.
We thank George Penner, Jean McManus, Holly Thorne, and Rose Kuzina for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Murdoch Buchanan and Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 6 June 2025
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