Doukhobors at Veregin

Doukhobors at Veregin is a National Historic Site of Canada[1] located in the village of Veregin, Saskatchewan, and designated so in 2006. The site is also known as National Doukhobor Heritage Village.[2]

Doukhobors at Veregin
LocationVeregin, Country
Coordinates51.5817°N 102.0841°W / 51.5817; -102.0841
Established1904

The site includes four historical buildings associated with Veregin's role in its heyday as the administrative and spiritual centre of the Canadian Doukhobors in the early 20th century.

The buildings
The prayer house in Veregin, commonly called "The Dome".

The main building of the site is the prayer house, constructed in 1917 as the spiritual meeting place of the community and personal residence of the leader of the majority of the Doukhobors, Peter Vasilevich Verigin. It is an intricately decorated two-storey building, inspired by the architectural traditions brought by the Doukhobor settlers from Russia. The building is surrounded by a large open space that was used for community outdoor meetings.

The other several other buildings located on the grounds are - A Doukhobor house, Tolstoy and Prayer Home, bakery, banya (bath house), granary, barn, and blacksmith. There is also a statue of Leo Tolstoy and a millstone.

The Museum and Registration Building showcases many artifacts including Peter V. Verigin's own "Rockaway" Coach.

Events

The headquarters of the organization of Community Doukhobors, Peter Verigin's Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood (CCUB), was located in Veregin from the organization's incorporation in 1917 until its move to Brilliant (near Castlegar, British Columbia).[3]

Doukhobors at Veregin Statue of Leo Tolstoy

Even though the majority of the Doukhobors moved from Saskatchewan to British Columbia even earlier, the Saskatchewan years loom large in their history. This is why Veregin was chosen by Doukhobor organizations as the site to celebrate the 60th, 75th and 100th anniversaries of their arrival to Canada in 1899.

Sources
  1. Doukhobors at Veregin National Historic Site of Canada. Canadian Register of Historic Places.
  2. Heritage Village Acquires Doukhobor Elevator Archived 2008-04-18 at the Wayback Machine (From "Kamsack Times"), March 29, 2001
  3. Koozma J. Tarasoff Spirit Wrestlers: Doukhobor Pioneers’ Strategies for Living Archived 2007-12-23 at the Wayback Machine (2002)
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