Saint George Church, Niagara Falls

Mar 5, 2025 - 13:17 Updated: Aug 24, 2025 - 19:56

Address: 6085 Montrose Road, Niagara Falls ON, L2H 1L5

Email: info.stgeorge.niagarafalls@gmail.com

Phone: 905 356 7636

Priest: Father Stanko Antic (905 356 0090 / stankoantic@hotmail.com )

Priest Stanko Antić was born on April 2, 1987 in Gradačac, present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina, to parents Mihajlo and Ruža. After completing eight years of school, he enrolled in the seminary "Holy Three Hierarchs" at the Krka Monastery in Dalmatia. He graduated from the seminary in 2006, and with the blessing of the then Bishop of Dalmatia, Mr. Photius, he enrolled in the Moscow Theological Academy in the city of Sergiev Posad, at the Trinity Sergius Lavra. After spending three years in Russia, studying theology and the way of life of Orthodox Russians, he graduated from the Academy with the qualification of a church historian. After returning from Russia, he made himself available to his diocesan bishop, and in September 2009 he began working in a candle factory at the Krka Monastery. After a year, he was appointed professor at the seminary "Holy Three Hierarchs" at the Krka Monastery. During the fourteen years he was employed at the aforementioned seminary, he taught Liturgy, Christian Ethics, Pedagogy with Methodology, Catechism, Biblical History, and Russian. In October 2010, he married Susanna Bundalo, born in Zagreb and originally from Bosanska Krupa, with whom he has four children - Julia, Uroš, Aleksej, and Todor. On Theodore's Saturday in 2011, Bishop Photius ordained him a deacon, and the next day, on Orthodoxy Sunday, he was ordained a priest. Together with his family, he served his Church and the people of Orthodox Dalmatia exemplary and with love for more than fifteen years, both as a priest, as a lecturer in the seminary of the Holy Three Hierarchs in the Krka Monastery, and as a monastery employee. He celebrated his first Divine Liturgy in the Church of St. George in Niagara Falls on September 15, 2024.

History of parish life in Niagara

Church of Saint George

The Canadian-Serbian Club opened in 1948 on Main Street in Niagara Falls and the first church services were held there. St. George's Church, the choir and the Serbian Sisters' Circle "Mala Gospojina" were founded at Niagara Falls in 1953. From 1953 to 1956, St. Bishop Nikolaj (Velimirović) spent his summers in Niagara Falls. King Peter II visited the Serbian Orthodox community at Niagara in 1955. The property of St. George's Church on Montrose Street was purchased in 1957. The hall of St. George's Church was consecrated in 1959 and the Divine Liturgy was served in the church hall until 1970. The tragic and unfortunate schism in the Serbian Orthodox Church in the Diaspora occurred in 1963, dividing the parish of St. George into two parishes – St. George and St. Archangel Michael. In 1964, the Church and School District, choir and the Serbian Sisters’ Circle “Mala Gospojina” were reorganized. The parish house was founded in 1968 at the Church of St. George on Montrose Street. The completion and consecration of the Church of St. George on the property on Montrose Street took place on June 21, 1970. The act of consecration was performed by the Bishop of Eastern America and Canada, Dr. Sava (Vuković). That same year, 1970, the Football Club of the Serbian National Football League was founded, as well as the Sokol Folklore Group, which was later renamed the “Studenica” folklore group. The St. George Pavilion was built in 1984. The St. George Church and School District completed the construction of the church with a new entrance and nave in 2001. St. George Church celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 2003. In 2006, St. George Church erected a monument to Nikola Tesla in Queen Victoria Park at Niagara Falls.

Church of Saint Archangel Michael

The Church and School District of St. Michael the Archangel in Niagara was founded in 1964 and held its first church service in the George Room on Main Street. The Serbian Sisters' Circle "Vidovdan" was also founded at the church that same year. The Pentecostal Church at 4992 Huron Street was purchased in 1966 and converted into a Serbian Orthodox Church. The church was consecrated the same year and became part of the Free Serbian Orthodox Church. The tambura group "St. Michael the Archangel" was also founded in 1972. In 1975, the Church and School District of St. Michael the Archangel erected a memorial plaque and tree in honor of Nikola Tesla in Queen Victoria Park. In 1978, the Church of St. Michael the Archangel purchased the Princess Theatre on Main Street and converted this building into the Canadian-Serbian Cultural Centre. The Church and School Municipality of St. Archangel Michael celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2004.

Reconciliation

Canonical reconciliation in the Serbian Orthodox Church took place in late 1991, ending a 29-year schism. His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle celebrated the Divine Liturgy in 1992 at the Church of St. George on Montrose Street, and the Church and School Municipality of St. Michael the Archangel hosted Patriarch Pavle at a banquet at the Serbian Cultural Center on Main Street. The Church of St. George and the Church of St. Michael the Archangel united into one church and school municipality with the spontaneous singing of the Hymn to Saint Sava in 2006. The arondization of the dioceses of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North America took place in 2009, and the Church of St. George and the Church of St. Michael the Archangel became part of the Diocese of East America. In the same year, 2009, the Parish of St. Elijah was formed under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Canada with a place of worship at 5906 Sylvia Street at the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. The Serbian Sisters' Circle "Little Lady" celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2011. His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Irinej served the evening service at the Church of St. George in 2015 and attended the after-service dinner in the church hall. That same year, the Church of St. George and the Church of St. Archangel Michael were returned to the Diocese of Canada. The hall of the Church of St. George on Montrose Street suffered a major fire that year. The youth group "SELO" was formed at the church in 2020. The new church hall was consecrated in 2021. In 2023, the parish of St. Elijah merged with the Church of St. George and the Church of St. Michael the Archangel, and that year, for the first time in history, a joint celebration of Easter took place in Niagara.