Saint Michael the Archangel Church, Burnaby

Mar 5, 2025 - 13:05 Updated: Sep 9, 2025 - 05:22

Saint Michael the Archangel Church, Burnaby

Address: 7837 Canada Way, Burnaby BC, V3N 3K8

Phone number: 604 525 0886

Priest: Fr. Sinisa Milutinovic
Phone: 204 894 7825
Email: sinisadjakon91@gmail.com

Fr. Sinisa Milutinovic was born in Travnik (Bosnia) on September 17, 1991, to parents Zoran and Rajka (nee Vukovic) Milutinovic. Due to the war, he left his home at the age of less than a year, to which he, like many other refugees, never returned. He spent his early childhood with his family in the region of Bosnian Krajina, near the city of Prijedor, on the slopes of Mount Kozara. Not having much choice, struggling to make ends meet, the Milutinovic family moved to Serbia in 2001, where, after a short wandering, they settled permanently in Bogatic near Sabac. As a cleric of the Diocese of Sabac, in 2005 he enrolled in the St. Sava Seminary in Belgrade, which he completed with perfect grades after five years of schooling, as one of the students of his generation. After completing the seminary, he married his chosen one Sanja and took on the duties of secretary of the Diocesan Administrative Board of the Diocese of Milesevo, secretary of the Bishop of Milesevo, secretary of the Church Court of the Diocese of Milesevo, diocesan deacon and deacon at the Cathedral Church of St. Basil of Ostrog in Prijepolje. He remained in that position until 2014, when he transferred to the Diocese of Canada and was appointed missionary priest at the Saint Petka Church in Saskatoon, in July 2014, when he was ordained to the rank of presbyter. The following year, in 2015, by the decision of His Holiness the late Patriarch Irinej, Father Sinisa was appointed parish priest in Winnipeg, where he spent the last seven years. During his pastoral service to the faithful people of Winnipeg and the surrounding area, Bishop Mitrofan of Canada awarded him the rank of protonamesnik in 2019. For his volunteer work and engagement in the wider community, the City of Winnipeg awarded Father Sinisa with the 2022 Distinguished Citizens Plaque. Father Sinisa is an alumnus of the St. Andrew the First-Called Orthodox Theological College in Winnipeg. He has three children: Aleksej, Pavle, and Irina.

History

Arrival of the first Serbian settlers in British Columbia

The first Serbs arrived in British Columbia in the mid-nineteenth century and were among its founders. Mostly immigrants from various parts of Lika, Herzegovina, and Montenegro, they began their difficult and uncertain immigrant lives in scattered places throughout British Columbia. Many wanted to spend only a few years here, to earn a few dollars so that upon returning to their old lands they could buy more land, livestock, or build a small house and provide for their families. However, most of them started families here and never returned to their old lands.

Unity Emigrant Club and Blue Danube Serbian Home

After World War I, with the establishment of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, most of the settlers were fishermen from Dalmatia who had their own ships, so many of the Serb immigrants found work with them. The newly formed Serbian community was part of the joint emigration that consisted of the population of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, so such friendship between Serbs and Croats and respect for each other led to the purchase of a joint building on Hastings Street in the late 1930s. The association was called Unity and was a favorite meeting place until the beginning of World War II, when the previous community fell apart. Respecting each other, the Serbs and Croats agreed to sell the building and divide the money. The Serbs, wishing to recreate their corner, bought new land on Hastings Street. The whirlwind of war that was raging through Europe at the time postponed the construction of the building until better days; at that time, helping friends and family in the old neighborhood was more important. After the end of World War II, Serbs from Vancouver and Seattle joined forces to begin construction of their first home, which was completed in 1947 and named Blue Danube. This beautiful building quickly became a favourite gathering place every Saturday and holiday. Time passed quickly with stories and songs from the old region. It was common for a group from Lika to take the stage, sing favourite songs, then be replaced by a group from Herzegovina with their songs, then from Montenegro, etc.

Establishment of the Saint Archangel Michael Church and School Congregation

Since 1947, the Serbian colony has grown day by day, especially with the arrival of many political emigrants. The need for preaching the Orthodox faith was increasingly felt, and so on January 4, 1953, the Saint Archangel Michael Church and School Congregation was founded in the Blue Danube Serbian Home. Forty-five members attended the founding assembly, and Stevo Konjevic was elected the first president. Soon after the establishment of the Church and School Congregation, a chapel dedicated to Saint Archangel Michael was built in the upper rooms of the Serbian Home, which was consecrated by Bishop Dionisije (Milivojevic) on June 10, 1955. The building of the Serbian Home was sold in April 2004, and the money was spent on completing the work on the new Church of Saint Archangel Michael in Burnaby. All the endowments and contributors of this house are endowments and contributors of the new church.

Construction of the Church of Saint Michael the Archangel in Burnaby (2002–2005)

The blessing of Bishop Longin (Krco) for the construction of the new church was received on February 14, 2002, and the building permit from the city authorities was obtained on February 28, 2002. The construction of the new church of St. Michael the Archangel in Burnaby began solemnly on Monday, March 4, 2002. Prayers for a happy and God-blessed beginning of the construction of the new church were served by all Serbian priests from British Columbia: protopresbyters Ljubomir Radulovic, Sava Arsenijevic, Miroslav Dejanov and presbyter Desimir Vidovic. On Lazarus Saturday, April 27, 2002, His Grace Bishop Longin consecrated the foundation. In August 2003, crosses for the church and the bell tower were cast. The crosses were donated to the church by Goran Djasic. The crosses were consecrated on Sunday, August 31, the small cross was placed on the bell tower on the same day, while the large cross was ceremonially placed on the dome of the church on June 6, 2004. On Saturday morning, March 5, 2005, in the presence of many faithful, the newly built church was consecrated, and then the first Holy Hierarchical Liturgy was celebrated. It was presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral Amfilohije and His Grace Bishop Longin. The church underwent a major renovation in 2018-19, repairing the roof and replacing the windows. After the renovation was completed, new stained glass windows were installed in the church, and a fresco is in preparation.