Saint Gabriel the Archangel Church, Richmond Hill

Mar 5, 2025 - 13:18 Updated: Sep 13, 2025 - 17:39

Saint Gabriel the Archangel Church, Richmond Hill

Address: 49 North Lake Road, Richmond Hill ON, L4E 1A8 (PO Box 2918)

Phone: 519 897 8448

Website: www.arhangelgavrilotoronto.com

Priest: Fr. Djuradj Kojic

Fr. Djuradj Kojic was born in 1989 in Trnjani, near Doboj. He graduated from the Seminary of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Nis and the Faculty of Theology in Libertyville. He was ordained a deacon by Bishop Georgije of Canada in March 2015. He is married to Bojana Kojic from Kitchener. God blessed them with four children.

History

There has long been a need to organize church life for Orthodox Serbs living north of Toronto. Because, more or less, all Serbian places of worship in Toronto and the surrounding area are aligned on an east-west line. In the north, all the way to Sudbury, over 300 kilometres from Toronto, there was not a single Serbian church.

While the All Serbian Saints Church in Mississauga was being built – and it was being built for a long and difficult time, since 1983 – it was pointed out that it would be inexpedient to launch any new project and to divide strength and energy and fail in any of them. And when it was built and, in 2002, consecrated – more intensive consideration began to be given to the possibility of purchasing or building a church in York Region, north of Toronto.

Bishop Georgije of Canada, by his act No. 219 of April 20, 2007, established the Parish of St. Gabriel the Archangel, determined its boundaries and appointed Fr. Vasilije Tomic as its first parish priest. Bishop Georgije of Canada confirmed the new parish regulations with his signature on March 15, 2008.

Several locations were considered for the purchase or construction of a church – from the Anglican church in the central part of Richmond Hill on the corner of Bayview and Crosby streets to the Unitarian Melville Church in Markham – but nothing was done. Believing that the process of searching for a church or a suitable location for its construction could take a very long time, they began to search, for the sake of renting, for a suitable church in which parishioners could gather, pray to God and partake in the Holy Sacraments. They found understanding and support only among the Coptic Christians. On the ground floor of their magnificent church at 11308 Yonge Street, they also have a small chapel that they rented to the parishioners of the Church of St. Gabriel the Archangel. The Holy Liturgy began being served in that chapel in October 2009.

Experienced real estate agent Djordje Vuckovic soon invited parishioners to view the property at 49 North Lake Street. The property is located in the immediate vicinity of Yonge and King Streets, in the most prestigious area of Richmond Hill and beyond – an area called Oak Ridges. The street on which the property is located, North Lake, on the north side of two lakes, Wilcox and Bond, connects two of the most famous streets in Canada: Yonge and Bayview. The street was named after these lakes. On the half-acre property there is a building that for years was a large restaurant. The building is 6,000 square feet – 600 square meters. In addition to the large restaurant, there are two apartments and many other rooms. The parishioners gave a down payment, received a loan from the seller and became the owners of this piece of land in the heart of Richmond Hill.

Prayerful gathering continued in the chapel of the Coptic Church, and the space on North Lake was used and rented as needed. One of those occasions was the consecration of the land and the installation of a cross on it – performed on the day of the Synaxis of Saint Gabriel the Archangel on Monday July 26, 2010. The consecration was performed by Bishop Georgije of Canada, with the concelebration of a multitude of the surrounding clergy and with the participation of a large number of Orthodox Serbs from the Holy Archangel Parish and from wider and further surroundings. The godparents of the property were Djordje and Nena Vuckovic. A large tent was purchased for the occasion. The Holy Hierarchical Liturgy was celebrated under the tent. A large cross was left on the property, a gift from Mica Ivkovic from Oshawa, to inspire hope for the future church that should shine on that consecrated piece of Serbian land.

In early January 2011, parishioners began to renovate the rather neglected restaurant in the upper part of the building. The restaurant was transformed into a spacious hall for welcoming guests and gatherings on holidays for festive lunches and dinners. The question itself arose of how nice it would be if this building could be equipped with a place of worship. And here the urban plan – the famous “zoning law” – got in the way because the original purpose of the space did not include a place of prayer. At a meeting with a member of the city council, Greg Beros, which was also attended by businessman Zoran Radonjic, Fr. Vasilije Tomic outlined the troubles the parish was facing: on one side, our empty premises, and on the other, paying rent for a small chapel. Councilor Beros opened the possibility for parishioners to perform worship services and rituals in their own building, asking – who can forbid you from praying to God? He added that parishioners should turn to him if anyone asks a question and that he will represent them.

At the same time, the parishioners began building a chapel in the lower rooms of the building on North Lake Street. Fr. Prvoslav Puric ceded to the parishioners the iconostasis that had served for years in the chapel of the Serbian Centre in Mississauga. Architect Rastko Misic designed the iconostasis, carpenters Zivan Markovic and Sinisa Gajic constructed it, and it was consecrated by Bishop Georgije of Canada back on May 23, 1989. The icons on the iconostasis were painted by Dragomir "Dragan" Marunic from Belgrade. The parishioners transported the iconostasis, and after the processing by Nikola Krajisnik and Milanko Orasanin from Kitchener, the iconostasis is extraordinarily beautifully integrated. Many hardworking craftsmen worked on the equipping of the chapel, in various crafts and other tasks. May the Lord God repay them for their hard work and labour.

The chapel was consecrated on Sunday June 26, 2011. The consecration was performed by Bishop Georgije of Canada, with the concelebration of Fr. Mihajlo Doder, Fr. Dusan Gnjatic, and Fr. Djuro Samac. Honour and joy to the parishioners was also provided by the deacon of the Cathedral Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Chicago, Dr. Damjan Bozic. The Kir Stefan the Serb Choir of the Diocese of Canada sang at the Divine Liturgy. The church was packed.

Architect Aleksandar "Sasha" Milenov worked on the addition to the urban plan of this area completely free of charge, and in this work he was greatly assisted by engineers Mladen Ninkovic and Vladimir Dosen. The Richmond Hill parish property is located in the protected area of “Oak Ridges Moraine” in a green belt where construction is not otherwise allowed. Its southern edge rests on the swamp and the flow of water from Wilcox to Bond Lake. A major problem was the so-called “flood line” which, according to older photographs and sketches of that area, passed through the upper northern end of the property. Therefore, our architect, in his plan, envisaged a church in the immediate vicinity of the existing building. At the beginning of May 2011, at the request of the authorities responsible for environmental protection, new geometric measurements and expert assessments were carried out and, with the help and blessing of God, new results were obtained – the “flood line” was moved outside the parish property and, God willing, a large space was suddenly obtained for future plans and constructions. The most important thing has already happened, by God’s grace: the Parish of the Holy Archangel Gabriel has come to life. Holy services are held regularly, the faithful people have embraced their parish and new place of worship and are responding to their Church in truly significant numbers and helping it. We trust in the Lord and His Archangel, Saint Gabriel, that He will continue to lead and help this parish as He has led and helped until now.

The parish also houses a church school and a Circle of Serbian Sisters dedicated to Saints Vera, Nada and Ljubav, and their mother Sofija.