This old church is located on the Oneida Reserve along a busy highway. There’s a small cemetery beside the church. The church doors are usually locked. If you can find your way inside though, you’ll find the interior to be in an advanced state of decay. The piano sinks a little further into the rotting floor each year. The ceiling is water damaged and falling down, some rays of sun poke through holes in the roof. Navigating the floor may be tricky as the wood deteriorates.As of 2022, the roof has collapsed.

This lovely church was built in 1844. It’s one of those churches that occasionally sees the doors being left unlocked out of trust. Unfortunately we know that not everyone shares the same sense of decency when it comes to unlocked churches. The guestbook’s last entry was 2013.

Saint-Bernardin de-Sienne Church is located at 7979 8e Avenue in Montreal, Quebec.  It was built around 1955 as part of a post-Second World War movement to expand the Catholic Church’s reach into Montreal communities. Due to declining congregation it closed in 2013. It was struck by arson on January 27, 2019 requiring 150 firefighters to extinguish the blaze. The number of firefighters was high so that they could rotate due to the frigid winter temperature. That fire destroyed the presbytery roof. The church was hit again on February 14, 2019. Despite the destruction, the diocese is hopeful that the building…

With declining congregations, shrinking budgets and aging buildings, churches are closing all across Canada. I can remember my grandfather attending church every Sunday. It seems like a lost faith with people too busy or who don’t practice faith. These photos are from various abandoned churches across Ontario that I’ve explored over the years. Some of them are used seasonally while others are open based on the trust that people will treat them with respect.    

History of St. Giles United Church In March of 1907 the Presbytery of Hamilton granted permission to establish the St. Giles Presbyterian Sunday School and Church. A petition gained 116 signatures in support of building a new church. Mass was initially held in a tent until November of 1908 when the church construction was completed. The main portions of the church were built between 1912 and 1913 including the bell tower. The bells were manufactured by the McShame Bell Foundry of Baltimore, Maryland in 1912. The Holton family for whom Holton Avenue is named, donated the organ. The Neo-Gothic church…

The Hickson United Church was built in 1901 and opened in 1902. Given the small size of the town of Hickson, the church was used as a meeting place for community functions including baptisms, weddings, funerals, Bible school, Brownies, Girl Guides, Scouts, weddings and baby showers.As with so many churches across Canada (approximately 9,000 of them due to close within the next 10 years) this one closed due to declining congregation sizes.In 2019 there were approximately 20 families attending mass on Sundays. Final services were held on March 10th, 2019. The church donated leftover items to other nearby churches. The…

In 1849 a large group of settlers fled their homeland of South Uist and Benbecula, Scotland. They had been evicted from the land by their landlords. The land produced failed potatoe crops which added to their dire situation. A group of families boarded a ship named The Tusker and made a two week journey to Canada. On August 30th, 1849 they arrived in Quebec. Approximately 300 of them made their way to Middlesex County by stagecoach and wagon. In the Village of Nairn, Mr. McIntosh, gave them food and supplies on credits. Log shelters were quickly built before winter’s arrival….

The Studite Monastery and Peace Lighthouse was located in Woodstock, Ontario. It belonged to the Studite Fathers, a Ukrainian religious group. Studites work for eight hours, rest for eight hours and pray for eight hours. The Studites are one of the oldest monastic orders of the church. They have a board of directors and monastery located near Rome. The Studites owned hundreds of acres of land in Woodstock, Ontario which over the years they slowly sold off to property developers. The Woodstock monastery was operated by a monk named Reverend Evtimy Wolinski (Herbert Wolinski). Wolinski is the last member of…