Parishioners mourn, hope to rebuild after church burns down in Meadow Lake, Sask.

Parishioners mourn, hope to rebuild after church burns down in Meadow Lake, Sask.

Oct. 1 fire destroyed 68-year-old All Saints Orthodox Church

Parishioners at All Saints Orthodox Church in Meadow Lake, Sask., are already planning fundraisers to help rebuild their church after it was destroyed by a late-night fire this week.

"There are a few people that have been in the church all their life and that's going to be something that they'll miss because it won't be the same place for them, for their memories," said Jenn Vidal, who has attended services at the church for 11 years.

"For us the church is not a building. Nobody was hurt and nobody was there. So we can rebuild and pray that God uses this in a more magnificent way and brings up something out of those ashes that will be through his glory."

The fire started after midnight on October 1 and burned through the early morning hours. By the time it was out around 7:30 a.m. CST, the church was destroyed.

RCMP were called to the scene and confirmed no one was injured. The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency is investigating the cause of the fire.

The church at the corner of Second Street East and Third Avenue East has a congregation of about 20 to 30 people.

It was also a social hub for many families over the years. Construction started in 1956 and it was consecrated by archbishops in 1958, said Paul Szpakowski, the church's president and longtime caretaker.

"My two daughters got baptized there. My grandchildren got baptized there. And my mother and dad are buried there. Me and Irene got married there in 1973," Szpakowski said.

"So I cried like a baby. It's almost like losing a partner or a family member. It's so much of your life."

The church's architecture, featuring three onion-shaped domes, stood out in the small northern city and was appreciated by the faithful and non-religious alike, Szpakowski said.

Also lost in the fire were all the icons and other religious items displayed in the church.

"We had several very beautiful icons that adorned the walls celebrating the different feast days," Vidal said. "We had an absolutely gorgeous icon in the back of Mary, the mother of God, with Christ on her lap."

Szpakowski estimated the cost to rebuild will be between $2 million and $2.5 million. Insurance will cover most of it and people are already planning fundraisers to help out, he said.

"I know it's only a building made out of wood and stone and concrete, but it's what went on inside it. It's very deep … the meaning behind this thing, all the memories in there and all the pictures," he said.

Jeremy Warren is a reporter in Saskatoon. You can reach him at jeremy.warren@cbc.ca.