John J. Verigin Sr. Honorary Chairman of USCC passed away around 4 Sunday morning October 26th. Funeral will be held in Grand Forks Community Hall on Friday evening October 31 and Saturday till lunch. Then at this time the body will be taken to Brilliant Cultural Center, and the funeral will start Saturday evening and continue on Sunday morning, with burial at Verigin Memorial Park above Brilliant. The coffin will be carried by the changing pallbearers all the way to the Cemetery.

Official press release from the USCC regarding the death of Honorary USCC Chairman John J. Verigin:

John J. Verigin

1921 - 2008

John J. Verigin, CM, OBC passed away at his home in Grand Forks, BC on October 26, 2008, at the age of 86. Mr. Verigin has served as the Honourary Chairman of the Union of Spiritual Communities of Christ (USCC) since 1962, and has been widely recognized as a leader among thousands of Canadian and Russian Doukhobors since 1939. For his work on behalf of the Doukhobor people, facilitating their integration into the Canadian cultural mosaic, for improving better relations between Canada and Russia, and furthering better understanding between all peoples, John J. Verigin was recognized with membership in the Order of Canada in 1976, the Soviet Order of People’s Friendship in 1989, the Order of British Columbia in 1996, and with the status of Freeman of the City of Grand Forks, in 1999.


John J. Verigin is a great grandson to Peter V. Verigin, who was the Doukhobor leader at the time of the Doukhobor arrival from Russia to Canada in 1899. This year, in the centennial of Doukhobor life in British Columbia, Peter V. Verigin was recognized by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada as a person of national historical significance.

John J. Verigin is survived by his wife Laura, and three children and their families, all residents of Grand Forks, B.C.

Traditional Doukhobor funeral services will be begin at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, October 31, 2008, continuing at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, November 1, 2008, at the USCC Community Centre in Grand Forks, B.C., and beginning at 7:00 p.m., November 1, 2008, continuing 10:00 a.m. Sunday, November 2, 2008, at the Brilliant Cultural Centre in Castlegar, B.C. Interment to take place at Verigin Memorial Park in Castlegar, B.C. on Sunday, November 2, 2008.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the John J. Verigin Memorial Fund established to further the Doukhobor principles and activities that Mr. Verigin championed for nearly 70 years.

For further biographical information and general inquiries, please email: info@usccdoukhobors.org.

Doukhobours arrange funeral services for leader John J. Verigin

Tim Lai, Vancouver Sun
Published: Tuesday, October 28, 2008

John J. Verigin, who is credited with bringing Canadian Doukhobors into the modern era during his decades of leadership, died Sunday at his home in Grand Forks. He was 86.

Born in the village of Orlovka in what is Georgia today, Verigin had been the honorary chairman of the Union of Spiritual Communities of Christ since 1962. However, he had been viewed as the leader of thousands of Canadian and Russian Doukhobors since 1939, when he succeeded his great-grandfather Peter V. Verigin at the age of 17.

"He set a wonderful example for the membership of the organization that he headed and the wider Doukhobor community that he served and advised," said J.J. Verigin, his son and the executive director of the USCC.

"He was a person that contributed to the multicultural fabric of Canada. His impact transcended our nation."

J.J. Verigin said that in line with Doukhobor tradition, the organization will wait six weeks before deciding on the next leader.

Larry Ewashen, curator of the Doukhobor Discovery Centre in Castlegar, said John J. Verigin was a reluctant spiritual leader at first, but knew he wanted to serve the Doukhobors, especially after the B.C. government seized their properties in 1938.

"You can give him a lot of credit for bringing the Doukhobors into modern society," Ewashen said. "He was a very dynamic speaker. He was fluent in English and Russian. He could just go from one language to another with just the most amazing ease."

In 1945, he organized an historic all-Doukhobor convention that created the Union of Doukhobors of Canada, viewed at the time as the most comprehensive unification effort yet made.

While his work in integrating the Doukhobors into Canadian society will be Verigin's main legacy, he will also be celebrated for his efforts to improve Canadian-Russian relations and for fostering a greater understanding between all peoples.

"He had a wisdom about sharing commonalities," said Koozma Tarasoff, an Ottawa-based author who has written 10 books on the Doukhobors. He described Verigin as "a longtime beacon of peace and goodwill."

Tarasoff, who knew Verigin for half a century, said his friend maintained his principles of peace in all his work, especially in the many peace events he organized.

"He insisted on love and forgiveness for anybody who he quarrelled with in the past," said Tarasoff. "These qualities are important for intergroup understanding."

In the early 1980s, Verigin was the regional director of Operation Dismantle, one of Canada's largest peace organizations, which advocated a global vote on disarmament.

Tarasoff said one of Verigin's crowning achievements was organizing the International Doukhobor Intergroup Symposium in Castlegar in 1982, the first gathering of Doukhobors, Molokans, Mennonites, Quakers and Tolstoyans.

Verigin received the Order of Canada in 1976 and the Order of British Columbia in 1996.

In 1989, he received the Order of the Peoples' Friendship from Mikhail Gorbachev for creating cultural exchanges, travel and education opportunities between Canadians and Russians. One initiative involved coordinating a six-week visit to the Kootenays for children suffering from the effects of the Chernobyl nuclear accident. He also worked to collect and distribute supplies to needy communities in the former Soviet Union.

Verigin is survived by his wife Laura, and three children and their families, all residents of Grand Forks.

Traditional Doukhobor funeral services for Verigin will begin Friday at 7 p.m. and continue on Saturday at 10 a.m. at the USCC Community Centre in Grand Forks. A service in Castlegar at the Brilliant Cultural Centre will start at 7 p.m. on Saturday and continue at 10 a.m Sunday.

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=0a287a...

Doukhobor leader received Order of Canada

John J. Verigin was a 'longtime beacon of peace and goodwill' who led group since 1939

Tim Lai, Vancouver Sun
Published: Tuesday, October 28, 2008

John J. Verigin, who is credited with bringing Canadian Doukhobors into the modern era during his decades of leadership, died Sunday at his home in Grand Forks. He was 86.

Born in the village of Orlovka in what is Georgia today, Verigin had been the honourary chairman of the Union of Spiritual Communities of Christ since 1962. However, he had been viewed as the leader of thousands of Canadian and Russian Doukhobors since 1939, when he succeeded his great-grandfather Peter V. Verigin at the age of 17.

"He set a wonderful example for the membership of the organization that he headed and the wider Doukhobor community that he served and advised," said J.J. Verigin, his son and the executive director of the USCC. "He was a person that contributed to the multicultural fabric of Canada. His impact transcended our nation."

J.J. Verigin said that in line with Doukhobor tradition, the organization will wait six weeks before deciding on the next leader.

Larry Ewashen, curator of the Doukhobor Discovery Centre in Castlegar, said John J. Verigin was a reluctant spiritual leader at first, but knew he wanted to serve the Doukhobors, especially after the B.C. government seized their properties in 1938.

"You can give him a lot of credit for bringing the Doukhobors into modern society," Ewashen said. "He was a very dynamic speaker. He was fluent in English and Russian. He could just go from one language to another with just the most amazing ease."

In 1945, he organized an historic all-Doukhobor convention that created the Union of Doukhobors of Canada, viewed at the time as the most comprehensive unification effort yet made. While his work in integrating the Doukhobors into Canadian society will be Verigin's main legacy, he will also be celebrated for his efforts to improve Canadian-Russian relations and for fostering a greater understanding between all peoples.

"He had a wisdom about sharing commonalities," said Koozma Tarasoff, an Ottawa-based author who has written 10 books on the Doukhobors. He described Verigin as "a longtime beacon of peace and goodwill."

Tarasoff, who knew Verigin for half a century, said his friend maintained his principles of peace in all his work, especially in the many peace events he organized. "He insisted on love and forgiveness for anybody who he quarrelled with in the past. These qualities are important for intergroup understanding."

In the early 1980s, Verigin was the regional director of Operation Dismantle, one of Canada's largest peace organizations, which advocated a global vote on disarmament.

Tarasoff said one of Verigin's crowning achievements was organizing the International Doukhobor Intergroup Symposium in Castlegar in 1982, the first gathering of Doukhobors, Molokans, Mennonites, Quakers and Tolstoyans.

Verigin received the Order of Canada in 1976 and the Order of British Columbia in 1996.

In 1989, he received the Order of the Peoples' Friendship from Mikhail Gorbachev for creating cultural exchanges, travel and education opportunities between Canadians and Russians. One initiative involved coordinating a six-week visit to the Kootenays for children suffering from the effects of the Chernobyl nuclear accident.

Verigin is survived by his wife Laura, three children and their families, all residents of Grand Forks.

Traditional Doukhobor funeral services for Verigin will begin Friday at 7 p.m. and continue on Saturday at 10 a.m. at the USCC Community Centre in Grand Forks. A service in Castlegar at the Brilliant Cultural Centre will start at 7 p.m. on Saturday and continue at 10 a.m Sunday.

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story....

For a brief Biographical Tribute to John J. Verigin Sr. prepared by Koozma J. Tarasoff, October 26, 2008, see the the Spirit Wrestlers Website at:

http://docs.google.com/View?docid=d986hkj_59fwvvrzf5

STATE FUNERAL

Doukhobor leader dies at 86

(Kyra Hoggan - Castlegar Current)


An era has ended with the Oct. 26 death of John J. Verigin, leader of the Doukhobor community for almost 70 years.

Verigin died in his home just weeks before his 87th. Birthday, after a lifetime devoted to the Doukhobor ideals of pacifism, brotherhood and community.

He also furthered his community’s ideology provincially, nationally and abroad, receiving the Order of Canada in 1976, the Order of the Peoples’ Friendship from Mikhail Gorbachev in 1989 and the Order of British Columbia in 1996.

“He introduced a great many democratic reforms into the operations of our organization, and all of its programs and services,” said his son, J.J. Verigin (to be referred to as ‘J.J.’ in this article to avoid confusion).

J.J. said his father found himself, under the title of secretary, at the helm of a struggling community in 1938 at the tender age of 17 - Verigin’s uncle, the nominal leader, was at the time imprisoned in Russia in one of Stalin’s Gulags, where he died in 1942.

It wasn’t until 1957, though, that the International Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies informed the community in Canada that their leader had died, and three more years passed before that communique was verified and his death officially acknowledged in 1960.

“(Verigin) was proclaimed as leader as early as 1960, but he declined the title and advised the community to reconsider the role,” said Doukhobor historian Jim Popoff.

J.J. explained that his father had no desire to dictate the views, values or decisions of his people.

“He said, ‘please don’t make a god out of me. We only have one true leader, and that’s Jesus Christ’, J. J. said. “He said if he could serve in a useful capacity, he would.”

Verigin was thus named ‘honorary chairman‘ in 1962, and served alongside a democratically-elected committee chosen during the community‘s annual convention. Verigin also created. a process by which, every year, the convention posed two questions: was the role still relevant and necessary? And, if so, who should fill it?

“He always insisted that his position be reaffirmed to get away from that theocratic, hereditary practice of our history,” J.J. said. “As Doukhobors, we’re always supposed to be listening, instead, to that voice within.”

Verigin’s body of work spanned decades and continents, including Russian-Canadian cultural and educational exchanges, humanitarian outreach projects, peace-building symposia and more.

Rubbing shoulders with international leaders like Gandhi and Gorbachev and, at home, Prime Minister Jean Chretien, Verigin lived a comparatively simple life in Grand Forks, furthering the agro-industrial undertakings of his people.

J.J. said his father also served as role model on far more personal levels, overcoming alcoholism and battling his own private demons in what was a very public life, “never surrendering or giving up in making this world a better place.”

Verigin’s leadership role gradually diminished over recent years, as age and ill health took their toll - he suffered a broken neck a decade ago that slowed him considerably- and his final days were prefaced by a fall that saw him hospitalized on Oct. 21. J.J. said his father, that day, suffered a broken hip as well as a hand abrasion serious enough to require skin grafts.

On Oct. 22, Verigin was transported from Grand Forks to a Trail hospital for subsequent surgeries, only to discover his kidneys were failing, and he was unlikely to survive any one of the procedures, much less, the several that would be required. Furthermore, his ability to recover from any such invasive action was very much in question, and the anesthesiologist declined to participate in any operation because of the inordinate risk, J.J. said.

“The family decided to allow him - unlike other Doukhobor leaders, who died alone, in Gulags far away - to spend his final days in the loving arms of his family,” J.J. said. “He came home for (Oct.) 23, 24 and 25, and passed away at 4:11 a.m. on the 26th”.

Verigin died on the day his community held their annual memorial for the leader, Peter ‘Lordly’ Verigin, who led them from Russia to Canada more than a century ago. J.J. and his brother attended services in Castlegar and Grand Forks, respectively, waiting until the ceremonies were over to inform the community of John Verigin’s death.

Castlegar mayor (and Doukhobor community member) Lawrence Chernoff said that, while the community has suffered a great loss, he feels they’ll weather it well. He said that Verigin’s advancing age diminished the shock, if not the grief, of the event, while J.J.’s careful stewardship on his father’s behalf has instilled a confidence that will serve all Doukhobors in good stead as they await the outcome of a leadership vote at their Convention this February.

“He (Verigin) was a true representative of the community - and by that I mean the community at large, not just the Doukhobors,” Chernoff said. “But I think the direction we’re headed in (under J.J.’s leadership) will continue - he has developed very strong relationships with other communities and organizations.”

Chernoff went on to offer condolences on the city’s behalf, welcoming the hundreds, possibly thousands, of people who will come to Castlegar this weekend for Verigin’s memorial.

Services will be held Friday evening and Saturday in Grand Forks, then Saturday evening and Sunday at the Brilliant Centre in Castlegar, with a procession walking from there up to his final resting place (weather permitting) Sunday afternoon. Verigin will be interred next to his mother at Verigin Memorial Park. For specific service times and addresses, call 250-442-8252.

J.J. said his family is comforted, in their grief, by their gratitude for the hospital and home care staff who helped Verigin, and for the condolences being offered by friends, neighbors and people from around the globe.

“It helps - It underlines the impact he had on the many people he encountered over the course of his life,” he said, adding that, while he understands the historic nature of his father’s passing, it’s important to remember Verigin’s humanity; that he was a simple Doukhobor man. “His whole life was dedicated to walking the walk of being a bearer of light and love.”

“He was a loving father and husband,” J.J. added. “And he loved softball.”



*From Castlegar Current, October 30, 2008

Castlegar News

Hundreds Mark Verigin’s Passing

By Francisco Canjura - Castlegar News

Published: November 04, 2008 5:00 PM
Updated: November 04, 2008 8:29 PM

More than 800 people attended the final ceremony and burial of loved Doukhobor leader John J. Verigin.

On a drizzly morning, the sky held off for the procession to move from the Brilliant Cultural Centre to the burial site at Peter ‘Lordly’ Verigin’s tomb.

Hundreds of people walked alongside the family as they followed the casket up the hill to its final resting place.

John J. Verigin Jr. said the amount of people that attended the funeral reflects the amount of lives his dad touched.

“We were touched by the fact that so many people came out to show their respect to our dad,” Verigin Jr. said.

Verigin added it was a little overwhelming to see that many people out, even though they knew he was a loved individual not only by those in the Doukhobor community in the Kootenay Boundary, but worldwide.

“The entire family was touched by the turnout, by the tributes and by the love and condolences they expressed to the family.

“It was overwhelming and we are grateful to the people for expressing that degree of support and love for the family and my dad. It was very touching and humbling,” Verigin Jr. said.

He said as he walked up the hill to his fathers’ final resting place, he could not help but think all of his father’s life work was not in vain.

“We have to remember we are burying a great Doukhobor not Doukhoborism. And to see all those kids and young people - because there is always a concern on the part of elders of any tradition about the youth and whether they would carry on the tradition or not - well that was a fine testimony to the fact that his life efforts were not in vain.

“Those young people are our future and they will take Doukhoborism into the 21st century and that is special,” he said.

Verigin Jr. said he will miss his father a great deal.

“I loved him dearly as a father I also loved and respected him as a teacher and as the head of our organization and he was a mentor and he was also someone who I turned to for counsel,” he said.

As for the future, Verigin Jr. said it is up to the people to choose who will carry on doing his father’s work saying, “that’s the people’s role.”

He added his father was a guiding light to him and to the people as his lengthy biography showed all he contributed to not only the Doukhobor community, but the world.

“No one can fill his shoes all that we can do is continue walking the path that he laid out for us and enhancing that pathway for those young people that were present and passing the traditions, the life concept, and the responsibilities of Doukhobors onto them,” he said.

Verigin Jr. said what he will miss most about his father is his unconditional love and smile that would just melt you, as well as the discipline he had to do what he was called to do.

Doukhobor leader a 'beacon of peace'
John J. Verigin ( 1921 -- 2008)

Tim Lai

Vancouver Sun

Sunday, November 02, 2008

John J. Verigin, who is credited with bringing Canadian Doukhobors into the modern era during his decades of leadership, died last Sunday at his home in Grand Forks, B.C. He was 86.

Verigin had been the honourary chairman of the Union of Spiritual Communities of Christ since 1962. However, he had been viewed as the leader of thousands of Canadian and Russian Doukhobors since 1939, when he succeeded his great-grandfather, Peter V. Verigin, at the age of 17.

Larry Ewashen, curator of the Doukhobor Discovery Centre in Castlegar, said Verigin was a reluctant spiritual leader at first, but knew he wanted to serve the Doukhobors, especially after the B.C. government seized their properties in 1938.

"You can give him a lot of credit for bringing the Doukhobors into modern society," Ewashen said. "He was a very dynamic speaker. He was fluent in English and Russian. He could just go from one language to another with just the most amazing ease."

In 1945, he organized a historic all-Doukhobor convention that created the Union of Doukhobors of Canada, viewed at the time as the most comprehensive unification effort yet made.

While his work in integrating the Doukhobors into Canadian society will be Verigin's main legacy, he will also be celebrated for his efforts to improve Canadian-Russian relations and for fostering a greater understanding among all peoples.

"He had a wisdom about sharing commonalities," said Koozma Tarasoff, an Ottawa-based author who has written 10 books on the Doukhobors. He described Verigin as "a longtime beacon of peace and goodwill."

Tarasoff, who knew Verigin for half a century, said his friend maintained his principles of peace in all his work, especially in the many peace events he organized.

"He insisted on love and forgiveness for anybody who he quarrelled with in the past," said Tarasoff. "These qualities are important for inter-group understanding."

In the early 1980s, Verigin was the regional director of Operation Dismantle, one of Canada's largest peace organizations, which advocated a global vote on disarmament.

Tarasoff said one of Verigin's crowning achievements was organizing the International Doukhobor Intergroup Symposium in Castlegar in 1982, the first gathering of Doukhobors, Molokans, Mennonites, Quakers and Tolstoyans.

Verigin received the Order of Canada in 1976 and the Order of British Columbia in 1996.

In 1989, he received the Order of the Peoples' Friendship from Mikhail Gorbachev for creating cultural exchanges, travel and education opportunities between Canadians and Russians.

One initiative involved co-ordinating a six-week visit to the Kootenays for children suffering from the effects of the Chornobyl nuclear accident. He also worked to collect and distribute supplies to needy communities in the former Soviet Union.

Verigin is survived by his wife, Laura, three children and their families, and all residents of Grand Forks, which is about 200 kilometres southeast of Kelowna, near the Washington border.

In their time of grief, the Verigin family has been so gracious in embracing the support and love of all those who have extended their assistance and sympathies on the passing of: John J. Verigin, CM OBC, Honourary Chairman of the Union of Spiritual Communities of Christ.

The attached message of their gratitude appeared in the Castlegar News, December 18, 2008.