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After many years of waiting, the parish community of St. Peter and St. Paul Greek Orthodox Church in Kitchener, Ontario, has taken a significant step toward realizing a long-held vision: the creation of a comprehensive program of Byzantine iconography within its church.

To undertake this ambitious project, the parish engaged Canadian iconographer and fine artist Zoran Rnjak, whose work in traditional Byzantine iconography spans almost three decades.

St. Peter and St. Paul Greek Orthodox Church’s new central dome. Photo by St. Peter and St. Paul Greek Orthodox Church

The undertaking began with one of the church’s most prominent and symbolically significant architectural features: its towering central dome. Rising approximately 21 metres above the church floor and having a diameter of 9.5 meters, the dome is crowned by a monumental depiction of Christ Pantokrator, surrounded by angels and accompanied by an extensive iconographic program featuring the Most Holy Mother of God, St. John the Baptist, prophets, and the evangelists.

The full painting process can be seen on the artist’s YouTube channel here.

The scale of the project required months of preparation, meticulous planning, and the execution of large iconographic compositions, many of which were painted on canvas in the artist’s studio before being permanently installed within the church.

Beyond the significance of this project to the Kitchener parish, its realization speaks to the continuing vitality of Byzantine sacred art in North America. Far from being confined to the historic churches and monasteries of the Old World, the centuries-old tradition of monumental iconography continues to find expression in contemporary Orthodox communities across Canada and the United States.

Continuing the Church’s Iconographic Program

Building upon the completion of the dome, the parish community has elected to continue the iconographic program along the eastern portion of the church, toward the altar. This next phase is now underway, with proposed compositions depicting some of the most significant events in the life of Christ and the Church, including the Nativity, Resurrection, Transfiguration, Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, and Ascension of Our Lord.

Additional depictions of saints are also envisioned, gradually bringing the parish closer to its long-awaited aspiration of a richly adorned and unified sacred interior.

For the parish of St. Peter and St. Paul, the project represents more than an artistic addition to its church. It is a lasting expression of Orthodox faith, sacred tradition, and the community’s commitment to enriching its spiritual home for generations to come.

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