Epiphany of Our Lord Byzantine Catholic Church

Here follows an excerpt from the church's website:

About our Parish:
At Epiphany of Our Lord Byzantine Catholic Church, we care about your present and your future more than your past. We are here to help you live your life to the fullest, taking your hand and helping you through the rough times and celebrating with you in the good times.

Parish History

The Early Years:
After World War II, the size of the Federal government increased as the United States became the leader of the free world. Many young Byzantine Ruthenian Catholics came to Washington, DC. to serve in the Federal government, the support consulting companies, and the military.

These first young Byzantine Catholics attended Holy Family Ukrainian Catholic Church, Washington, DC or Latin Catholic parishes.

A young Byzantine Catholic, John Himchak, from Holy Ghost Church, Jessup, Pennsylvania, wrote a letter to Archbishop Amleto G. Cicognani, the apostolic delegate, the pope’s representative in the United States residing in Washington, DC, requesting that a Byzantine Catholic parish be established in Washington. The delegation sent the letter to the Exarchate of Pittsburgh.

The newly appointed Bishop of Pittsburgh, Bishop Nicholas Elko, sent Father Paul Shogan from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Levittown, PA to meet with fourteen young, eager Byzantine Catholics December 5, 1955. In two weeks their numbers had doubled. On January 22, 1956 Bishop Elko celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the National Shrine in Washington and announced a new parish was being formed. On February 22, 1956 Bishop Elko named the parish Saint Gregory of Nyssa. On May 16, 1956 Father Edward V. Rosack, S.E.O.B., newly returned to the United States from graduate studies in Rome, was named first pastor.

The new parish received needed assistance from Bishop Philip Hannan, auxiliary bishop of Washington, who gave permission for them to use Saint Patrick’s Academy for the Divine Liturgies. Later, Archbishop Hannan, who had served as a combat Army chaplain in the 82ndAirborne during World War II, wrote in his autobiography, The Archbishop wore Combat Boots (2010) about his recollections about Father Rosack and the new parish. He also recalled the beginning of a feature of Saint Gregory and Epiphany Sunday custom when he explained that Father Rosack was very devout, that the Byzantine liturgy was over two hours long, that the people came from Washington and from some distances away and that they had many children who were hungry from fasting from midnight to receive Holy Communion. As a result, the Archbishop wrote, they needed the use of the kitchen. And so, the practice of coffee & doughnuts and other meals afterLiturgy began (The Archbishop, page 188).

A dream came true when a church, rectory and hall was purchased on Gallatin Street, NW. The founders called it “Our home for God in the Nation’s Capital.”

Parish Foundation:
In his memoirs Archbishop Hannan noted that some Byzantine Catholics came from distances to attend the Divine Liturgy in Washington. This would influence the establishment of two more Byzantine Catholic parishes.

On October 2, 1966, the day after the feast of the Patronage of the Mother of God, a Divine Liturgy was celebrated in Baltimore, Maryland. Six Byzantine Catholic families attended and became the founders of the parish in Baltimore. On February 22, 1969, Bishop Dudick, the Bishop of Passaic, named the new parish Patronage of the Mother of God Church in Baltimore. This encouraged the Byzantine Catholics living in northern Virginia who had hoped for a parish in northern Virginia to ask for a parish closer to where they lived.

One of the founders of Saint Gregory of Nyssa parish, Joseph Koshuta, and his wife Monica and their children were living in Vienna, Virginia where a new Roman Catholic parish, Saint Mark parish, had been newly established by the Bishop of Richmond. Joe Koshuta met the young associate, Father Philip Majka who was of Polish heritage and later received the honor of being made a canon of the Archdiocese of Krakow, Poland. They discussed Slavic heritage. They planned to ask the pastor of Saint Gregory to celebrate a Byzantine Divine Liturgy at Saint Mark parish. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated at Saint Mark rectory chapel the feast of Saint Nicholas, patron of the Byzantine Catholic Church, December 6, 1967.

The year 1968 was a year of violence. Dr. Martin Luther King and Senator Robert Kennedy were assassinated. Following the assassination of Dr. King, riots and the burning of sections of Washington led to a curfew, limiting church ease of access. Protests against the United States involvement in the war in Vietnam created added unrest. At the beginning of the 1960’s a migration to the Maryland and Northern Virginia suburbs had begun already. More people left the cities and moved to the suburbs as a result of the civil unrest.

The curfew in Washington would make it difficult for Byzantine Catholics in Virginia to fulfill their obligations to attend the Divine Liturgy for holydays of obligation on weekday evenings after work and school On Thursday, May 23, 1968, the feast of the Ascension of our Lord, and on August 15, 1968, the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God, Divine Liturgies were celebrated for the Byzantine Catholic faithful in northern Virginia at Saint Mark parish center, Vienna, VA to fulfill these two holydays of obligation. In the spring, The pastor of St. Gregory met with Byzantine Catholics of Northern Virginia at the home of John and Betty Markovchick. A feasibility study was initiated and was done in two parts. One was a study of land and buildings in Baltimore and the immediate surroundings in Maryland and Northern Virginia. The other was a survey by means of a questionnaire to solicit the views of the faithful concerning future plans for the Byzantine Catholics in the metropolitan Washington region.

The results of the survey indicated the time was propitious to begin a mission in Northern Virginia. The results of the survey were presented to the chancery office in Passaic and Bishop Stephen Kocisko, administrator of Passaic, (who later was named the first Ruthenian Metropolitan Archbishop in history) through the Vicar General, Monsignor George Durisin, granted permission for Sunday Divine Liturgies at Luther Jackson Middle School, Gallows Road, Falls Church, Virginia for a period of nine months. Following this discerning period a decision would be made whether the mission was viable to continue.

The first Divine Liturgy of the Byzantine Catholic Mission of Northern Virginia was held on October 6, 1968, followed by School of Religion classes. In 1969 the first mission picnic took place on the Knights of Columbus grounds, Annandale, VA. Bishop Michael J. Dudick had succeeded Bishop Kocisko, who was named Bishop of Pittsburgh, as the Bishop of the Eparchy of Passaic.

On February 22, 1970 the Byzantine Catholic mission was named and on June 10, 1970 4.78 acres of property at 3410 Woodburn Road were purchased. On June 29th, the feast of Ss. Peter and Paul, the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated in a chapel established in the farmhouse on the property.

On December 5, 1971 groundbreaking ceremonies took place for the new temporary church according to the plan of one of the parishioners, architect John Zekan. In 1972 Bishop Michael J. Dudick canonically established Epiphany of our Lord parish. On May 7, 1972 a performance bond and construction permit were issued and construction, largely by the men of the mission, followed from June to December 1972. The first Divine Liturgy in the new, not yet completed, structure took place November 21, 1972, the feast of the Entrance of the Mother of God in the Temple.

On April 29, 1973 the solemn blessing of the new facility took place. The upper floor would serve as a temporary church while the lower level would provide a small hall for social gatherings. The parish installed temporary trailers for religious education classrooms. A dream of the founders had come true. Yet, they longed for a permanent church, a home for God among their homes in Northern Virginia.

Growth and Maturity:
On June 14, 1974, Father John Lazarek was assigned as assistant pastor of Saint Gregory of Nyssa Church to assist Father Danilak chiefly at Epiphany of our Lord. On October 1, 1974 Father Lazarekwas assigned as first pastor of Epiphany of our Lord parish. Father Lazarek took up residence in the farmhouse on the property. As the enthusiasm of the parishioners grew new organizations were added to the first organizations, the School of Religion and The Epiphany Ladies Guild, namely, the Byzantine Catholic Youth organization, the choir, ushers, cantors, altar servers, and in 1982, Epiphany Men’s Club. In addition, parish social life was enhanced by many events: Epiphany Supper, Thomas Sunday, the Annual Picnic, Fall Dinner-Dance, New Year’s Eve Dinner-Dance, Father-Son campout, Halloween party, Talent Show, and the Saint Nicholas children’s program and dinner and many others.

The pastor and counselors of the parish undertook studies with architects for a permanent church. Rather, Bishop Dudick directed that the parish undertake a building program to raise funds for a parish center with a hall for fund raising and social events and classrooms for religious education and a needed rectory. The parishioners put their dream of a permanent church on hold while they responded to the Bishop’s directive. Adjacent parcels of property, at the corner of Woodburn and Tobin, and at 3420 Woodburn Road, which would become the site of the future church, were donated to the parish. The original iconostasis was replaced with a new iconostasis and icons. On June 14, 1987, Bishop Dudick and Bishop George Kuzma blessed the new rectory and the parish center and iconostasis.

During these years, Father Lazarek had the assistance of several priests in the area, Father, later Monsignor, George Dobes, a chaplain in the US Navy, and Father Sal Pignato, a psychologist. Father Lazarek had begun missions that would lead to parishes in Williamsburg, Virginia and Cary, North Carolina.

The Lord called Philip Scott to the priesthood and he celebrated his first Divine Liturgy at Epiphany parish October 21, 1979. The Lord called an active parishioner, Gerry McDonnell, to the holy diaconate and the grace of the Holy Spirit through the hands of Bishop Dudick ordained him June 11, 1989. Two other men of the parish, Vincent Obsitnik and Richard Kanar, were accepted into the diaconate program for the Eparchy of Passaic.

The parish addressed the debt incurred by the construction of the new buildings with zeal. The classrooms were leased to Carousel Day Care. Lenten Dinners, Paska and kolachi baking and the candy project, sponsored by the Ladies Guild, and weekly bingo, Christmas tree sales, Easter meat sales by the Men’s Club and catering, the Slavic-American Festival, and other fund raising events as young, middle aged and senior parishioners cooperated in labors, were added to the parishioners’ sacrificial offerings to the building fund to pay the debt.

In 1992 the parish contracted Thomas Kerns and the Kerns Group Architects to begin the planning for a new church. In September 1992 the soil studies was done and a preliminary style based on the wooden churches of the Carpathians was selected.

Toward the Millennium:
Bishop Dudick appointed Father John Basarab as pastor of Epiphany of our Lord parish December 1, 1992. Bishop Dudick, as chief shepherd, shared his vision for the parish and faithful and directed Father Basarab to accomplish it.

Father John immediately met with the deacon, counselors, and chair of the parish building committee and Thomas Kerns and Andrew Cheng the month he arrived to become informed about the parish and its plan to build a church.

Meanwhile, the parish continued to receive the assistance of Monsignor Dobes. Father James Carroll, O.F.M. who was assigned to the Byzantine-Franciscan house in Silver Spring, MD began to provide assistance.

Vincent Obsitnik and Richard Kanar were ordained to the holy diaconate at Epiphany parish on June 13, 1993, and after a year of further study, Deacon Richard was ordained a priest on July 17, 1994.

The parish celebrated its 25th anniversary on September 24, 1995 at a Divine Liturgy concelebrated by Bishop Dudick and Bishop Keating with the assistance of hundreds of faithful. A festive banquet at the Marriott completed the festivities. In a short time the parish debt of over 1 million dollars was retired. Bishop Dudick directed that 50% of the estimated cost of a new church must be in savings before permission would be given to begin the planning for the new church.

Bishop Dudick visited areas in Maryland and Northern Virginia and then met with the priests of the area to share his plan for missions.

Elmer Pekarik was accepted into the diaconate program for the Eparchy of Passaic. Jack Figel who was in the Master of Theology program at Catholic University was accepted into the diaconate program. Later, he was enrolled as a member of the first deacon formation class of the Eparchy and was ordained a lector in July, 1999.

The feast of the Entrance of the Mother of God in the Temple, November 21, 1995, it was announced that Pope John Paul II accepted the retirement of Bishop Dudick who was named Bishop Emeritus of Passaic while he named Bishop Andrew Pataki as Bishop of Passaic.

Bishop Pataki established Epiphany Mission at the Mother of God School in Gaithersburg, Maryland in 1996 to care for the spiritual needs of Byzantine Ruthenian Catholics in upper Montgomery County, Maryland. At the mission, Father Basarab had the assistance of a number of priests on a regular rotation, Father Alexei Mihalenko, Father Richard Kanar, Father Jack Custer and other priests such as Father Joseph Loya, O.S.A., Father Daniel Grigassy, O.F.M., and Father Conan Timoney. Beginning in 2004 the mission has been assisted by Father Lee Gross, dean of students at Mt. St. Mary Seminary, Emmitsburg, Maryland.

The Wedding anniversary celebration begun at Epiphany by Bishop Dudick was continued by Bishop Pataki. Other traditional events received a new approach like the Father- Son Camp-out became the Parent-Child Campout. The Slava Men’s Chorus and the parish cantors and members participated in the annual Pro-Life Vigil at the Basilica of the National Shrine. The parish also hosted an Eparchial Pilgrimage to the Byzantine Ruthenian chapel at the Basilica of the National Shrine, and for the 25th anniversary of the Byzantine Ruthenian Chapel a pilgrimage of teens from the eparchies was facilitated by members of the parish, a harbinger of the Byzanteen Youth Rallies.

The parish also participated in the Orientale Lumen Conferences in Washington begun by parishioner Jack Figel with the Catholic University of America and the Society of St. John Chrysostom and hosted speakers at this ecumenical event as distinguished visitors to the parish including William Cardinal Keeler, Catholic Archbishop of Baltimore and Bishop Kallistos Ware, Greek Orthodox bishop and professor at Oxford.

The property at 3424 Woodburn Road was acquired on May 31, 1999 for $217,000 which, with the donated property of 3420 Woodburn Road would be the future site of the new church, and when the monies of the Building Fund reached the specified amount Bishop Pataki was asked for permission to begin the building planning.

Initially, Bishop Pataki had directed that a poll of the parishioners be taken to determine the interest of building a new church. After three meetings in November 1997, the result of the poll was that a majority of the parishioners favored building.

Hope in the New Millennium:
The members of the Eparchial Building Commission met with Thomas Kerns and Andrew Cheng, of Kerns Group Architects and the members of the parish building planning committee at the parish on September 18, 2000.

At the meeting two more criteria were articulated. Father Alan Borsuk, the chairman of the Eparchial Planning Committee, said the church should be designed to accommodate the parish for Christmas, Great Week and Easter but not be perceived as too large by the congregation at Sunday and holyday liturgies. Father Michael Mondik stated that the form of the church should follow its function in facilitating the Byzantine rite or ritual. Later, Bishop Pataki would add that a well-designed church is one in which all seven sacraments can be celebrated. The desire of the parish planning committee was that dedicated classrooms for catechesis for all ages be included in the lower level of the church as most appropriate since catechesis is part of the Liturgy of the Word. Previously, January 6, 1996, The Congregation of the Eastern Churches at the Vatican issued the Instruction concerning the Application of the Liturgical Prescriptions of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches which included a section containing directives for the proper construction of new churches. With the desire of the parish planning committee in 1992 to build a church that reflected the wooden churches of the Eparchy of Mukachevo as presented in the book of photographs by Florian Zapletal taken after World War I the guiding criteria were now fully presented to the architect.

Elmer Pekarik, a parishioner of Epiphany parish, was ordained a deacon January 13, 2001 and assigned for service to our parish.

Seminarian Scott Boghossian was assigned to Epiphany parish for his pastoral year in June, 2001. Scott would be ordained a deacon at our parish and a bus for parishioners went to Saint Michael Cathedral, Passaic, NJ for his ordination. He later celebrated a Divine Liturgy of Thanksgiving at Epiphany Church.

Our parish witnessed the tragic attack on the Pentagon September 11, 2001. God spared our parishioners who worked at the Pentagon, and we prayed for those whose lives were lost.

Bishop Pataki signed the contact with Kerns Group Architects in 2002 to develop the schematic design, design development, and construction documents for the new church the founders had envisioned and for which they hoped and prayed and which many parishioners prayed, contributed to the building fund and worked at the fund raising events in order to raise the needed funds.

When John Kakalec, who had served as the chairman of the Parish Building planning committee, moved from the area in 2003 Don Springer was appointed as chairman in his place.

Peter Turko, a member of the parish, was accepted in the second Eparchial deacon formation class.

During the schematic design phase the parish planning committee sought the suggestions of cantors, the sacristan, the catechetical coordinator, and the clergy to provide a church that would address the requirements of the parish for worship and for the catechetical formation of children and adults.

Saint Thomas Sunday Agape Dinner, April 3, 2005 was the occasion for the presentation of the 100% complete schematic design to the parishioners by Thomas Kerns and Andrew Cheng and the financial presentation by Don Springer. A period followed for parishioners to ask questions.

The plans were submitted to Fairfax County for review to prepare for the hearing before the Land Commissioners in order to request rezoning and special exception to build at the residentially zoned parcels 3420 and 3424 Woodburn Road. In this the parish was assisted by Attorney Lynne Stroebel of Walsh, Collucci. Father John, Don Springer, John Onufrak and Andrew Cheng had meetings with Dr. Linda Q. Smyth, the Providence supervisor. Father John and Don Springer with Lynne Stroebel and Andrew Cheng met with the local civic associations: Woodburn, Camelot, Strathmeade Square and Woodburn Condominium Association to present the plan and to listen to the concerns of our neighbors.

Fairfax County Department of Planning and Zoning began their review procedures and Father John and Don Springer attended the all information sessions of the Staff representative along with Andrew Cheng.

After a lengthy and arduous review by Fairfax County Planning and Zoning, who’s Staff required numerous adjustments to the plan as presented by the parish especially in location, exterior height, square footage, seating and number of classrooms, our parish application received Staff Recommendation February 19, 2006. The hearing before the Land Commissioners took place March 2, 2006. In addition to Father John and Lynne Stroebel, certain parishioners offered presentations for the record and one hundred ten parishioners who were in attendance were asked by Chairman Murphy to stand to have their presence acknowledged. The Commissioners unanimously approved the application.

Following the successful vote, Atty. Stroebel presented the proffers to Bishop Pataki for his signature. The application for rezoning and special exception was unanimously approved by Chairman Connelly and the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors April 3, 2006.

After changes to the storm water management that were requested by members of the parish planning committee were made, Bishop Pataki was made aware of the cost estimate by Stan Lewicki, the cost estimator. The estimate revealed that because of increases in the price of goods, especially steel, the parish might not have the resources to complete the project as planned. Since the parish had already expended substantial funds it was determined that the parish would request Bishop Pataki to give Kerns Group Architects permission to proceed to produce two sets of construction documents: one a reduced plan with no bell tower and no lower level for catechetical offices and classrooms, and one with those features included. Both plans would make use of cement board for the upper levels to save steel and of stamped asphalt instead of pavers that the county would accept as a substitute to their requirement of paving differentiation in the circle. This way the parish would not lose time and both sets could be bid by contractors.

At this time, Pope Benedict XVI accepted the retirement of Bishop Pataki and the parish waited for the installation of his successor. In April, 2008 Bishop William Skurla gave permission for the construction documents phase.

Because of the financial crisis, the complete project with the lower level and the bell tower became affordable but the completion of the classrooms had to be delayed for a period.

Don Springer spoke to a member of the Diocese of Arlington Office of Planning, Construction and Facilities for the list of contractors approved to work for the Diocese of Arlington. Three firms were selected and request for bids solicited.

In May, 2009 the bid by Miller Brothers Contractors was accepted by the Parish Planning Committee and this recommendation was sent to Bishop Skurla for his approval. Following legal review Bishop Skurla signed the contract in October, 2009.

The applications for the Building Permit and the Performance Bond was a lengthy administrative process requiring us to enlist the services of the Eparchial Insurance company, Althans Insurance Company, and was made more complicated when it was determined that because Fairfax County had required us to move the location of the proposed church, it now rested on the boundary of 3410 and 3420 Woodburn Road and on the utility easement.

Finally, the Building Permit was released by Fairfax County, the bond was issued, VDOT permit issued, the hazardous materials study done, tree preservation areas identified and demolition of the two houses accomplished in May 2010.

Bishop Skurla blessed the foundation of the new church and with the assistance of the members of the parish planning committee planted the cross while representatives of the architectural firm, the contractors and the parish participated in the groundbreaking May 16, 2010 with the participation of over two hundred parishioners and guests and an honor guard of the Knights of Columbus.

At the festive banquet for that occasion, Bishop Skurla announced that one of our parishioners, Lewis Rabayda, had been accepted as a seminarian of the Eparchy of Passaic and would enroll at Ss. Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Seminary, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The parish hosted a special visitor Saturday, June 6, 2010 when Archbishop Cyril Vasil, S.J. celebrated the Divine Liturgy. A reception in the parish center followed which provided parishioners with the opportunity to meet the Archbishop, the secretary for the Congregation of the Eastern Churches at the Vatican. As secretary, Archbishop Vasil, originally one of our priests of the Eparchy of Kosice, Slovakia, is the second highest official of the Eastern Catholic Churches at the Vatican. This was not the first time that our parish welcomed distinguished visitors from our churches in Europe. Bishop Milan Šašik, Bishop of Mukachevo and a successor of Blessed Theodore Romža, Bishop Jan Hirka and Metropolitan

Archbishop Jan Babyak, S. J., both successors of Blessed Paul Gojdich, and Bishop Peter Rusnak of the Eparchy of Bratislava each celebrated the Divine Liturgy at Epiphany. In addition, the parish welcomed the seminary choirs of Blessed Theodore Romžha Theological Academy in 2007 and Blessed Paul Gojdich Seminary in 2011.

In reference to the church building effort, the Eparchial Finance Council required a project manager for the parish to insure the Eparchy’s and parish’s investment. Instead, two parishioners serving on the parish planning committee with degrees in engineering volunteered to serve as owner’s representatives. The resumes of John Onufrak and Jack Figel were reviewed by the Finance Council and their proposal accepted, saving an estimated $100,000.

Through the second half of 2010 and most of 2011 the construction continued. Bishop Skurla determined that the Eparchy would loan the parish the needed funds from its resources at a favorable rate. A church cannot be consecrated if it is not owned by the church so a loan from a bank or other financial lending institution would mean that the church could only be blessed and would have to await the retirement of the loan to have the consecration. Through the work of Bishop Skurla and members of the Eparchial Finance committee such as Bert Reimann, the funds for the loan were accumulated by the Eparchy for our loan.

The desired day for the consecration of the holy table and the church was set for Sunday, November 20, 2011. The relics of the martyrs, Blessed Bishop-martyr Theodore Romžha, Blessed Bishop-Martyr Paul Gojdich, Blessed Bishop-Martyr Basil Hopko, Blessed Priest- martyr Method Dominic Trčka, the Praetorian Prefect and Consul Martyr Florentius, the Martyr Felix, and the Holy Men and Women Martyrs of the Catacombs, were placed and sealed in the Holy Table. The Holy Table was washed and then anointed with chrism to consecrate it. On that day, the pastor and parishioners rejoiced at the beautiful design of Architect Thomas Kerns as rendered by Miller Brothers Contractors and we prayed that God bless them. The words of the psalmist were ours on that day:

In front of the iconostasis in the temporary church. From left to right: Lewis Rabayda, Peter Turko, Msgr. George E. Dobes, Archbishop Cyril Vasil, Luke Naccash, Very Rev. John G. Basarab, Stephen Bell, John (Jack) Figel.

I rejoiced when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” Psalm 122:1

We recall the sacrificial donations and labors of the parishioners who God inspired to want to build a church for His glory and for salvation of the human race despite all obstacles. Reading the history of the parish and especially the narrative of the desire and the work to build a church and even a reflection on the obstacles overcome to achieve this holy work, the word of God spoken through King David three millennia ago are verified:

Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it. Psalm 127:1

On December 8th and 9th Epiphany parish hosted a special visitor, Bishop Milan Šašik, the Bishop of the Eparchy of Mukachevo. The inspiration church for the newly completed church had been Saint Nicholas Church, Husnyj, Transcarpathia, Ukraine, a church in the territory his eparchy.

At the Divine Liturgies on Sunday, December 9th, Bishop Milan complimented the parishioners on their beautiful new church and then asked them, “Why do we build churches?” Why did the parishioners of Epiphany parish pray, work and donate for so many years? Why do the parishioners of the mission work and pray dreaming of the time when they can have a church? He noted that the constitutive element of the Catholic Church, of the Church of Jesus Christ, from Pentecost, was not the New Testament, or the Creed, for these came later. It was that the apostles offered, and the disciples participated in, the Eucharistic Divine Liturgy and in the community prayers. We build churches to gather the clergy and faithful for the Divine Liturgy, the other sacraments and the prayer. He said that the completion of the new church was only the beginning of their work. Now the real work begins. Fill the church to allow people to meet Jesus who will assist them on their way to heaven.

So the work has now begun. When the Word of God is proclaimed in church God speaks to us. When the sacraments are offered in church Jesus, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, meets us to make us holy, to make us God-like. The history of God working in the lives of the Baptized continues at our parish. Come, join us.


History of the Ruthenian Catholic Church:

The First Millennium:
History of the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic Church

I believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.

Jesus Christ founded His Church.

Jesus Christ gives four marks, or characteristics, to His Church through the Holy Spirit. The four marks are: the Church is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.

Through the transmission of the faith by the twelve apostles the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church is a communion of twenty-three Catholic churches. This is a short history of one of the churches of the Catholic Church, specifically, the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic Church.

FROM JERUSALEM TO BYZANTIUM

Jesus Christ, our Lord, was crucified and died to save the us, the members of the human race, from our sins and from eternal death that comes from sin. He resurrected from the dead to give us new life in the Holy Trinity. Jesus established His Church as His Body where humans can access His salvation. Before He ascended into heaven, He gave the apostles this Great Commission:

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of time.

Matthew 28:19-20

The apostles traveled to near and distance places to preach the Gospel, the Good News of God’s salvation.

Saint Peter the Apostle, head of the college of apostles, journeyed to Antioch, where the disciples were called “Christians” for the first time (Acts of the Apostles 11:26) and then to Rome where in A.D. 64 he was crucified upside down.

His brother, Saint Andrew the First-called, journeyed to Byzantium, a free-city of the Roman Empire, that was a port, a fishery, and an economic and transportation center located at the meeting of the continents of Europe and Asia.

There he established a church in the years A. D. 36 to 38 and appointed Saint Stachys as the first bishop of Byzantium.

In the year A.D. 62 Saint Andrew was crucified at Patras, Greece, on an X shaped cross.

FROM BYZANTIUM TO CENTRAL EUROPE

The Roman Emperor Constantine the Great moved the capital of the Roman Empire from Rome to Byzantium which he renamed Constantinople, New Rome in 330.

In 381 the Second Ecumenical Council decreed that the bishop of Constantinople had the priority of honor after Rome.

The Fourth Ecumenical Council held at Chalcedon in 451 used the division line of the Roman Empire into east and west to divide the responsibility of evangelizing Europe between the Pope of Rome in the west and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople in the east.

In 861 Rastislav, Prince of Great Moravia, sent emissaries to Rome to ask Pope Nicholas I for a bishop and teacher who could teach in the Slavic language, and for the Code of Roman Law. The pope was unable to send anyone.

In turn, Rastislav sent representatives in 862 to Constantinople to the Byzantine Emperor Michael III to ask for a man who could teach them the Faith in their own language.

Emperor Michael consulted with Patriarch Saint Photios and sent Constantine the Philosopher, known today as Saint Cyril, and Constantine’s brother, St. Methodius on the Great Mission.

Saint Cyril invented an alphabet for the Slavic tongue and began translating the Bible with the first verse of the Gospel according to Saint John, “In the beginning was the Word…” In this way, the practice of translating the Bible in a language other than Hebrew, Greek or Latin, and the concept of worship in the vernacular was begun. During their journey to Great Moravia in 862-863, the brothers preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the local inhabitants. Oral tradition accepted this as the traditionally held beginning of the Byzantine Catholic Church in Central Europe.

Saints Cyril and Methodius were summoned to Rome by the pope who wished to question the introduction and use of the vernacular Old Slavonic in worship within his patriarchal territory. Pope Adrian received them and listened to their presentation, approved the books, had the Slavonic Gospel enthroned on the altar of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, and directed Saint Cyril to offer the Divine Liturgy in Slavonic. Although St. Cyril died in Rome, the pope appointed St. Methodius as papal legate, and he returned to labor in the vineyard, establishing new dioceses but he endured imprisonment and persecution.

Creation of the Ruthenium Church:
THE EPARCHY OF MUKACHEVO

Early written documents are not available to document the development of the church in the Carpathians as a result of the instability of the region due to the Mongol incursions and then later the capture of Constantinople and campaign north to invade Europe by the Ottoman Turks.

The earliest church document is from 1391 from the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople granting stauropegial right (independence from the local bishop, indicating a bishop in the area) to Saint Michael Monastery in Hruševo.

The earliest document that refers directly to the Eparchy of Mukachevo, the mother church, is a document of the Hungarian crown from 1493 referring to “John, the Ruthenian bishop following the Greek rite, dwelling in the monastery of Saint Nicholas founded over our town of Munkach”. Later, in 1606 “Sergius was bishop of all Ruthenians in this our kingdom of Hungary…” This Bishop Sergius, wishing to explain who composed the Ruthenian flock, wrote in Hungarian that they were “Oroszok, Oláh, Tott, és Raczok” (that is, Rusins, Valachians or Romanians, Slovaks, and Rascians or Serbs).

THE UNION OF UŽHOROD

While the Eparchy of Mukachevo never formally separated from the Church of Rome, the Church of its origin, Constantinople, had done so in 1054 but this separation really solidified only in 1204 after the sack of Constantinople by the Crusader army. After the Union of Brest-Litovsk that reunited the Church of Kiev to the Church of Rome in 1596, the ideals of union to obey the prayer of Jesus at the Last Supper, “that all may be one that the world may believe”, that guided Ss. Cyril and Methodius, inspired some in the Eparchy of Mukachevo.

Instructed by Bishop Basil Tarasovich, who endured imprisonment for his desire for union, and his chosen successor Bishop Peter Parthenius Petrovich, the union of 63 priests of the Eparchy of Mukachevo and the Church of Rome was proclaimed by the Union of Užhorod on April 24, 1646 and was ratified in the eastern territory of the eparchy in 1664. In 1713 the union was ratified for the portions of the eparchy in present day Romania and Hungary. By the beginning of the 18th century the declaration of union of the Church was total and complete and was the most successful act of union of the Catholic Church.

Due to the lack of written documents to detail the official establishment of the Eparchy, the hierarchy of the Latin Catholic Church in Hungary questioned whether the Eparchy was canonically established. After a century of dispute, Empress Maria Theresa, seeing that the issue was at an impasse, created a situation where Pope Clement XIV canonically established the Eparchy of Mukachevo in 1771. The Empress named these members of Christ’s faithful in her empire Greek Catholics. Her government accepted the responsibility for the maintenance of the churches of the eparchy. Through the years many of the parishes’ wooden churches were replaced with masonry churches.

THE DIVISION OF THE EPARCHY

The vast territory of the Eparchy of Mukachevo was divided several times to address the pastoral care of Christ’s faithful. The first large-scale emigration of the faithful was to what is present-day Croatia, and the Holy See of Rome established the Eparchy of Krizevci in 1777 for their care. Then, the western vicariate of the Eparchy of Mukachevo was divided from the eparchy in 1818 by the Holy See to form the Eparchy of Prešov. In 1823 and 1853 72 and 94 parishes respectively were given to Romanian eparchies.

With these ecclesial conditions in place, the second great emigration, the emigration to the United States began.

Ruthenian Catholics in America:
GREEK CATHOLICS IN AMERICA

By 1865 the United States had suffered tremendous casualties at the end of the American Civil War at the time when it began to develop as an industrial nation. As a result, laborers were recruited from various nations of Europe including the Austro- Hungarian Empire. Serfdom was abolished in the revolutionary year of 1848 in the Dual Monarchy but after the liberation the populace labored for the same landlords as poorly paid laborers. Greek Catholics began to depart for America in the 1880’s for the coal mines and steel mills of the industrial northeast and for work in the urban regions.

The Greek Catholic faithful wanted to have their churches in this new land of opportunity and worked diligently to make that possible. Father John Volansky, a priest from Galicia, had established Saint Michael Church in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania in 1884 for the faithful of Galicia. From there he established the first Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church in the United States, Saint Mary Church, Freeland, Pennsylvania, in 1886. In succession other parishes followed in Hazelton, Kingston, Wilkes-Barre, and Olyphant, Pennsylvania and in Jersey City, Passaic, and Trenton, New Jersey, and in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Whiting, Indiana. By 1894 there were 100,000 Greek Catholics in the United States.

Unfortunately, they were not well received by most of their Roman Catholic brothers and sisters. The Latin Catholic hierarchs lacked knowledge about the eastern Catholic Churches. In addition, there was still a strong sense of anti-Catholic feeling in the United States and the bishops thought a united front of standardized ritual was required. The Greek Catholics had arrived at the time of the Americanization movement and they were seen as threat to the creation of what some hoped to be the American Catholic Church. Finally, their priests were married and this was to become the main issue of disputation.

After the Holy See attempted a compromise between the Latin Catholic bishops and the Greek Catholics by enforcing celibacy, tens of thousands of faithful as well as priests left the Catholic Church and joined the Russian Orthodox Metropolia, following the example and invitation of Father Alexis Toth after his famous meeting with Archbishop John Ireland who refused to grant the widower priest faculties to celebrate the Divine Liturgy and hear confessions.

The Holy See attempted to stop the loss of faithful by finally allowing a bishop for Galician and Sub-Carpathian Greek Catholics in 1907 but although Bishop Sotor Stephen Ortinsky from Galicia at first was not granted any ordinary jurisdiction he labored to bring order until his untimely death in 1916.

After World War I, the Holy See divided the pastoral care of Greek Catholics and in 1924 appointed Bishop Constantine Bohachevsky to the Exarchate of Philadelphia for the care of those from Galicia and Bishop Basil Takach to New York for those who now numbered 300,000 from the Eparchies of Mukachevo and Prešov. Bishop Takach moved his Episcopal see to Homestead, Pennsylvania and the Holy See recognized the mission eparchy as the Exarchate of Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, the Vatican decree Cum data fuerit issued in 1929 renewed the issue of celibacy and more faithful and priests departed. The ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople established the Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of Johnstown for these people.

Despite the difficulties the faithful of the Exarchate experienced, new parishes were established and in time, in 1950, a seminary was built in Pittsburgh, Ss. Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Seminary. This was the occasion of a change of name from Greek Catholic to Byzantine Catholic Church. From the Exarchate of Pittsburgh, the Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh, sui iuris, with Eparchies of Passaic, NJ, Parma, OH and Phoenix, AZ, was established.

In Europe, the Eparchies of Mukachevo and Prešov underwent their own Calvary as the atheistic communist governments of the Soviet Union and Czechoslavakia outlawed the eparchies and killed and imprisoned the bishops and some priests. At present, those nations and their governments have ceased while the eparchies have renewed their spiritual lives, while the Eparchy of Prešov was created an archeparchy and new eparchies have been established.

Saint Pope John Paul II beatified Blessed Bishop Theodore Romzha, Blessed Bishop Paul Gojdich, and Blessed Bishop Basil Hopko. The process for beatification has begun for the Servants of God Peter Oros and Alexander Chira.

Although the narrative of the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic Church in the United States evidences tragic elements, here as well a constant joyful and triumphal element is the strong enduring desire of the Faithful and their priests from one hundred twenty-five years ago to the present to have their own parish homes to meet God and worship Him and have Him speak to them and act in the sacraments according to the Byzantine synthesis. This heritage, the Byzantine patristic synthesis, is the glory of the universal Catholic Church and the eparchies have a duty to know and share this with the other members of the Catholic Churches and with others who would like to know God.

As a sign of the outpouring of God’s grace, an American Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic woman, Sister Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, was beatified by Pope Francis in 2014 and is the first American Byzantine Catholic saint. Teresa Demjanovich was born in Bayonne, New Jersey in 1907 and baptized at Saint John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church in that city. After her graduation summa cum laude from the College of Saint Elizabeth she entered the religious order of the sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth and was given the name Miriam Teresa. She is regarded as an example of sanctity in a modern twentieth century woman, and, as a Byzantine Catholic who entered a Roman Catholic order of sisters, a spiritual heir of the brothers Ss. Cyril and Methodius. Among her books, Greater Perfection and The Seventieth Week are published.

There are new challenges in the new millennium but the promise made to the apostles at the mountain in Galilee two thousand years ago by the risen Lord remains with us: “I am with you always, until the end of the world.”