Religion

Last Updated on Sunday, 28 September 2014 20:00

On October 5, 2014, the Nativity of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church in Monongahela will celebrate their 100th Anniversary.

Virgin Mary Orthodox Church in Monongahela

In the early 1900s, Orthodox Christian immigrants established parishes all over Western Pennsylvania. Eastern Europeans from the Austro‐Hungarian Empire, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Russia, Serbia, and those from the Middle East came to this country with their most valued possession – the Orthodox faith. On September 30, 1914 the Nativity of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church celebrated their first service in the McGregor Building on Main Street in Monongahela. In that same year, the faithful purchased property on High St. and began to erect the church building.

Over the past decades many projects were planned and accomplished. In 1952, a major "Do It Yourself" project to enlarge the church building was initiated. The results were so beautiful that our Diocesan leader at that time, Archbishop Benjamin, hailed the finished project as "The Miracle on High Street." In 1959, our current iconostasis (the icon screen between the nave and the sanctuary) was installed. Many other projects were accomplished to fulfill the needs of the growing parish.

This parish has served the Mon‐Valley in many ways over the past decades. Our annual Ethnicfest in Chess Park has always offered good food and entertainment to the community. And the parish's "halupki honeys" offer their fare several times throughout the year. We have been blessed over the years by joining other Christian communities for projects in the area, such as "Prayer in the Park", the local food bank, community tours of the city's churches, and graduation ceremonies for our local youth, etc.

During our 100th Anniversary Celebration, our Diocesan Hierarch, His Eminence Archbishop Melchisedek, will celebrate the Divine Liturgy with us. Services will begin at 9 a.m. and all are welcome to join us. Following the Divine Liturgy, we will continue our celebration with a luncheon buffet at the Willow Room in Rostraver.

If you have not experienced the beauty of the Orthodox Christian Church, please do so with us. We would be honored to have you with us as we celebrate this historical event. Please contact us at any of the following numbers to get information and join us. Fr. George at 724-309-9636; Evelyn Lloyd at 724-348-4204 (for banquet tickets at $20 per person); or Deacon David Rostcheck at 724-258-6336.

Come and pray with us.