Historic Dormition of the Mother of God Parish Gives Thanks for 120 Years of Faith, Prayer, Sacrifice, and Orthodox Christian Witness

For 120 years, generations of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians have crossed the threshold of the Dormition of the Mother of God - St. Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Parish in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, seeking the same eternal treasures: the presence of Christ, the intercession of His Most-Holy Mother, the grace of the Holy Mysteries, and a path toward spiritual maturity and salvation.

On the weekend of the parish’s historic 120th anniversary, those generations seemed spiritually present once again as His Eminence Archbishop Daniel, the Spiritual father of the Western Eparchy, made an archpastoral visitation to the parish community, joining its pastor, faithful, friends, and guests in giving thanks to Almighty God for more than a century of sacred ministry.

The anniversary was not simply a celebration of years passed. It became a prayerful encounter between past and present and, at the same time, a renewed commitment to the future.

The anniversary observance began on Saturday evening with the celebration of Great Vespers, presided over by Archbishop Daniel.

The service was offered by the Very Rev. Fr. Steven Repa, pastor of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Orthodox Parish in Sharon, Pennsylvania, assisted by Deacon Andrii Akulenko of St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Memorial Church in South Bound Brook, NJ.

As the ancient melodies of Great Vespers filled the historic parish temple, the voices of clergy and the seminarians of St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Theological Seminary and faithful echoed within walls that for more than a century have received the prayers, tears, joys, baptisms, marriages, funerals, confessions, and Eucharistic celebrations of generations of Orthodox Christians.

There was something profoundly moving in realizing that the words being chanted that evening were the same prayers offered by parishioners decades earlier.

The people have changed. Generations have come and gone. But the prayer of the Church remains.

Addressing the Very Rev. Fr. Timothy Tomson, pastor of the parish, and the faithful gathered for worship, Archbishop Daniel reflected upon the spiritual meaning of the feast of the Dormition of the Most-Holy Birth-Giver of God, under whose protection the parish has lived and served for twelve decades.

His Eminence reminded the faithful that the ecclesiastical year itself is beautifully framed by the presence of the Mother of God. Near the beginning of the Church year, the Church celebrates the Nativity of the Theotokos, while near its conclusion she commemorates her sacred Dormition.

In this way, the Church year is embraced by the presence and example of the Mother of God.

Her life teaches us that holiness is not achieved through extraordinary worldly accomplishments, but through a continual willingness to say “yes” to God.

From her youth, through the Annunciation, the Nativity of Christ, the earthly ministry of her Divine Son, His suffering at Golgotha, His glorious Resurrection and Ascension, and ultimately her own Dormition, the Mother of God remained faithful.

Archbishop Daniel encouraged the faithful to understand their own lives in precisely this manner.

Christian life is a pilgrimage toward spiritual maturity. Every year of our existence should bring us closer to Christ. Every Divine Liturgy, every Confession, every reception of the Holy Eucharist, every act of forgiveness, every sacrifice made for another person, and every moment of sincere prayer should gradually transform us into the people God created us to become.

The 120th anniversary, therefore, was not simply an invitation to remember what previous generations accomplished. It was a call to ask whether the present generation is continuing their journey toward holiness.

Following Great Vespers, the parish community welcomed Archbishop Daniel, clergy, and guests to a warm potluck dinner lovingly prepared by parishioners. The informal gathering provided His Eminence with an opportunity to spend time personally with members of the parish family, listening to their stories and memories, learning about their joys and concerns, offering spiritual counsel, and imparting his archpastoral blessing.

On Sunday morning, the anniversary celebration reached its liturgical culmination with the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy.

At 10:00 a.m., the parish community prayerfully welcomed its Archpastor in procession.

Representatives of the Parish Board of Administration and the children of the parish, together with the Very Rev. Fr. Timothy Tomson, greeted Archbishop Daniel at the entrance of the church and invited him to enter the sacred temple and lead the Eucharistic celebration, continuing the spiritual and prayerful journey begun by the founders of the parish 120 years earlier.

Their welcome carried a meaning far beyond ceremonial protocol.

The Divine Liturgy celebrated that morning was not an isolated event. It was the continuation of a prayer begun by Ukrainian Orthodox immigrants more than a century ago.

Those founders built a parish because they understood that their children and grandchildren would need more than material security in their new homeland. They would need an altar. They would need the Gospel. They would need the Holy Eucharist. They would need the prayers and sacred traditions of the Orthodox Church. They would need a spiritual home in which Ukrainian Orthodox faith, identity, language, culture, and sacred tradition could be handed from one generation to another.

One hundred and twenty years later, that prayer continues.

Before the beginning of the Divine Liturgy, another important chapter was added to the history of the parish.

With the recommendation of the pastor and parish community, Archbishop Daniel tonsured Mykola Svyryd and Vitally Kukar to the rank of Reader, the first of the minor orders of the Orthodox Church.

Before their tonsure, His Eminence addressed the two candidates concerning the seriousness of the ministry they were preparing to receive.

A Reader, the Archbishop explained, is entrusted not simply with pronouncing words from a page, but with proclaiming the Word of God in the midst of the worshipping Church. The apostolic readings must therefore be approached with preparation, reverence, prayer, and an understanding that through the Reader’s voice the faithful hear the apostolic proclamation entrusted to the Church.

Archbishop Daniel called upon the newly tonsured Readers to prepare carefully for every liturgical reading, to assist their pastor prayerfully in the celebration of the Divine Services, and above all to deepen their personal lives of prayer so that their liturgical service might become an expression of their daily Christian witness.

Their tonsure was particularly meaningful during the anniversary celebration.

Even as the parish looked gratefully toward 120 years of history, the Church was preparing servants for tomorrow.

The Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Archbishop Daniel together with the assembled clergy, while the parish choir, under the direction of Svitlana Tomson, prayerfully offered the liturgical responses.

The choir’s voices filled the historic temple with the sacred melodies of Orthodox worship, carrying forward a musical and spiritual tradition that has formed generations of parishioners.

Reflecting upon the Gospel reading of Matthew 21:33-42, the Parable of the Wicked Tenants, Archbishop Daniel centered his anniversary sermon upon a simple but challenging truth: "The vineyard belongs to God.

Christ speaks of a landowner who planted a vineyard, surrounded it with a hedge, dug a winepress, built a tower, and entrusted it to tenants. When the time came to receive its fruit, however, the tenants began acting as though the vineyard belonged to them.

His Eminence reminded the congregation that this temptation remains very real in Christian life. Our lives belong to God. Our talents belong to God. Our families are entrusted to us by God. Our possessions are blessings entrusted to our stewardship. And ultimately, our parish belongs to God.

For 120 years, countless people have served St. Mary Parish. Priests have preached before its altar. Choir directors have led its singers. Parish boards have administered its temporal affairs. Teachers have instructed children. Parishioners have prepared meals and pyrohy. Benefactors have given generously. Men and women have cleaned, repaired, painted, renovated, cooked, baked, sung, taught, prayed, and sacrificed.

Yet every generation eventually passes the vineyard to another. The vineyard remains God’s.

Archbishop Daniel challenged the faithful, therefore, not merely to preserve the parish, but to ensure that it continues to bear fruit.

A parish may possess a beautiful temple, treasured traditions, historical photographs, anniversary books, and precious memories, but Christ still asks the question of the vineyard:

Where is the fruit? Is the parish forming its children in the Orthodox Faith? Is it caring for the elderly? Is it welcoming the stranger? Is it helping those who suffer? Is it strengthening marriages and families? Is it bringing those who have wandered away back to Christ? Is it preparing another generation to stand before the Holy Altar? Is it producing lives characterized by repentance, forgiveness, mercy, generosity, and love?

The Archbishop reminded the faithful that this is the true measure of an anniversary.

The Lord has entrusted a vineyard to St. Mary Parish for 120 years. The greatest tribute to its founders is not simply to remember their names, but to continue producing the spiritual fruit for which they sacrificed.

His Eminence concluded his reflection with the words of Christ: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.” Christ must remain that Cornerstone.

Buildings may age. Neighborhoods may change. Generations may speak different languages. Economic and social circumstances may rise and fall. Yet when a parish remains firmly built upon Jesus Christ, the same Lord who sustained its founders will guide its children into the future."

One of the most powerful moments of the anniversary celebration came as numerous faithful approached the Holy Chalice to receive the Most-Pure Body and Precious Blood of Christ.

There, perhaps more clearly than anywhere else, the meaning of 120 years could be understood.

The greatest legacy of a parish is not ultimately found in its buildings, archives, anniversary books, or photographs. It is found in generations of human souls who have encountered the living Christ through the Holy Mysteries of His Church.

The same Eucharistic Lord who nourished the founders of the parish continues to nourish their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

At the conclusion of the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, Archbishop Daniel presented Blessed Hierarchical Certificates of Recognition and Gratitude to members of the parish family whose faithful service, generosity, and personal sacrifice have contributed significantly to the spiritual and material well-being of St. Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Parish.

Pani-matka Svitlana Tomson was recognized for her devoted ministry as parish choir director, faithfully offering her musical gifts in service to the Divine Services and nurturing the sacred tradition of Orthodox liturgical music within the parish community.

Oksana Kukar was honored for her dedicated service to the parish Sunday School, her generous financial support of the parish, and her humble and consistent care for the cleanliness and beauty of the House of God.

Vitally Kukar, newly tonsured to the rank of Reader, received recognition for his substantial generosity to the parish and for personally offering his time, abilities, and labor toward the cleaning, remodeling, improvement, and care of the parish temple.

Mykola Svyryd, also newly tonsured to the rank of Reader, was recognized for his devoted hands-on service to the parish, particularly his extensive labor in the remodeling, cleaning, beautification, and ongoing care of the church.

Vita Svyryd was likewise honored for her dedicated labor in the remodeling, cleaning, beautification, and continuing care of the parish temple, offering her time and energy for the well-being of the parish family.

Oksana Byczjkalo was honored for her many years of faithful presence in the life of the parish and her tireless dedication to the traditional parish pyrohy project, through which fellowship, service, and Ukrainian heritage continue to be strengthened and passed from one generation to another.

Nellie Maslanick was recognized for her exceptional financial generosity, steadfast presence in the life and worship of the Church, and enduring devotion to the spiritual and material welfare of her parish family.

Paul Gerlack and Robert Cimoch were each honored for their extraordinary generosity and faithful support of the parish, whose benevolence has helped sustain and strengthen its sacred ministry.

In presenting the certificates, Archbishop Daniel expressed the gratitude of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA to these faithful servants, noting that the strength of a parish is often revealed through those who quietly and consistently offer themselves without seeking recognition.

They sing in the choir. They teach the children. They prepare food. They clean the temple. They repair what is broken. They support necessary projects. They welcome others. They give generously from the blessings God has entrusted to them.

Such service, His Eminence emphasized, represents the living continuation of the sacrifices made by the founders of St. Mary Parish 120 years ago. Each recipient, in his or her own way, has helped ensure that the sacred inheritance received from previous generations remains vibrant for the generation of today and those yet to come.

Special recognition was also extended to the Very Rev. Fr. Timothy Tomson, pastor of St. Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Parish, who received a Blessed Hierarchical Certificate in grateful acknowledgment of his pastoral leadership, devoted priestly ministry, and faithful service to the Holy Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, and particularly to the parish family entrusted to his spiritual care.

On the occasion of the parish’s 120th anniversary, Archbishop Daniel expressed gratitude for Fr. Timothy’s spiritual and administrative leadership and invoked God’s continued blessing upon his priestly ministry as he leads the faithful in prayer, strengthens them through the Holy Mysteries, accompanies them through the joys and sorrows of life, and guides the parish community in carrying its historic Orthodox Christian legacy into a new generation.

Following the Divine Liturgy, clergy, parishioners, guests, and friends gathered in the parish hall for a festive anniversary luncheon.

The gathering became another expression of the family spirit that has sustained St. Mary Parish throughout its history. Stories were shared. Memories were recalled. Those who had labored before were remembered with gratitude, while those presently carrying responsibility for parish life were encouraged in their ministry.

Yet throughout the entire anniversary weekend, one truth remained at the heart of the celebration: One hundred and twenty years is both a blessing and a responsibility.

The founders of St. Mary Parish could not have known the names of those who would worship within their church in 2026. Yet they built for them. They sacrificed for people they would never meet. They prayed for generations they would never see. They planted trees beneath whose shade others would rest. Now the present generation is called to do the same.

The responsibility before St. Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Parish is therefore not simply to preserve what was received, but to hand it on - alive, vibrant, prayerful, faithful, and centered upon Christ.

The bells must continue to call people to prayer. The choir must continue to sing. The Reader must continue to proclaim the Apostolic Word. The priest must continue to stand before the Holy Altar. Children must continue to learn to make the sign of the Cross and whisper their first prayers. The elderly must know that they remain treasured members of the Church. The grieving must continue to find consolation. The sinner must continue to discover repentance and mercy. The stranger must continue to find an open door. And generation after generation must continue to approach the Holy Chalice and hear the invitation: “With the fear of God, with faith and with love, draw near.”

For 120 years, the Dormition of the Mother of God - St. Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Parish has been such a spiritual home in McKees Rocks and within the greater Pittsburgh community.

May the Most-Holy Birth-Giver of God continue to spread her protecting veil over this historic parish family. May she teach its faithful the same humble obedience with which she responded to God’s call. May the sacrifices of the founders never be forgotten. May those who have fallen asleep in the Lord after laboring for this parish be granted eternal rest in the Kingdom of Heaven. May the present generation faithfully tend the vineyard entrusted to it.

And may generations yet unborn enter this sacred temple, stand before the same Holy Altar, offer the same Orthodox prayers, receive the same Precious Body and Blood of Christ, and give thanks for those who came before them.

For the vineyard belongs to God - and from generation to generation, we are blessed to labor within it.

To Almighty God be glory for 120 years of faith, sacrifice, ministry, and witness - and for all the years yet to come!

Many Blessed Years - Многая літа - to the clergy and faithful

of the Dormition of the Mother of God - St. Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Parish!