Saint Nicholas

Address:
410 Sixth Avenue
McKeesport, PA 15132

Contact Information:
Telephone: 412-664-9131
FAX: 412-664-0854
Email: N/A
Website Address: N/A

Pastor: Father Donald J. Voss

Liturgy Schedule:
N/A
St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church was formally founded on May 14, 1901. The congregation, under the leadership of its first pastor, Rev. Julius Medvecky, purchased a wooden church built in 1892 from the Methodist Episcopalians on Sixth Avenue near the downtown area. The first Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the church on August 11, 1901. Two months later, the church was destroyed by fire. A new brick church was constructed on the same site and dedicated on May 30, 1903.

The new church building served the growing congregation until it was razed in 1963. It was replaced by the present church built on the same site and was dedicated on June 21, 1964.

The original congregation was primarily of Rusin extraction, but also consisted of faithful of Ukrainian, Hungarian, and Romanian descent. Soon many of these branched off to form their own churches.

On March 29, 1903 a sizable number of parishioners met to form a new fraternal and religious-oriented organization, the “United Societies of America.” This organization continues to serve the faithful of the Byzantine Catholic Church nationwide.

Benedictine monks began serving St. Nicholas parish in the early 1940’s, following the ordination of the first two Byzantine Catholic Benedictine priests. In 1948, after Holy Trinity Monastery was founded as a priory, St. Nicholas Church served as the temporary headquarters. For four months the young community led the monastic life in St. Nicholas parish, chanting the monastic office of the Church.

For many years the children of the parish were taught their Catholic religion, Byzantine tradition and Rusin language during the summer vacation. In 1947 a full-time parochial school with grades 1-5 was opened, utilizing an existing older building. In 1959 a new school building was constructed, and the school expanded to eight grades. The school was staffed by sisters from the Order of St. Basil the Great. For 13 years the teaching apostolate was assumed by Byzantine Catholic Benedictine sisters. In 1996, with a decreasing enrollment the school closed.

St. Nicholas Church played a pioneer role in the newly-formed radio apostolate of the Pittsburgh Archeparchy. The Divine Liturgy was broadcast over a local radio station reaching shut-ins in the Tri-State area. Originally, the broadcast was shared by other parishes, but soon the project became the exclusive mission of St. Nicholas. After 13 years the radio apostolate was moved to Holy Ghost Church in McKees Rocks, PA.

Throughout the years a number of organizations were formed for the religious and social enhancement of the parishioners and the local community. Among others there were an altar society, rosary society, sodality, cub scouts, boy scouts, folk dance groups, Holy Name society, church choir and more recently, an active Marian society and the society of SS. Cyril & Methodius.

The Official Website of the
Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh
66 Riverview Avenue • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15214
Telephone: 412-231-4000 | Fax: 412-231-1697

The Archeparchy of Pittsburgh Website is an Official Publication of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh. © 2003, Office of Communications. Neither any part of this site nor its content may be reproduced, transmitted, copied, or used in any way without the expressed permission of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh Office of Communications. This site may be linked freely.