www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Photo Gallery Assumption BVM UGCC, Centralia, PA

Here are some photographs of St. Mary's Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Centralia, PA. Yes, it's the famous mine fire town.

Built around 1911.

Before the Liturgy, Father said as an aside that "We'll sing in parts today." Then, during the Hymn of Justinian, without choir or cantor, the people / congregation just started singing in Slavonic in parts-harmony. Simply divine.

Divine Liturgy: Sunday, 11:00 a.m.

That sounds like it was amazing.

I know that most of Centralia no longer exists, due to the still burning coal mine fire.

Is there any threat to the Church?

Wonderful church and wonderful parish to sing in harmony "na pomyat". Truly from the heart.

The Iconostas in Holy Ghost church in Cleveland is almost identical to this. Simply beautiful!

No threat to the church. The church is across the valley from the fire. For the fire to get through to the other side of town, it would have to pass through a natural rock barrier and the water table.

The translation of the cornerstone.

ukrainian greek catholic church
........................in.......Centralia, pa
.............................................year 1912

what a beautiful shot of the church in the fall


marusia

I believe it says in Cyrillic script:

Ruska (i.e. Rusyn) Gr. Katolicka Cerkov. Most immigrants from Galicia still called themselves Rusyn. Not uncommon, as the UNA was first called Rusyn (Ruthenian) National Association.

Ungcsertezs

Many thanks for these beautiful pictures!

I've been but didn't get in.

I could have sworn the cornerstone was black and said 1911.

Anyway the one shown here says 'Rusyn Greek Catholic Church in Centralia 1912'.

More on the church and town. [flickr.com]

I notice that there are stations of the Cross and stained glass windows. Were / are these still common in UGCC Churches?

Just asking, and hoping for non-polemical, "just the facts" replies.

In the coal regions of NEPA, both are common.

In neighboring Mount Carmel, when the (absolutely glorious) old church burned in 1991, they did not replace stations. They did, however, rescue some of the old stained glass windows and replaced them in the new (and equally glorious) new church. I hope to get pics of that one during the upcoming Thanksgiving break.

The "South Anthracite Deanery" Holy Name Society sponsors a traveling Lenten Stations of the Cross - I believe 'kinda Eastern style' language. I've never been to one. However, when it's a decade's-old tradition some may question the real need to change it. Re-developing their tradition of Lenten Pre-Sanctified Liturgy is, I know, occurring here and there - for example, in neigboring Shamokin. The pastor there said he'll continue to offer stations for his school children, but will do Pre-Sanctified in the evening for the parish.

The iconstasis is absolutely stunning!

In the following YouTube video which was originally on the Discovery Channel, you will see the story about the minefire, and catch a quick glimse of the church in the woods.

Ray