www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Photo Gallery St. Michael Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Hazleton

Here's the second in the series of Hazleton's Slavic Byzantium: St. Michael's Ukrainian Catholic Church.

As our forum historian, John Schweich, has already said, perhaps this parish's most former parishioner was the late, great Jack Palance, whose baptismal name was Volodomir Palahniuk. Palance kept a home near Hazleton until shortly before his death. My sister once recounted to me about literally running into him while she was at the Bloomsburg Fair with a group of friends. One of the girls said "You're Jack Palance" and he pointed at her, smiled and said "Gotcha!"

Other than that, I do not know much of the history of this parish, so historians - add away!

St. Michael's was founded in 1910 and will be celebrating its centennial next year. In his work on Ukrainian emigration to the US in 1914, the historian Yuliyan Bachins'kiy wondered aloud about the necessity of three (!) Greek Catholic churches in the (then) small town of Hazleton--St. Mary's, St. John's and St. Michael's. At a time when up to half of the RC churches in Luzerne County PA face the possibility of being closed, these three are hanging on and seem vey much in touch with their "Easternness."

St. Michael's published a wonderful centennial history in 2010 which includes some wonderful old photos and info on its most illustrious parishioner, Jack Palance. It was prepared by Parish Historian George Marushin.

Beautiful interior! But what were the Latin-style side altars used for? Are they still in use for any liturgical functions today?

To hold flowers. I am pleased they later installed the more traditional devotional icon stands (analoys).