About Ascension of Our Lord [Ruthenian] · Clairton, Pennsylvania
Ascension of Our Lord Byzantine Catholic Church is a Ruthenian (Byzantine-rite) Catholic parish in Clairton, Pennsylvania, founded in 1907 by Carpatho-Rusyn immigrants from the Kingdoms of Hungary and Galicia in the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy. The parish belongs to the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh (Ruthenian Metropolitanate sui juris) and worships according to the Byzantine rite, with its heritage of Church Slavonic liturgy, Julian-calendar traditions, and hauntingly beautiful Ruthenian religious hymnody. After early struggles, including a parish closure from 1925 to 1931, the community rebuilt itself and in 1981 dedicated an impressive rotunda-style church with hemispheric golden domes on the site of the original 1907 building, later adorning it with a marble iconostasis, Italian marble baldachin, mosaics, and Byzantine iconography written by Mila Mina. The parish is currently served by Father Christopher Burke.
- Established
- 1907
- Patron
- Ascension of Our Lord
- Rector
- Father Christopher Burke
- Diocese
- Archeparchy of Pittsburgh (Ruthenian Metropolitanate sui juris of Pittsburgh); geographically within the territory of the Roman Diocese of Pittsburgh
Why belong here
Ascension of Our Lord is a small but living Ruthenian/Byzantine Catholic community where the faithful keep Carpatho-Rusyn traditions alive — the Divine Liturgy, the iconography, the cycle of Byzantine feasts, and the semifolkloric Ruthenian hymns sung before and after services. Parishioners of all ages are drawn into a tight-knit life of worship, faith formation (Eastern Christian Formation for grades K–8 on Sunday mornings), and Carpatho-Rusyn fellowship through the Holy Name Society, the Ladies Guild, the Greek Catholic Union, the parish picnic at Clairton Park, and the beloved pirohy and holubki (stuffed cabbage) fundraisers. For Ruthenian Catholics in the Mon Valley and visitors drawn to the Byzantine rite, it offers a rare combination of rooted Eastern Catholic identity and warm Western Pennsylvania hospitality.
Mass times at Ascension of Our Lord [Ruthenian]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 – 3:40 PM
- Sunday 9:00 – 9:40 AM
Parish History
Ascension of Our Lord Byzantine Catholic Church was founded in 1907 in the industrial Mon Valley town of Clairton by Ruthenian immigrants from the Carpathian Mountains — from the Kingdoms of Hungary and Galicia in the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy. They were Greek (Byzantine-rite) Catholics under the Pope of Rome, using Church Slavonic in their liturgy and following the Julian Calendar. The original church was dedicated by Bishop Soter Ortynsky on October 6, 1907, and grew rapidly under successive pastors despite a six-year closure from 1925 to 1931. Under Msgr. Michael Hrebin (1959–1995) the parish built the present rotunda-style church (1981) and rectory (1983) on the site of the 1907 original, and under Father Ivan Mina, Ph.D. (1997–2025) the interior was adorned with an Italian marble iconostasis and a full Byzantine iconography program written by Mila Mina. The parish marked its centenary in 2007.
- Founded 1907 by Carpatho-Rusyn immigrants
- Original church dedicated by Bishop Soter Ortynsky, October 6, 1907
- Closed 1925–1931; restored under Father Michael Rapach
- Current rotunda-style church dedicated 1981; rectory 1983
- Marble baldachin and mosaic shrines from Italy, 1985
- Mortgage burned April 30, 1989
- Marble iconostasis from Italy, 1998; Byzantine iconography by Mila Mina
- Centenary celebrated 2007
Parish Staff and Lay Leaders
Father Christopher Burke is the parish's current pastor. A small team of lay leaders and instructors carries on the parish's ministries, religious education, music, and fraternal organizations.
- Father Christopher Burke — Pastor (email: [email protected])
- Holy Name Society President — Michael Sowko
- Greek Catholic Union (GCU) Parish Representative — Trish Roberts
- Eastern Christian Formation Instructors — Cynthia Schlessinger, Tiffany Tomkowitz, Jessica Dufalla, Alexandria Lassige
- Cantors — John Glegyak and Christopher Dufalla
Architecture and Interior
The current church, designed by architect Joseph Balobek and dedicated in 1981, is a modern rotunda-style building with hemispheric golden domes set on the site of the original 1907 church. Inside, the parish has assembled a remarkable collection of Byzantine-rite furnishings: a five-tier iconostasis tradition (with the original blessed by Bishop Ortynsky in 1909), an enormous Italian marble baldachin and two mosaic shrines imported in 1985, and a marble iconostasis imported from Italy in 1998. The full program of Byzantine iconography — arranged according to Byzantine canons — was written by San Diego iconographer Mila Mina and includes four great icons (St. John the Baptist, the Theotokos with Christ, Christ the Teacher, and the Ascension), a sanctuary depicting the Trinity, and a back wall showing the Judgment with the four evangelists.
- Rotunda-style modern church with hemispheric golden domes
- Architect: Joseph Balobek
- Marble baldachin and two mosaic shrines (Italy, 1985)
- Marble iconostasis (Italy, 1998)
- Iconography by Mila Mina of San Diego
- Covered walkway and cloistered courtyard connect church to rectory
- Banquet/auditorium hall at Park Avenue and Third Street (1964)
Divine Liturgy and Sacraments
The parish celebrates the Byzantine-rite Divine Liturgy — not the Roman-rite Mass — along with the full cycle of Byzantine sacraments, feast-day blessings, and Lenten services. The Divine Liturgy is offered on Sundays and Holy Days at 9:00 AM and on weekdays at 10:00 AM, with All Souls Liturgies also at 10:00 AM. During the Great Fast (Lent), the parish celebrates the Presanctified Liturgy on Wednesdays and Fridays. Confessions are heard Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings, and Marriage and Anointing are by appointment.
- Sunday & Holy Day Divine Liturgy — 9:00 AM
- Weekday Divine Liturgy — 10:00 AM
- All Souls Liturgies — 10:00 AM
- Presanctified Liturgy (Lent, Wed & Fri) — 5:00 PM
- Confession — Saturday 3:00–3:40 PM; Sunday 9:00–9:40 AM
- Marriage — by appointment
- Anointing — by appointment
Parish Ministries and Organizations
Ascension's parish life is built around a handful of long-standing Byzantine-Catholic and Ruthenian fraternal and devotional organizations. The Holy Name Society, the Greek Catholic Union (GCU) representative, the Ladies Guild, the parish cantors, and the Eastern Christian Formation program for children together coordinate worship, faith formation, and fellowship — including the beloved pirohy and holubki (stuffed-cabbage) sales, the annual picnic at Clairton Park, and the Ladies Guild Christmas Party.
- Holy Name Society — men's fraternal and devotional organization
- Greek Catholic Union (GCU) — Ruthenian fraternal benefit society, parish rep Trish Roberts
- Ladies Guild — coordinates fundraising and the annual Christmas Party
- Eastern Christian Formation (ECF) — K–8 religious education, Sundays 8:45–9:45 AM
- Parish Cantors — John Glegyak and Christopher Dufalla
- Knights of Columbus — historically active among the men of the parish
- Pirohy & Holubki sales — periodic fundraisers
- Annual Parish Picnic at Clairton Park (late September)
- Religious Education Field Trip (annual)
Byzantine Ruthenian Heritage and Identity
The parish belongs to the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, the Ruthenian Metropolitanate sui juris of Pittsburgh — a Byzantine-rite Catholic Church in full communion with Rome whose members in the United States descend largely from Carpatho-Rusyn (Ruthenian / Carpatho-Russian) immigrants from the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy. The community preserves distinctive traditions of the Greek (Byzantine) rite: the Julian Calendar, the use of Church Slavonic in historic liturgy, a semifolkloric repertoire of Ruthenian religious hymns sung before or after the Divine Liturgy, and the traditional parish organizations and feast-day blessings of the Byzantine year (Transfiguration blessing of fruit, Dormition blessing of herbs and flowers, etc.). The parish lies geographically within the territory of the Roman Diocese of Pittsburgh.
- Jurisdiction: Archeparchy of Pittsburgh (Ruthenian Metropolitanate sui juris)
- Byzantine (Greek) rite, in full communion with Rome
- Heritage language of liturgy: Church Slavonic (historic); English (current)
- Carpatho-Rusyn / Ruthenian / Carpatho-Russian immigrant roots
- Distinguished by Ruthenian semifolkloric religious hymnody
- Feast-day traditions: blessing of fruit (Transfiguration), herbs and flowers (Dormition), vehicles
Annual Events and Traditions
Beyond the weekly Divine Liturgy schedule, the parish calendar is marked by a series of annual Ruthenian-Byzantine celebrations and parish fundraisers that knit the community together. The Holy Name Society and Ladies Guild lead the major fundraisers, while Father Burke continues the Byzantine tradition of blessing baskets, fruit, herbs, and vehicles on the appropriate feast days.
- Parish Picnic at Clairton Park — late September
- Pirohy & Holubki sales — held periodically
- Ladies Guild Christmas Party — annually in December
- Religious Education Field Trip — annually
- Blessing of vehicles after Liturgy (parish tradition)
- Blessing of fruit for the Transfiguration (August 6)
- Blessing of herbs and flowers for the Dormition (August 15)
- All Souls Liturgies — 10:00 AM
Visit, Contact, and Location
The parish is located at 318 Park Avenue, Clairton, PA 15025, on a compact campus that includes the church, the rectory (connected by a covered walkway and cloistered courtyard), and a separate banquet/auditorium hall on the corner of Park Avenue and Third Street. Office contact is through Father Christopher Burke at (412) 233-7422 or 724-953-4266, or by email at [email protected]. The official parish website is http://www.ascensionclairton.com/ and the parish is also listed on the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh directory at archpitt.org.
- Address: 318 Park Avenue, Clairton, PA 15025
- Phone: (412) 233-7422 or (724) 953-4266
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.ascensionclairton.com
- Diocese directory: archpitt.org/place/clairtonpa-2/
- Banquet/auditorium hall at Park Avenue and Third Street (1964)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Cornelius Laurisin1907
First pastor; original church dedicated by Bishop Soter Ortynsky on October 6, 1907.
- Rev. Irenaeus Matyaczko1908–1922
Built the rectory, purchased cemetery property, arranged the church according to Byzantine norms; five-tier iconostasis blessed by Bishop Ortynsky in 1909.
- Rev. Michael Rapach1931–1950
Restored the parish after its 1925–1931 closure; eliminated parish debts; welcomed Sisters of St. Basil the Great; founded Holy Name, Rosary, Altar Societies, Sodality, and Choir.
- Rev. Andrew Dzmura1950–1959
Formed the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine religious-education teachers; many men joined Knights of Columbus; installed marble altar and tabernacle.
- Msgr. Michael Hrebin1959–1995
Launched the vast building program: banquet hall (1964), new rotunda-style church (dedicated 1981) and rectory (1983); marble baldachin and mosaic shrines from Italy (1985); mortgage burned in 1989.
- Rev. Ivan Mina, Ph.D.1997–2025
Arrived in 1997; oversaw the 1998 marble iconostasis from Italy and extensive Byzantine iconography by Mila Mina; celebrated parish centenary in 2007; relieved in January 2025 for retirement.
- Father Christopher Burke2025–present
Appointed Administrator of Ascension, Clairton, effective January 31, 2025, succeeding Father Ivan Mina.