About Holy Trinity [Ukrainian] · Youngstown, Ohio
Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church (Українська Греко-Католицька Церква Пресвятої Трійці) is a Byzantine-rite (Ukrainian Greek Catholic) parish in Youngstown, Ohio, on the city's historic West Side at 526 W. Rayen Avenue. The parish was founded in 1911 to serve the wave of Ukrainian immigrants who had begun arriving in the Youngstown steel mills from the late 1880s, and its church building was completed that same year. Today the parish belongs to the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saint Josaphat in Parma, even though Youngstown is geographically within the territory of the Roman Diocese of Youngstown. Holy Trinity is widely known in the region for its towering 80-foot Shrine of the Holy Cross (erected 1986), its long-running Pyrohy (varenyky) sales, and its annual eparchial pilgrimage. Divine Liturgy is currently celebrated on Thursdays and Fridays at 8:30 a.m. and Sundays at 11:00 a.m., with the parish under the care of Administrator Fr. Lubomyr Zhybak.
- Established
- 1911
- Patron
- Holy Trinity (Most Holy Trinity)
- Rector
- Rev. Lubomyr (Lubomir) Zhybak — Administrator (since January 2, 2013)
- Diocese
- Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saint Josaphat in Parma (Ukrainian Greek Catholic); geographically situated within the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Youngstown
Why belong here
Holy Trinity is the home of a living Ukrainian Byzantine-rite Catholic tradition on Youngstown's historic West Side, where the descendants of the steel-mill immigrants who built the parish more than a century ago still worship, gather for pyrohy sales, and host an annual eparchial pilgrimage to the 80-foot Shrine of the Holy Cross. Visitors and parishioners are welcomed into a tight-knit community that keeps Ukrainian Catholic prayer, music, and food culture alive, with Divine Liturgy celebrated through the week and a Social Hall that is busy with fellowship and the famous weekly pyrohy project from October through May. If you are seeking a parish rooted in Eastern Christian spirituality, in communion with the Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma, and animated by a sense of family memory and ethnic heritage, Holy Trinity is a fitting place to belong.
Mass times at Holy Trinity [Ukrainian]
Weekly Mass schedule
Welcome and Parish Identity
Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church (Українська Греко-Католицька Церква Пресвятої Трійці) is a Byzantine-rite Ukrainian Greek Catholic parish in Youngstown, Ohio, situated on the city's historic West Side at 526 W. Rayen Avenue. The parish belongs to the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saint Josaphat in Parma, even though Youngstown itself is in the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Youngstown. The parish welcomes visitors in both English and Ukrainian, and the Sunday bulletin is the primary channel for up-to-date announcements and service information.
- Parish name: Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church
- Rite: Ukrainian Greek Catholic (Byzantine)
- Eparchy: Saint Josaphat in Parma
- Geographic location: within the Roman Diocese of Youngstown
Parish History
The parish was established to minister to the Ukrainian immigrants who had begun arriving in the Youngstown area in the late 1880s to work in the local steel industry. According to the parish's official history, the community was officially incorporated, petitioned the Bishop for a church of its own, and in 1909 Bishop Soter Ortynsky assigned Rev. Michael Balogh as the first pastor. The church was completed in 1911, the year the parish itself marks as its founding and which it celebrated as its centennial in 2011.
- Late 1880s: first Ukrainian immigrants arrive in Youngstown
- 1909: Bishop Soter Ortynsky assigns Rev. Michael Balogh as first pastor
- 1911: church building completed; parish's official founding year
- 2011: 100th Anniversary Celebration with improvements to the church, social hall and grounds
The West Side Ukrainian Enclave
Holy Trinity was the spiritual heart of a tightly knit Ukrainian-American neighborhood on Youngstown's West Side. Parishioners lived in rowhouses clustered around the church, and the brick social hall directly across the street was originally owned by Narodna Dopomoho ('People's Aid'), a Ukrainian-American mutual-aid society. Families tithed even through the Great Depression, and the community supported both its own members and the wider neighborhood.
- Narodna Dopomoho ('People's Aid') mutual-aid society owned the social hall building
- Walter Sawchak donated the funds for Holy Trinity's massive bell
- Surrounding neighborhood included Croatian-American families who worshipped at nearby Sts. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church
Clergy and Pastoral Succession
Since its founding, Holy Trinity has been served by 21 priests in total. Msgr. Leo Adamiak holds the record for longest service as pastor (55 years, 1950–2005), during which he led the construction of the Shrine of the Holy Cross and the 2011 centennial preparations. The current pastor is Administrator Fr. Lubomyr Zhybak, who has cared for the parish since January 2, 2013. Dean Chance serves as Administrative Assistant in the parish office.
- 21 priests total in parish history
- 16 assistant pastors since 1947
- Msgr. Leo Adamiak: 1950–2005 (55 years)
- Fr. Lubomyr Zhybak: Administrator since January 2, 2013
- Dean Chance: Administrative Assistant since May 2016
Shrine of the Holy Cross
The Shrine of the Holy Cross is the parish's signature landmark. Conceived in 1983 under Msgr. Adamiak's leadership to commemorate the parish's 75th anniversary and the millennium of Christianity in Ukraine (1988), the 80-foot cross was raised on June 12, 1986, and dedicated on September 1, 1986, by Bishop Robert Moskal and six concelebrating priests before some 800 parishioners and friends. Beginning in 2016, the parish began hosting an annual eparchial pilgrimage to the Shrine on the Saturday after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, drawing faithful from across the Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma.
- 80-foot cross raised June 12, 1986
- Dedicated September 1, 1986 by Bishop Robert Moskal
- 90-member procession and Thanksgiving Moleben at the dedication
- Annual eparchial pilgrimage since 2016 on the Saturday after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Liturgy and Schedule
Holy Trinity celebrates the Byzantine Divine Liturgy (rather than the Roman-rite Mass) in English and Ukrainian. According to the parish's official website, the regular schedule is Thursday 8:30 a.m., Friday 8:30 a.m., and Sunday 11:00 a.m., with times subject to change as noted in the weekly Sunday Bulletin.
- Divine Liturgy — Thursday 8:30 am
- Divine Liturgy — Friday 8:30 am
- Divine Liturgy — Sunday 11:00 am
- Languages: English / Ukrainian (Byzantine rite)
Pyrohy Project and Social Hall
Pyrohy (varenyky) sales are a beloved decades-long tradition at Holy Trinity and a major fundraiser for the parish. Volunteers make the pyrohy on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and they are sold each Thursday at the Social Hall from October through May (with a break for Christmas and Easter), at $8 per dozen, made only from fresh ingredients. Advance orders are recommended by calling the Social Hall on Thursdays between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.; order pick-up is from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. The Social Hall is also used for the parish's post-Liturgy fellowship and for events such as the pilgrimage banquet.
- Pyrohy sold Thursdays, October through May
- Potato or Sauerkraut/Potato varieties
- $8.00 per dozen
- Volunteer shifts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays
- Advance orders: 330-746-9528, Thursdays 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
- Pick-up: Thursdays 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm
Bulletins, Donations, and Communications
The parish posts its Sunday Bulletins online for the full calendar year (2025 and 2026 bulletins are both available on the website), and supports online giving through a dedicated Donate page. Parishioners and visitors are asked to verify service times against the weekly bulletin, as the schedule is subject to change. The parish also maintains a Safe Environment page in line with diocesan child-protection policies.
- Sunday Bulletins available online by month
- Online donations accepted
- Safe Environment program referenced on the website
- Weekly bulletin is the authoritative source for current Mass times
Visiting and Contact
Parishioners and visitors may contact Holy Trinity by phone, email, or in person. The office is currently open by appointment only; after normal hours callers are asked to leave a message. The Social Hall has its own line (330-746-9528) for pyrohy-related calls during the October–May sales season. The parish also has a Facebook page under the handle 'Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church' for community news.
- Parish Office: 330-744-5820 (by appointment)
- Fr. Lubomir Zhybak cell: 330-888-8881
- Social Hall / Pyrohy Sales: 330-746-9528 (October–May)
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 526 W. Rayen Avenue, Youngstown, Ohio 44502
- Facebook: facebook.com/yngholytrinity/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Michael Balogh1909
First pastor; assigned by Bishop Soter Ortynsky.
- Rev. Basil Zacerkovny1909–1918
- Rev. Basil Staciuk1918–1921
- Rev. Constantine Kurylo1922
- Rev. Nicholas Strutynsky1922
- Rev. John Zaharko1923
- Rev. Stephen Waschyshyn1923
- Rev. Myron Danylovych1923–1927
- Rev. Anthony Strotsk1931–1933
- Rev. Marion Stakaninec1933
- Rev. John Dzendzera1933
- Rev. John Zabawa1933–1940
- Rev. Peter Poniatision1940–1943
- Rev. Peter Oleksiw1943–1948
- Archpriest Isidore Nahayewsky1948–1950
- Rev. Msgr. Leo Adamiak1950–2005
Longest-serving pastor (55 years); oversaw the 1986 Shrine of the Holy Cross and the 2011 centennial renovations. Died March 2010.
- Rev. Joseph Tamburro2005–2007
- Rev. Peter Tomas2007
- Rev. Andrew Marko2007–2008
- Rev. Steven Zarichny2008–2012
- Rev. Lubomyr Zhybak2012–present
Currently serves as Administrator; began January 2, 2013.