About Saint Basil the Great · Miami, Florida
St. Basil the Great Byzantine Catholic Church is a small Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic parish located in the North Miami Beach area of Miami, Florida, at 1475 NE 199th Street. It belongs to the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic (headquartered in Woodland Park, New Jersey) and sits geographically within the territory of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami. Originally founded in the mid-1960s by Byzantine Catholics of Slavic and Hungarian descent, the parish has grown into a multi-national community reflecting many cultures. It is currently administered by Rev. Martin Vavrak, who also serves as pastor of the nearby mission parish Our Lady of the Sign in Coconut Creek, with Deacon Michael Opalka and Parish Manager/Cantor Fred Wilson assisting.
- Established
- 1965
- Patron
- St. Basil the Great
- Rector
- Rev. Martin Vavrak (Administrator; also pastor of Our Lady of the Sign, Coconut Creek)
- Diocese
- Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic
Why belong here
St. Basil the Great is a welcoming, multicultural Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic community that makes Eastern Christian spirituality accessible in the Miami area — Divine Liturgy is celebrated Saturdays, fulfilling Roman Catholics' Sunday obligation, in a parish that began with Slavic and Hungarian families and now embraces faithful of many nationalities. With a small, intimate footprint and an actively serving deacon (a retired fire-rescue chief known for his ministry at Surfside and Parkland), it offers a family atmosphere where members can participate closely in liturgy, choir, and parish life.
Mass times at Saint Basil the Great
Weekly Mass schedule
History of St. Basil the Great Byzantine Catholic Church
The parish traces its roots to 1965, when Fr. John Puskar of St. Therese Byzantine Catholic Church in St. Petersburg — the first Byzantine Catholic parish in Florida — conducted preliminary studies for a new mission in Miami. Fr. Alan Borsuk was sent to begin the work, and early Liturgies were celebrated in a Knights of Columbus hall on Christmas and Easter. A first resident priest was assigned in October 1966. Fr. John Zeyack consolidated the mission beginning February 1967, purchasing five acres of land, remodeling a house into a rectory/church, and naming the parish 'St. Basil' on January 1, 1968. Groundbreaking for a new 120-seat church (south of the rectory) occurred April 28, 1968. Under Fr. Peter Lickman (pastor from August 1971), the parish built a parish center in 1975 and planted two missions that became Our Lady of the Sign (Coconut Creek) and Holy Apostles (Lake Worth). Originally Slavic and Hungarian in character, the parish is now multi-national, fulfilling what the parish describes as the Gospel imperative to preach the Good News to all peoples.
- 1965: Preliminary studies by Fr. John Puskar
- 1965–1966: Fr. Alan Borsuk begins the parish; Knights of Columbus hall hosts Christmas/Easter Liturgies
- October 1966: First resident priest assigned
- February 1967: Fr. John Zeyack consolidates the mission
- January 1, 1968: Parish named St. Basil
- April 28, 1968: Groundbreaking for the 120-seat church
- August 1971: Fr. Peter Lickman becomes pastor
- 1975: Parish center built; missions planted (Our Lady of the Sign, Coconut Creek; Holy Apostles, Lake Worth)
Clergy and Parish Leadership
The parish is currently administered by Rev. Martin Vavrak, who also serves as pastor of Our Lady of the Sign Byzantine Catholic Church in Coconut Creek, FL. Fr. Martin was born November 1, 1973, in what is now the Slovak Republic; he was ordained in 2003 by Bishop Milan Šašik, served in the Mukachevo Eparchy in Transcarpathian Ukraine, then in the Slovak Greek Catholic Eparchy of Toronto (Windsor, Ontario), and in the Eparchy of Passaic for nearly 13 years before assuming his current role. He is assisted by Deacon Michael Opalka and Parish Manager/Cantor Fred Wilson.
- Rev. Martin Vavrak — Parochial Administrator
- Deacon Michael Opalka
- Mr. Fred Wilson — Parish Manager & Cantor
Deacon Michael Opalka — First Responder Ministry
Deacon Michael Opalka retired from the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department in 2008 after 33 years of service. Since retirement he has continued to serve MDFR as a member of the Critical Incident Stress Management Response Team, a Fire Department Chaplain, and a Peer Support team member. He responded to the Champlain Towers South building collapse in Surfside, FL, and the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, FL.
Worship and Divine Liturgy
St. Basil the Great celebrates the Byzantine Ruthenian Divine Liturgy on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. The parish notes explicitly that a Roman Catholic fulfills his or her Sunday and Sacramental obligations by attending a Byzantine Catholic Divine Liturgy. As a Ruthenian community, the parish follows the Byzantine liturgical calendar, with feasts such as the Nativity of the Theotokos (September 8) and the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14) celebrated as solemn Holy Days.
- Saturday Divine Liturgy: 10:30 a.m. (English)
- Roman Catholics satisfy Sunday obligation by attending
Parish Ministries and Organizations
From its earliest days under Fr. Zeyack, St. Basil has maintained a robust lay community. The Ladies Guild, Men's Group, Adult Chorale, and Children's Choir were organized during the founding pastorate and remain part of parish life under Parish Manager/Cantor Fred Wilson.
- Ladies Guild
- Men's Group
- Adult Chorale
- Children's Choir
- Online giving via Tithe.ly
Identity: Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic
The parish is in full communion with Rome and follows the Byzantine (Ruthenian) liturgical tradition, ecclesiastically belonging to the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic — one of two U.S. Ruthenian eparchies, the other being the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh. Although physically located within the geographic territory of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami, St. Basil is administered as an Eastern Catholic (sui iuris) parish under its own bishop, currently the Most Rev. Kurt Richard Burnette (bishop of Passaic since 2013).
- Rite: Byzantine (Ruthenian)
- Eparchy: Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic
- Cathedral: Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel, Passaic, NJ
- Current Bishop: Most Rev. Kurt Richard Burnette (since 2013)
Contact and Visiting
The parish can be reached by phone at 786-320-5125 or by email at [email protected]. The mailing address is P.O. Box 11011, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33339, while the physical church is located at 1475 NE 199th Street, Miami, FL 33179 (North Miami Beach / Ives Estates area). Contributions may be made online via Tithe.ly; all donations are tax-deductible.
- Address: 1475 NE 199th St, Miami, FL 33179
- Mailing: P.O. Box 11011, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33339
- Phone: 786-320-5125
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stbasilbyzantinecatholicchurch.org
Sources and External References
The parish appears in the official parish directory of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic and in the Eastern Catholic Life newsletter published by the Eparchy. It is also listed on the Archdiocese of Miami's parish finder (as an Eastern Catholic church within its territory) and on GCatholic.
- Eparchy of Passaic Parish Directory
- Archdiocese of Miami parish finder
- GCatholic Church ID 17159
- Eastern Catholic Life (Sept 2021 issue)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John Puskar1965 (preliminary study)
Pastor of St. Therese Byzantine Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, FL; conducted preliminary studies for establishing a parish in Miami.
- Fr. Alan Borsuk1965–1966
Sent to Miami to establish the parish; celebrated Liturgies at the Knights of Columbus hall on Christmas and Easter.
- Unknown first resident priestOctober 1966
Assigned as the first resident priest; continued the work of establishing the parish.
- Fr. John ZeyackFebruary 1967 – 1971
Purchased the 5-acre parcel; remodeled house as rectory/church; organized ladies guild, men's group, adult chorale, children's choir; oversaw April 28, 1968 groundbreaking. Later served at multiple other Passaic Eparchy parishes. Died March 11, 2024.
- Fr. Peter LickmanAugust 1971 –
Succeeded Fr. Zeyack; oversaw the 1975 decision to build a parish center; parish under his pastorship established the missions that became Our Lady of the Sign (Coconut Creek) and Holy Apostles (Lake Worth).
- Fr. Salvatore (Sal) Pignatoapprox. 2020–2024
Served as parochial administrator (referenced in ADOM team page and Eparchy ECL newsletter, Sept 2021).
- Rev. Martin Vavrakapprox. 2024–present
Current Administrator; also pastor of Our Lady of the Sign Byzantine Catholic Church in Coconut Creek. Born Nov 1, 1973 in Slovakia; ordained 2003.