About Saint Basil the Great [Ruthenian] · Sterling Heights, Michigan
Saint Basil the Great Byzantine Catholic Church is a Ruthenian (Byzantine) Catholic parish located at 4700 Metropolitan Parkway in Sterling Heights, Michigan, serving Eastern-rite Catholics in the northern Detroit suburbs. The parish falls within the territory of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit but is canonically part of the Ruthenian Diocese of Parma, the Byzantine Catholic jurisdiction that covers Byzantine-Ruthenian faithful across much of the eastern and central United States. Saint Basil offers a compact liturgical schedule centered on Saturday Vigil and Sunday morning Divine Liturgy, English being the primary worship language, with the Byzantine musical and iconographic tradition fully in evidence (including a two-tiered Iconostasis with gold-painted icons and an imported Greek chandelier). In late 2025, the parish was formally merged with St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church in Detroit under a decree of Bishop Robert M. Pipta, with the Very Reverend Father Mykhailo Solianyk administering the combined community.
- Established
- 1962
- Patron
- Saint Basil the Great
- Rector
- Very Reverend Father Mykhailo Solianyk
- Diocese
- Ruthenian Diocese of Parma (within the geographic territory of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit)
Why belong here
Saint Basil is the Byzantine-Ruthenian Catholic home in Sterling Heights for families who want to worship in the Eastern liturgical tradition — full of chant, incense, icons, and the ancient Divine Liturgy — without leaving the northern Detroit suburbs. The parish runs a tight, family-friendly schedule (Saturday Vigil and Sunday morning Divine Liturgy, with weekday services) under a pastor warmly described as welcoming and devout, and it supplements worship with a Rosary devotion, a youth ministry, the legacy Founders Day picnic, and use of the St. Basil Banquet Hall for parish and community events. For Ruthenian Catholics — historically rooted in the auto-industry immigration wave from Eastern Europe — it remains a place where the founders' 1962 sacrifice is still visibly honored in the building, the Iconostasis, and the engraved memorial stones of the outdoor shrine.
Mass times at Saint Basil the Great [Ruthenian]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: Rosary at 3:00 PM, followed by Divine Liturgy at 4:00 PM (Reconciliation commonly available before/after weekend services at Byzantine parishes; Saint Basil lists confessions by appointment)
About St. Basil the Great Byzantine Catholic Church
Saint Basil the Great is a Ruthenian (Byzantine) Catholic parish in Sterling Heights, Michigan, situated in the northern Detroit suburbs. It is canonically part of the Ruthenian Diocese of Parma while sitting geographically within the Archdiocese of Detroit's territory. The parish's main entrance is at 4700 Metropolitan Parkway, and its Mass schedule is built around a Saturday Vigil and a single Sunday morning Divine Liturgy, with weekday services and a Saturday Rosary devotion rounding out the week. The community is small, warm, and described by visitors as close-knit, with a strong devotional life rooted in the Byzantine liturgical tradition.
History
St. Basil grew out of the post-war movement of Ruthenian Catholic families from Detroit's east side into the northern suburbs. Father William Lesko of St. Nicholas (Detroit) organized a 'Founders' group (the Suburban Social Club) that received Bishop Nicholas T. Elko's permission to form a new parish on February 26, 1962. The community worshipped in the North Elementary School gymnasium until breaking ground on its own property on March 16, 1966, and the present church on Metropolitan Parkway hosted its first Divine Liturgy on June 7, 1970.
Founders and Early Years (1962 - 1987)
Father John Kasarda was the founding pastor who acquired the Magnolia Grove parcel on 16 Mile Road. From 1966, Father Edward Zavell served for over twenty years, organizing teen groups, fundraisers, and the parish picnic tradition that continues today. The first Iconostasis was installed in 1978, and the parish hall / gathering spaces were developed during this period.
- March 11, 1962 - first Divine Liturgy in North Elementary School gymnasium
- March 16, 1966 - groundbreaking banquet and announcement of the 'St. Basil the Great' name
- 1966 - Father Ed Zavell begins more than two decades of service
- 1970 - first Divine Liturgy at 4700 Metropolitan Parkway
- September 1978 - first Iconostasis installed
- 1983 - imported chandelier from Athens installed
Father Basil Hutsko Era (1987 - 2004)
Father Basil Hutsko arrived in 1987 as the parish's third pastor. Under his stewardship the building took on its present Byzantine identity: a new roof, removal of the original tower, and installation of the iconic Byzantine-style dome at the front of the church, as well as interior and exterior renovations funded by parishioner generosity and ongoing fundraisers. He also organized Teen Days of Reflection and other Eastern Catholic Youth events as Youth Ministry Coordinator for the Great Lakes Protopresbyterate.
Father Mychail Rozmarynowycz Era (2004 - 2025)
Father Mychail Rozmarynowycz and his wife Donna were welcomed to the parish on December 15, 2004. He presided over the golden anniversary Founders Day on March 11, 2012, and through generous patronage from Bernie and Eleanor Cipa built an outdoor shrine to the Lord Jesus Christ on the south side of the church. The shrine's stone floor is constructed of memorial stones engraved with the names of family members parishioners wish to honor or remember.
- 2002 Iconostasis commissioned from Bulgarian iconographer Svetoslav Videnov (installed September 2002)
- December 15, 2004 - Father Mychail begins pastorate
- March 11, 2012 - Founders Day 50th anniversary
Merger with St. Nicholas (2025)
Following a 2025 decree of Bishop Robert M. Pipta, St. Basil was formally combined with its founding parish, St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church in Detroit. The Very Reverend Father Mykhailo Solianyk, who had administered both parishes for over a year, was named to lead the newly combined parish community. The first Divine Liturgy of the unified parishes was celebrated Sunday, October 26, 2025.
Architecture and Worship Space
Built at a cost of $187,000 and first used June 7, 1970, the church was reworked under Father Basil Hutsko to take on its current Byzantine silhouette: the original bell tower was removed in favor of a Byzantine-style dome at the front of the building, and a new roof was installed. The interior is anchored by a two-tiered Iconostasis with gold-painted icons (2002), Greek-style iconography on the sanctuary ceiling and walls (modeled on the new Iconostasis), and a large chandelier imported from Athens, Greece in 1983. The south side of the church is now anchored by an outdoor shrine with a memorial-stone garden.
- Byzantine-style dome on the front facade
- Two-tiered gold-icon Iconostasis (commissioned September 2002)
- Chandelier imported from Athens, installed 1983
- Outdoor shrine of Jesus Christ with engraved memorial stones (south side)
Sacraments
The Byzantine Mysteries (Baptism/Chrismation/Eucharist), Holy Confession, Matrimony, Anointing, and Funeral rites are all celebrated through the parish. Reconciliation is commonly available before and after Divine Liturgy or by appointment, in keeping with standard Eastern Catholic practice.
- Baptism/Chrismation/Eucharist - arrange with the pastor
- Confession/Reconciliation - before/after Divine Liturgy or by appointment
- Matrimony - by appointment with the pastor
- Anointing / Holy Unction - by arrangement
- Funerals - through the parish office
Ministries and Community Life
Faith at St. Basil is lived in a Byzantine-Eastern Catholic key: the Divine Liturgy is supported by a Rosary devotion on Saturday afternoons, annual parish events traceable to Father Ed Zavell's ministry (annual picnic, fundraisers), and a youth ministry historically coordinated through the Great Lakes Protopresbyterate. The St. Basil Banquet Hall is an important parish-based ministry and community asset, hosting parish gatherings and private events such as weddings.
- Saturday Rosary devotion
- Annual parish picnic (Father Ed Zavell tradition)
- Youth ministry / Teen Days of Reflection (Great Lakes Protopresbyterate)
- St. Basil Banquet Hall (parish-run venue)
- Outdoor shrine and memorial-stone garden program
Facilities: St. Basil Banquet Hall
The St. Basil Banquet Hall is a parish-run event venue at 4700 Metropolitan Parkway, Sterling Heights. It is used both for parish fundraisers and for private events including weddings, and operates separately at (586) 697-3923 / [email protected].
Visiting and Contact
The church sits on the south side of Metropolitan Parkway between Ryan Road and Mound Road in Sterling Heights, with the banquet hall and offices on site. Telephone (586) 268-1082, email [email protected], and the official Facebook page at facebook.com/StBasilByz/ are the main points of contact.
- Address: 4700 Metropolitan Parkway, Sterling Heights, MI 48310-3905
- Phone: (586) 268-1082
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stbasilbyz.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/StBasilByz/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John Kasarda1966 (founding pastor)
First pastor; oversaw the acquisition of the five-acre Magnolia Grove parcel on 16 Mile Road and the 1966 groundbreaking.
- Father Edward Zavell1966 - c.1987
Served St. Basil for over twenty years; organized teen groups, fundraisers, and annual picnics that the parish still celebrates.
- Father Basil Hutsko1987 - c.2004
Third pastor; installed new roof, Byzantine-style dome, and channelled ongoing interior renovations; coordinated Youth Ministry for the Great Lakes Protopresbyterate.
- Father Mychail RozmarynowyczDecember 15, 2004 - 2025
Arrived with wife Donna; led Founders Day golden anniversary in 2012; spearheaded the south-side outdoor shrine to Jesus Christ.
- Father Mykhailo Solianyk2025 - present
Very Reverend; tasked with administering both St. Basil and St. Nicholas under Bishop Pipta's merger decree.