About Saint Boniface Church /Christ our Savior Parish · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Saint Boniface Church is one of three historic worship sites that together make up Christ Our Savior Parish on Pittsburgh's North Side, within the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Founded in 1884 by German-American Catholics, the parish built its present limestone church at 2208 East Street in 1925–1926 to a design by architect A.F. Link. The building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 and a designated Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation landmark since 1974, is known for its three-bay nave, pendentive dome and Guastavino tile vaulting. Since 2019 the church has shared its parish life with St. Peter Church (North Side) and St. Cyril of Alexandria Church (Brighton Heights), offering weekend Masses in English, a Saturday-vigil and Sunday morning schedule, weekday Masses, a Saturday confession hour, an active St. Vincent de Paul conference and food bank, faith formation, and a senior meal ministry that has delivered thousands of meals to local elders.
- Established
- 1884
- Patron
- Saint Boniface
- Rector
- Rev. Nicholas Vaskov
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pittsburgh
Why belong here
Christ Our Savior Parish welcomes visitors and new parishioners to share in the life of three historic North Side churches, including the landmark 1925 St. Boniface Church. The parish combines traditional Catholic liturgy in English — with weekday and weekend Masses across the three worship sites, Saturday confessions, and seasonal devotions — with a strong culture of service: a St. Vincent de Paul conference and food bank serving Spring Hill and the North Side, a Ladies of Charity chapter, a Senior Meal Ministry that has delivered more than 8,300 meals to local elders, and a Bereavement / Arimathean ministry supporting grieving parishioners. CCD faith formation for public-school children, OCIA for adults entering the Church, Bible study, a choir, and parish-wide fellowship and fundraising committees make it easy to get involved.
Mass times at Saint Boniface Church /Christ our Savior Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays, 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM at St. Cyril Church (after the 9:00 AM Mass)
Saint Boniface Church — Christ Our Savior Parish
Saint Boniface Church, at 2208 East Street in the East Street Valley / Spring Hill City View neighborhood of Pittsburgh's North Side, is one of three worship sites of Christ Our Savior Parish in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. The parish was founded in 1884 by German-American Catholics; the current limestone church was built in 1925–1926 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Saint Boniface shares parish life with St. Peter Church (North Side, 720 Arch Street) and St. Cyril of Alexandria Church (Brighton Heights, 3854 Brighton Road).
- Founded 1884 by German-American Catholics
- Current church built 1925–1926, designed by architect A.F. Link
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1981)
- Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation landmark since 1974
- Part of Christ Our Savior Parish since 2019
History of the Parish
German-American Catholics founded St. Boniface Parish in 1884. As the community grew, a larger and more architecturally ambitious church was constructed at 2208 East Street in 1925 and 1926. In 1994, the Diocese of Pittsburgh merged St. Boniface with neighboring St. Ambrose Parish in Spring Hill to create Holy Wisdom Parish; during those years the building also hosted St. John XXIII Personal Quasi-Parish for the Traditional Latin Mass. In 2019, the parish was reorganized again as Christ Our Savior Parish, joining with St. Peter and St. Cyril of Alexandria. In November 2025 the parish celebrated the 100th anniversary of the 1925–1926 church building.
- 1884 — Parish founded by German-Americans
- 1925–1926 — Current church built; architect A.F. Link
- 1974 — Designated a PHLF landmark
- 1981 — Added to the National Register of Historic Places
- 1994 — Merged into Holy Wisdom Parish with St. Ambrose, Spring Hill
- Also housed St. John XXIII Personal Quasi-Parish (Traditional Latin Mass)
- 2019 — Became part of Christ Our Savior Parish with St. Peter and St. Cyril
- November 2025 — 100th anniversary Mass celebrated by Bishop Eckman
Architecture of the 1925–1926 Building
The present St. Boniface church is a striking combination of Romanesque Revival, Byzantine Revival and Italianate styles, designed by Pittsburgh architect A.F. Link. The plan centers on a three-bay nave capped by a pendentive dome built with the Guastavino tile system — the same Catalan vaulting technique used in many of America's great early-20th-century public buildings. The exterior is clad in limestone with carved stone detailing around the entrance and windows, where the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation has placed a historical marker commemorating the building.
- Architect: A.F. Link
- Style: Romanesque Revival / Byzantine Revival / Italianate
- Three-bay nave
- Pendentive dome with Guastavino tile vaulting
- Limestone exterior with carved detailing
- PHLF historical marker at the main entrance
Clergy and Staff
The parish is served by a pastoral team that includes the pastor and parochial vicar, with assistance from retired/auxiliary clergy and a deacon. Deacon Michael Fekete coordinates Baptisms, and the parish office handles marriage arrangements at 412-761-1552.
- Rev. Nicholas Vaskov — Pastor (per Feb 2025 parish bulletin)
- Rev. Michael A. Caridi ('Fr. Mike') — Pastor (per diocese listing / OCIA contact)
- Rev. Dam D. Nguyen, MDiv — Senior Parochial Vicar
- Msgr. Lawrence DiNardo
- Rev. Louis DeNinno
- Deacon Michael Fekete — Baptism coordinator
Parish Ministries and Volunteer Opportunities
Christ Our Savior Parish offers an unusually wide range of ministries across its three worship sites, from charitable outreach to liturgy, formation and fellowship. The food bank, St. Vincent de Paul conference, Ladies of Charity, and Senior Meal Ministry carry the parish's outreach into the surrounding North Side and Spring Hill communities; liturgical and music ministries invite parishioners into the celebration of Mass; and CCD, OCIA, Bible study and Damascus Diner support ongoing faith growth.
- Food Bank — 2nd Monday, 3:30–4:30 PM at St. Cyril garage
- St. Vincent de Paul Society / COS SVDP Food Pantry
- Ladies of Charity
- Pleasant Valley Breakfast Ministry
- Bereavement Ministry / Arimatheans
- Senior Meal Ministry / Senior Outreach (8,300+ meals delivered since 2019)
- Environmental & Decorating Ministry
- Damascus Diner — men's Saturday breakfast
- OCIA — adult initiation
- CCD — faith formation for public-school children
- Bible Study
- Senior Ministry
- Faith in Fellowship
- Community & Diversity Committee
- Fundraising Committee
- Choir
- Ushers / Greeters
- Lectors
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Altar Servers (children and adults)
- Sacristans
- Pastoral Council
- Finance Council
Sacraments
Information about the sacraments is published in the parish bulletin. Baptisms are arranged through Deacon Michael Fekete. Marriages require arrangements at least six months in advance through the parish office. Sacramental sponsors must be practicing Catholics and registered members of a parish. Confessions are heard Saturday mornings at St. Cyril Church, and adults seeking to enter the Catholic Church are prepared through the OCIA program with reception of the sacraments at Easter.
- Baptism — contact Deacon Michael Fekete
- Marriage — arrangements at least six months in advance via the parish office
- Sacramental Sponsor — must be a practicing, registered Catholic
- Reconciliation — Saturdays 9:30–10:00 AM at St. Cyril Church
- OCIA — adults preparing for Baptism, Confirmation and First Eucharist at Easter
Outreach and Charity
Charitable outreach is central to parish identity. The Food Bank, run in partnership with St. Vincent de Paul's 'Spark of Hope,' distributes canned goods, cereals, pastas, and fresh produce to residents of Spring Hill and portions of the North Side on the second Monday of each month. The Ladies of Charity provide lunch once a month to Northside Common Ministries, and teens and their families serve a hot breakfast there once a month. Since its 2019 launch, the Senior Outreach ministry has delivered over 8,300 meals — including Thanksgiving and Christmas meals — to seniors on the North Side, supported by volunteer drivers and home bakers.
- Parish Food Bank — 2nd Monday, 3:30–4:30 PM, St. Cyril garage
- COS SVDP Food Pantry — donations by check payable to 'COS SVDP Food Pantry'
- Ladies of Charity — monthly lunch for Northside Common Ministries
- Pleasant Valley Breakfast — monthly hot breakfast with teens and families
- Senior Meal Ministry — Thanksgiving/Christmas meals and ongoing deliveries; 8,300+ meals since 2019
- Bereavement Ministry / Arimatheans — funeral support for parishioners
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners of all ages are invited to take an active role in the celebration of Mass as lectors, Eucharistic ministers, altar servers, sacristans, ushers, greeters, and choir members. No prior music-reading experience is required to join the choir. Children and adults may serve at the altar, and the parish notes that altar serving can be a meaningful family ministry.
- Lectors — proclaim the Word of God at Mass
- Eucharistic Ministers — distribute Holy Communion
- Altar Servers — children and adults; family ministry
- Sacristans — care for the worship space and vessels
- Ushers / Greeters — welcome and hospitality
- Choir — open to singers, no music-reading required
Faith Formation
Faith formation offerings cover the lifecycle: CCD provides religious education for school-age children attending public school, OCIA prepares adults who wish to enter the Catholic Church or complete their initiation, and Bible study gatherings—often led with members of the clergy team—offer ongoing Scripture reflection.
- CCD — faith formation for public-school children
- OCIA — adult initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist at Easter)
- Bible Study — clergy-led Scripture gatherings
- Damascus Diner — men's faith-sharing breakfast on Saturdays
Parish Life and Fellowship
Christ Our Savior Parish cultivates community through parish events, fundraising activities, the Faith in Fellowship group, a Community & Diversity Committee that works with other North Side Christian churches, and a Senior Ministry that reaches out by phone, card, and meal delivery. The fundraising committee both supports parish projects and 'promotes mutual community camaraderie,' and the Senior Meal Ministry's drivers and home bakers are a tangible expression of parish hospitality.
- Parish Events calendar (St. Vincent de Paul meetings, Food Bank distributions, Fundraising Committee meetings)
- Faith in Fellowship — shared experiences and community gatherings
- Community & Diversity — ecumenical work with other North Side churches
- Fundraising Committee — parish events and fellowship
- Senior Ministry — phone calls, cards, and meal delivery
Visiting and Contact
Visitors are warmly invited to attend Mass at any of the three worship sites and to learn more about parish life. New parishioners are encouraged to speak with an usher, visit the parish website, or contact the parish office at 412-761-1552 / [email protected].
- Saint Boniface Church — 2208 East Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212
- Parish Administrative Center — 720 Arch Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212
- Phone — 412-761-1552
- Email — [email protected]
- Website — https://christoursaviorpgh.org
- Facebook — facebook.com/christoursaviorpgh