About Saint Joseph · Akron, Ohio
St. Joseph Melkite Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic (Greek-Melkite) parish in Akron, Ohio, serving faithful of the Byzantine liturgical tradition who are in full communion with Rome. Founded in 1915 by Lebanese and Syrian immigrants, it is the historic home of Akron's Middle Eastern Catholic community. After nearly 75 years in its landmark brick church on West Exchange Street, the parish relocated in 2021 to a smaller facility at 927 North Portage Path in the Merriman Hills neighborhood, where it continues to celebrate the Divine Liturgy each Sunday.
- Established
- 1915
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Diocese
- Eparchy of Newton (Greek-Melkite Catholic), geographically within the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland
Why belong here
St. Joseph offers Akron Catholics of Middle Eastern heritage—and anyone drawn to the Byzantine tradition—a small, multigenerational community that has celebrated the Divine Liturgy in this city for more than a century. As an Eastern Catholic parish in full communion with Rome, it preserves the ancient Antiochian (Melkite) rite alongside its Roman-Catholic neighbors. Worshipers regularly join the pastor for fellowship and the parish's commitment to keeping the rich liturgical and cultural traditions of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church alive in northeast Ohio.
Mass times at Saint Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
About St. Joseph Melkite Catholic Church
St. Joseph is a Greek-Melkite (Byzantine-rite) Catholic parish in Akron, Ohio, serving the Melkite community of northeast Ohio. It belongs to the Eparchy of Newton and sits geographically within the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. The faithful gather for the Sunday Divine Liturgy, preserving the ancient Antiochian tradition in full communion with the Bishop of Rome.
- Eastern Catholic (Melkite) parish
- Under the Eparchy of Newton
- Located within the territory of the Diocese of Cleveland
Parish History
Lebanese and Syrian immigrants founded the parish in 1915 at the former First United Evangelical Church on Wooster Avenue and Locust Street, with the Rev. Malatios Hagar as the first pastor. After a 1932 fire and a destructive April 1943 tornado, the congregation rebuilt under the Rev. Paul Malouf at West Exchange Street and Rhodes Avenue, where Bishop Edward F. Hoban presided at the formal dedication on May 2, 1948. The community weathered World War I, the Spanish Flu, the Great Depression, and World War II.
- 1915: Parish founded by Lebanese and Syrian immigrants
- First location: former First United Evangelical Church, Wooster Ave. & Locust St.
- First pastor: Rev. Malatios Hagar
- January 1932: Church fire; Rev. Agabios Riashi saved sacred objects
- April 1943: Tornado destroyed the church
- 1946–48: New brick church built under Rev. Paul Malouf at W. Exchange & Rhodes
- May 2, 1948: Formal dedication by Bishop Edward F. Hoban
The 1948 Church and 1955 Shrine
The 1946–48 brick church at 600 W. Exchange Street included a sanctuary, a 300-seat auditorium in the basement, a parish house, and social rooms. In 1955, Patriarch Maximos IV traveled from Jerusalem to dedicate a shrine featuring a marble statue of St. Joseph and the 14 Stations of the Cross. His successor, Patriarch Maximos V, visited about thirty years later.
- Cornerstone laid August 25, 1946
- Auditorium seated 300 in the church basement
- 1955: Shrine with marble St. Joseph statue and 14 Stations of the Cross dedicated by Patriarch Maximos IV
- c. 1985: Visit of Patriarch Maximos V
Move to 927 North Portage Path (2021)
After nearly 75 years at the landmark West Exchange Street building, the congregation—then about 100 families with 45 to 65 Sunday communicants—held its final service in August 2021 and relocated to a smaller structure at 927 N. Portage Path in the Merriman Hills neighborhood, with the goal of growing into its new home.
- Final service at 600 W. Exchange St.: August 2021
- New address: 927 N. Portage Path, Akron, OH 44303 (Merriman Hills)
- Roughly 100 parish families
- 45–65 communicants attending on Sundays (as reported in 2021)
Mass and Liturgy
The parish celebrates the Byzantine (Melkite) Divine Liturgy. The published weekly schedule lists a single Sunday morning service.
- Sunday Divine Liturgy: 10:00 AM
Languages and Heritage
Worship has historically been offered in Arabic and Greek, with English now in regular use. The parish's founders were Lebanese and Syrian Catholic immigrants who brought the Melkite Greek Catholic tradition to Akron.
- Liturgical languages: English, Arabic, Greek
- Founders: Lebanese and Syrian immigrants
- Also historically known as St. Joseph Syrian Catholic Church and St. Joseph Melkite Greek Catholic Church
Visit and Contact
The parish's current home is in the Merriman Hills area of Akron, on North Portage Path near West Exchange Street.
- Address: 927 N. Portage Path, Akron, OH 44303
- Phone: (330) 400-4882
- Website: http://www.stjosephakron.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Malatios Hagar1915–
Founding pastor of the parish.
- Rev. Agabios Riashi1932 (at least)
Rushed into the burning church in January 1932 to save sacred objects from the altar.
- Rev. Paul Malouf1946–1948 (at least)
Native of Lebanon; supervised construction of the West Exchange Street church; celebrated the Divine Liturgy at its May 2, 1948 dedication.