About Saint Nicholas [Ukrainian] · Glen Lyon, Pennsylvania
St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church is a Byzantine (Ukrainian) Catholic parish in Glen Lyon, Pennsylvania, in the anthracite coal region of Luzerne County. Founded in 1894 by immigrant miners from Western Ukraine (Ruthenian/Carpatho-Rusyn families), it belongs to the Ukrainian Metropolitan Archeparchy of Philadelphia while sitting geographically within the territory of the Roman Diocese of Scranton. The original wooden church was destroyed by fire on January 24, 1936; the present church was rebuilt on the same East Main Street site and blessed in 1937 by Metropolitan Constantine Bohachevsky. Today St. Nicholas is administered alongside SS. Cyril & Methodius in Berwick by Rev. Vasyl Putera, with Divine Liturgy celebrated on Sundays and the feast of its patron, Saint Nicholas of Myra, the Wonderworker.
- Established
- 1894
- Patron
- Saint Nicholas (of Myra, the Wonderworker)
- Rector
- Rev. Vasyl Putera (Administrator of St. Nicholas, Glen Lyon, since October 1, 2023; pastor of SS. Cyril & Methodius, Berwick)
- Diocese
- Ukrainian Metropolitan Archeparchy of Philadelphia (Byzantine rite); geographically within the territory of the Roman Diocese of Scranton
Why belong here
St. Nicholas offers a chance to worship in the Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic tradition in a small, storied parish that has kept the faith alive in the Glen Lyon coal region since 1894. Parishioners gather for Sunday Divine Liturgy, observe the feast of their patron St. Nicholas in true Ukrainian style, and remain connected through the Archeparchy's parish family, shared clergy, and the historic cemetery in Newport Township. It is a tight-knit community where the singing is a cappella in the Eastern tradition and where 125 years of prayer continue on the same East Main Street site.
Mass times at Saint Nicholas [Ukrainian]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Half hour before Divine Liturgy
History of St. Nicholas Parish
St. Nicholas was founded in 1894 by immigrants from Western Ukraine who came to work the anthracite mines of the Lehigh & Wilkes-Barre Coal Company. The community first worshipped in a wooden church on what was then East Nanticoke Street. For more than fifty years — until 1948 — St. Nicholas was a mission station, visited by priests from St. Vladimir's in Alden, St. Nicholas in Nanticoke, and Holy Transfiguration in Nanticoke. The parish grew steadily, reaching 276 souls by its 60th anniversary in 1954 and roughly 300 registered parishioners at its peak later in the 20th century.
- Founded 1894 by Carpatho-Rusyn immigrant miners
- Mission status until January 1, 1948
- 60th anniversary marked in 1954 with renovations and a new iconostasis
The 1936 Fire and the Present Church
On January 24, 1936, the original wooden church was destroyed by fire. The faithful rebuilt on the same East Main Street site, and the new St. Nicholas was solemnly blessed on October 3, 1937, by Most Rev. Constantine Bohachevsky, apostolic exarch for Ukrainian Catholics in the United States. A 1954 interior renovation repainted the sanctuary in the Ukrainian Catholic tradition and installed a new iconostasis that remains a focal point of the liturgical space.
- Fire: January 24, 1936
- Blessing of new church: October 3, 1937 (Bishop Bohachevsky)
- New iconostasis installed 1954
Clergy
St. Nicholas has been served both by visiting pastors from sister Byzantine parishes and by resident pastors. The parish's first resident pastor, Rev. Bohdan Olesh, served for half a century until his death in 1998. The Archeparchy currently links St. Nicholas with SS. Cyril & Methodius in Berwick under shared pastoral leadership.
- Rev. Bohdan Olesh — first resident pastor, 1948–1998; named monsignor 1985
- Rev. John Seniw — 2004–2017; also protopresbyter (dean) of the North Anthracite Deanery
- Rev. Roman Petryshak — pastor until September 30, 2023
- Rev. Vasyl Putera — current Administrator since October 1, 2023
Liturgical Schedule
Divine Liturgy is celebrated on Sundays in the Ukrainian Byzantine tradition. Confessions are heard a half hour before the start of Divine Liturgy. In line with Archeparchy practice, music is provided by a parish choir singing a cappella in the Eastern tradition.
- Sunday Divine Liturgy — 10:00 AM
- Second listed service — 12:00 PM (per Archeparchy parish page)
- Confession — half hour before Divine Liturgy
Feast of St. Nicholas
St. Nicholas of Myra, the Wonderworker, is venerated as a patron of travelers, sailors, warriors, and children, and is one of the most beloved saints in the Ukrainian and Byzantine Catholic traditions. His primary feast day is December 6 (new calendar) / December 19 (old Julian calendar), with a secondary commemoration on May 9 / May 22 marking the translation of his relics to Bari.
- Primary feast: December 6 (Gregorian) / December 19 (Julian) — 'winter Nicholas'
- Secondary feast: May 9 / May 22 — Translation of the Relics
- Patron of travelers, sailors, warriors, and children
Parish Cemetery
In 1898 the Lehigh & Wilkes-Barre Coal Company agreed to sell the parish one acre of land for a cemetery in Newport Township. Parishioners themselves have traditionally handled the caretaking of the cemetery, which remains a tangible link to the founding generation of Glen Lyon's Ukrainian Catholic community.
- Cemetery land acquired 1898 from Lehigh & Wilkes-Barre Coal Company
- Located in Newport Township
- Care taken by parishioners
Parish Community Life
Historically the parish was a hub of community life, supporting the Sacred Heart Society, Holy Name Society, Sodality, altar boys, the Providence Association, and the Ukrainian Catholic Youth League. Card parties, Christmas parties, parish picnics (held on leased coal-company land), and Ukrainian folk dancing were regular features of parish life. Religious education programs were led by the pastor, and many vocations to the priesthood and religious life came from these families.
- Sacred Heart Society, Holy Name Society, Sodality
- Ukrainian Catholic Youth League
- Providence Association
- Parish picnics, Christmas parties, Ukrainian folk dancing
Visiting St. Nicholas Today
St. Nicholas is now administered alongside SS. Cyril & Methodius Ukrainian Catholic Church in Berwick, with Rev. Vasyl Putera serving both communities. Parish mail and phone calls are routed through the Berwick office, and Mass correspondence uses the Archeparchy's ukrcatholic.org email system.
- Shared pastorate with SS. Cyril & Methodius, Berwick (706 Warren St., Berwick, PA 18603)
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Telephone: (570) 752-3172
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Bohdan Olesh1948–1998 (d. December 1998)
First resident pastor. Named monsignor in 1985. Led parish through its 60th-anniversary renovation in 1954 and the installation of a new iconostasis.
- Rev. John Seniw2004–2017
Longest-tenured pastor of the 2000s; also served as protopresbyter (dean) of the North Anthracite Deanery.
- Rev. Roman Petryshakbefore October 1, 2023
Relieved as pastor of both SS. Cyril and Methodius (Berwick) and St. Nicholas (Glen Lyon) effective September 30, 2023, per Archeparchy clergy assignments.
- Rev. Vasyl PuteraOctober 1, 2023–present
Appointed Administrator of St. Nicholas, Glen Lyon, while remaining pastor of SS. Cyril & Methodius, Berwick.