About St. Demetrius · Gallitzin, Pennsylvania
St. Demetrius Catholic Parish is a Roman-Latin rite parish of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, perched on a mountain top in Gallitzin, Pennsylvania, where it has served God's people 'since 1850.' The parish was canonically established on September 29, 2000, by the merger of two historic congregations — St. Patrick (an Irish/Italian mission dating to 1850, made a parish in 1869, with its present church cornerstone laid in 1884) and Our Lady of Czestochowa (organized in 1902 by the town's Polish community, established in 1904, with its church built in 1905-1906). The parish takes its name from Prince Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin, the Russian-born 'Apostle of the Alleghenies' who is the namesake of the borough of Gallitzin itself and whose cause for canonization is under consideration.
- Established
- 2000
- Patron
- St. Demetrius (named in honor of Prince Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin; most likely the St. Demetrius who was Patriarch of Alexandria, 188–231 A.D.)
- Rector
- Rev. Albert H. Ledoux
- Diocese
- Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown
Why belong here
St. Demetrius offers the full rhythm of traditional Catholic parish life in an intimate mountain-top setting — daily Mass Monday through Friday, two Sunday Masses, a Saturday Vigil, a Pro-Life Rosary before morning Mass, and the Rite of Reconciliation before every weekend Mass. The parish preserves a rich ethnic heritage through the union of its Irish/Italian and Polish founding communities, and worships under the patronage of the great Prince-Priest of the Alleghenies, whose cause for sainthood the people of the Altoona-Johnstown diocese actively support.
Mass times at St. Demetrius
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Before all weekend Masses (Saturday Vigil and Sunday Masses)
Welcome to St. Demetrius Parish
St. Demetrius Parish serves God's people from the mountain top of Gallitzin, Pennsylvania, and has done so without interruption since 1850. The parish office is located at the church rectory at 811 Church Street, Gallitzin, PA 16641, and can be reached at 814-408-2371 or [email protected]. The parish is part of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown and celebrates the Roman-Latin rite.
- Office at Church Rectory
- 811 Church St., Gallitzin, PA 16641
- Phone: 814-408-2371
- Email: [email protected]
Parish History
St. Demetrius Parish was canonically established on September 29, 2000, by the merger of two long-standing congregations. The parish's history page, hosted on the official parish website, lays out the timeline of both founding communities and explains the unusual choice of patron.
St. Patrick — The Irish/Italian Mission (1850)
Catholic life in Gallitzin began as a mission in 1850. It became a formal parish in 1869 under the patronage of St. Patrick, and the cornerstone of its present church building was laid in 1884. This congregation served the Irish and Italian Catholic settlers who came to work on the Allegheny Mountain tunnels and the Pennsylvania Railroad.
- 1850 — Mission established
- 1869 — Parish established
- 1884 — Cornerstone of the present Church building
Our Lady of Czestochowa — The Polish Parish (1902)
The Polish Catholic community of Gallitzin organized its own congregation in 1902, was formally established in 1904, and built its church in 1905-1906. This Polish-origin worship site was the one ultimately closed around 2011 due to structural deterioration and demolished in 2015, after the parish could no longer afford to maintain two aging buildings.
- 1902 — Organized
- 1904 — Established
- 1905-1906 — Church built
Prince Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin — Patron of the Parish
Prince Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin was a Russian aristocrat (Dimitry Dimitrievich Golitsyn, 1770–1840) who emigrated to America, was ordained a Catholic priest in 1795, and took over a small parish of about a dozen members in Pennsylvania in 1799. Known as 'The Apostle of the Alleghenies,' he is credited with growing Catholicism across what would become the Altoona-Johnstown diocese to roughly 10,000 members, while personally spending his inherited fortune to buy land for Catholic settlers. He died on Easter Sunday, May 6, 1840, having never taken a salary. The borough of Gallitzin itself is named for him, and in 2005 he was declared a Servant of God — the first step toward possible canonization. The parish chose the name 'St. Demetrius' to honor him; the patron saint most likely referenced is the St. Demetrius who was Patriarch of Alexandria from 188–231 A.D., whose feast day is October 9.
- Russian aristocrat and Catholic priest (1770–1840)
- Ordained 1795; began Allegheny ministry 1799
- Died Easter Sunday, May 6, 1840
- Declared Servant of God, June 6, 2005
- Namesake of the borough of Gallitzin
Sacraments and Devotions
The parish schedules the Rite of Reconciliation before every weekend Mass — both the Saturday Vigil and both Sunday Masses. A Pro-Life Rosary is prayed before each morning Mass, reflecting the parish's commitment to the pro-life cause.
- Rite of Reconciliation — before all weekend Masses
- Pro-Life Rosary — before morning Mass
Office Hours and Contact
The parish office is located at the church rectory at 811 Church Street, Gallitzin. According to the official parish website, office hours are Monday 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM; a third-party directory lists the office as additionally open Tuesday and Wednesday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Telephone and email are the primary means of contact.
- Address: 811 Church St., Gallitzin, PA 16641
- Phone: 814-408-2371
- Email: [email protected]
Clergy
The parish is served by its pastor, Rev. Albert H. Ledoux, who is listed on both the parish website and the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown's clergy directory as pastor of Saint Demetrius Parish, Gallitzin.
- Rev. Albert H. Ledoux — Pastor