About St. John the Baptist [Ruthenian] · Scottdale, Pennsylvania
St. John the Baptist is a Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic parish serving the Scottdale area of southwestern Pennsylvania as part of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh. The Slavic faithful who founded the parish settled in a stretch of Scottdale known as 'Swedetown' and built their first church in 1910–1912 to worship in the Eastern Christian tradition without traveling 14 or 27 miles to the nearest Byzantine churches. A century later, the parish continues that legacy of Eastern Catholic worship in an architecturally distinctive building celebrated for a hand-cut Italian sanctuary mosaic and custom stained glass.
- Established
- 1910
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Father Oleh Seremchuk (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh (Ruthenian Metropolitanate sui juris of Pittsburgh); geographically located within the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist offers faithful a uniquely Byzantine-Ruthenian experience of the universal Catholic Church in the Scottdale area — Eastern Christian Divine Liturgy, distinctive iconography, and a building whose art was designed exclusively for this parish. The Byzantine-Ruthenian Church is self-governing (sui iuris) and equal in dignity to the Roman Catholic Church, while remaining in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, giving parishioners both an ancient liturgical tradition and the communion of the universal Church. Centenary-strong in 2010 and now past its 110th year, it is a parish where generations of Eastern Catholic families continue what their ancestors started in 1912.
Mass times at St. John the Baptist [Ruthenian]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 – 4:15 PM
- By appointment
Parish History
St. John the Baptist was founded in 1910 by Slavic Byzantine Catholics who had settled in 'Swedetown,' a patch that became part of the Borough of Scottdale in 1926, and dedicated their first church in 1912 with Father Myron Danilovich as founding pastor. Until 1955 the parish was a mission of St. Stephen Church in Leisenring; the arrival of the first resident pastor that year brought a new rectory. Father John Salko, appointed in 1961, led what the parish describes as its 'complete transformation,' culminating in the groundbreaking for a new church at the 50th Anniversary in 1962 and the first Divine Liturgy in the new building on Thanksgiving Day, 1971. The parish then built the Shrine of Our Lady of the Highway and installed three Holland-made bells in 1979, marked its 75th Anniversary with re-roofing and gold re-gilding in 1987, and celebrated its centennial in 2010.
Founding Community
The founding families were Slavic immigrants who came to southwestern Pennsylvania in the late 1800s and worked the coal mines and steel mills opened after H.C. Frick and other industrialists acquired vast coal rights in 1903. Located 14 miles from Leisenring and 27 miles from Latrobe, the local Byzantine Catholics found it impractical to depend on those distant parishes and organized their own parish in 1910.
Architecture and Sacred Art
The current church, opened in 1971, is described by the parish as a tasteful blending of contemporary design and European influence. Its most celebrated artwork is the sanctuary mosaic of the Mystical Supper, more than 750,000 individually hand-cut tile pieces crafted in Milan, Italy, and installed over 19 days by four Milanese mosaic artists. The stained-glass windows carry unique vignette outlines depicting feasts of Christ and the Mother of God. Both the mosaic and the windows were designed as one-of-a-kind works of art for St. John and were never to be duplicated elsewhere.
- Mystic Supper sanctuary mosaic (1971): 750,000+ hand-cut tile pieces, made in Milan, Italy
- Custom stained-glass windows depicting feasts of Christ and the Mother of God
- Three Holland-made bells installed in 1979
- Outdoor Shrine of Our Lady of the Highway completed in 1979
- 75th Anniversary renovations (1987): new tile roof, painting, masonry, gold re-gilding of symbols
Byzantine-Ruthenian Identity
The Byzantine-Ruthenian Church sui iuris ('of its own right') is self-governing and equal in dignity to the Roman Catholic Church, while in full communion with the Bishop of Rome. Its clergy, laws, institutions, liturgies, forms of spirituality, and methods of theology are distinct, with theological roots tracing to Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire. The parish celebrates the Liturgy of the Byzantine Rite.
Worship and Holy Mysteries
The parish publishes its Divine Liturgy schedule on the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh directory page; weekday Liturgies are announced in the Sunday bulletin (posted to the parish's Facebook page), and Great Fast (Lent) Services are held Wednesday evenings at 6:00 PM. The Mysteries (Sacraments) of Confession, Marriage, and Anointing are arranged by contacting the rectory at (724) 887-5072.
Faith Formation and Organizations
Father James Hayer introduced Sunday Eastern Catholic Foundation (ECF) classes in the parish hall during his temporary administration, and parish organizations — including historically the Holy Name Society, the Altar and Rosary Society, the Ladies Guild, and St. John's Crafters — have long supported the parish's spiritual, social, and fundraising life.
- Eastern Catholic Foundation (ECF) Sunday classes
- St. John's Ladies Guild (historic)
- Altar and Rosary Society (historic)
- St. John's Crafters
- Holy Name Society (historic)
Diocese and Administration
St. John the Baptist is part of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, the Ruthenian Metropolitanate sui juris headquartered in Pittsburgh. Though a Byzantine (Eastern) Catholic parish, it lies geographically within the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg. The Archeparchy's Priest Directory lists Father Oleh Seremchuk as serving St. John the Baptist in Scottdale and St. Nicholas in Perryopolis.
Visiting and Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. John the Baptist by mail, phone, or through the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh directory listing.
- Address: 525 Porter Avenue, Scottdale, PA 15683
- Phone: (724) 887-5072
- Official listing: https://archpitt.org/place/scottdalepa-2/
- Administrators' bulletin announcements via Facebook
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Myron Danilovich1912 (founding)
First pastor; church dedicated in 1912.
- Father John Salko1961 –
Credited with the 'complete transformation of the parish'; led the 1962 groundbreaking for the new church that opened Thanksgiving Day 1971.
- Father James Hayer
Temporarily administered the parish; initiated Sunday Eastern Catholic Foundation (ECF) classes in the parish hall and remodeled the church business office.
- Father Oleh Seremchukcurrent Administrator
Also serves St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church in Perryopolis.