About St. John the Baptist [Ukrainian] · Syracuse, New York
St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church is a Ukrainian Greek Catholic parish at 207 Tompkins Street in Syracuse, New York, in the city's West End / Tipperary Hill neighborhood. Built in 1913, it was the first Eastern Catholic church in the city and remains a center of Ukrainian heritage and Byzantine liturgy in central New York. The parish welcomes both Ukrainian-speaking faithful and English-speaking congregants at its weekend Divine Liturgies, and remains active with religious education, a Ukrainian Festival, and ongoing humanitarian relief for Ukraine.
- Established
- 1913
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Very Reverend Mitred Archpriest Mihai Dubovici
- Diocese
- Ukrainian Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist offers a rare combination of Byzantine (Ukrainian Greek Catholic) liturgical tradition with welcoming English-language services. Weekend Divine Liturgies are offered Saturday evening in English and on Sundays in both English-and-Ukrainian and Ukrainian-with-choir, with weekday liturgies Tuesday–Friday and bilingual devotional Molebens throughout the liturgical year. The parish runs a Sunday religious-education program in its parish school, maintains an active cemetery for parishioners, hosts the annual Syracuse Ukrainian Festival, and channels ongoing humanitarian aid to Ukraine — making it both a spiritual home and a living center of Ukrainian heritage on Syracuse's West End / Tipperary Hill.
Mass times at St. John the Baptist [Ukrainian]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Before and after Divine Liturgies
- By request
- Saturday 3:30–4:00 pm (per Discover Mass listing)
Parish History
St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church is the first Eastern Catholic church built in the city of Syracuse. Its story begins with three waves of Ukrainian immigrants arriving between 1885 and the early 1900s — Rusyns (1885–88), Lemkos from Lemkivschyna (1890–95), and Galicians from Eastern Halychna (from c. 1900). After years of labor in Syracuse's steel and wire mills, foundries, factories, and the railroad, many settled on the West End / Tipperary Hill and organized to build a church of their own.
- 1885–88: First Ukrainian immigrants — Rusyns from a Hungarian-dominated region of Austria-Hungary
- 1890–95: Second wave — Lemkos from Lemkivschyna
- c. 1900: Third wave — Ukrainians from Eastern Galicia (Halychna / Western Ukraine)
- c. 1900: Parishioners form a committee to purchase property at Tompkins & Wilbur
- 1913: Red-brick church dedicated — first Eastern Catholic church in Syracuse
- 1958: Present school building erected
- Mid-1960s: New rectory built facing Tompkins Street
- Later: Original convent replaced with a new convent next to the rectory
- 2005: Taras Shevchenko monument dedicated on the front grounds
Community Organizations (Historical)
According to the parish's own records, generations of fraternal, cultural, devotional, and youth societies were organized by the community. Several of these societies date back to the late 19th century and shaped parish life through the 20th century.
- 1893 — Branch 34 of the Greek Catholic Union (organized by first Rusyn immigrants)
- 1900 — Sts. Peter & Paul Society, Branch 39 (organized by Lemko immigrants)
- 1912 — St. Olga's Providence Association
- 1921 — Ukrainian Church Choir
- 1921 — Amateur Dramatic Circle
- 1925 — Sacred Heart Society
- 1926 — Ukrainian-American Citizens Club
- 1932 — Catholic Daughters
- 1933 — Ukrainian Catholic Youth Organization
- 1937 — Ukrainian Central Committee
- 1946 — Ukrainian-American Catholic War Veterans, Post 560
- 1955 — Mother's Club (school)
- 1955 — Holy Name Society
- 1997 — Our Lady of Mercy Society
Taras Shevchenko Monument
In 2005, local business owner Peter Coleman led a committee of Ukrainian-Americans and Tipperary Hill neighbors to design and erect a monument to the Ukrainian national poet Taras Shevchenko on the front grounds of the church. The monument was dedicated in autumn 2005 with Syracuse Mayor Matt Driscoll, the Consulate General of Ukraine, New York State representatives, and a large gathering of Ukrainian-Americans in attendance. A commemorative concert followed at the Syracuse Ukrainian National Home.
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently served by Very Reverend Mitred Archpriest Mihai Dubovici as pastor, with two deacons and lay staff supporting the parish's liturgical, educational, and cemetery ministries.
- Very Reverend Mitred Archpriest Mihai Dubovici — Pastor
- Reverend Edward Galvin — Deacon
- Reverend Louis Pizzuti — Deacon
- Peter Vassallo — Cemetery Manager
- Raymond Wihak — Religious Education ([email protected])
- Alice Malick — Sacrament of the Sick contact
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the standard sacraments of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and asks parishioners to contact the office ahead of time to plan.
- Baptisms — contact parish office before arranging the date
- Marriage — call at least 6 months in advance; pre-marital counseling is mandatory
- Sacrament of the Sick — contact Alice Malick or parish office; emergencies anytime
- Confession — before/after Divine Liturgies or by request
Religious Education
Religious education classes for the parish's children are held every Sunday at 10:00 am in the parish school building. Registration inquiries are directed to Raymond Wihak at [email protected].
- Sundays at 10:00 am in the parish school
- Registration: Raymond Wihak, [email protected]
Ukrainian Festival & Cultural Life
The parish remains a center of Ukrainian culture on Syracuse's West End. The annual Syracuse Ukrainian Festival brings the parish and the wider Ukrainian-American community together, and the parish shares its Ukrainian heritage alongside its Irish and Polish neighbors in the Tipperary Hill neighborhood. Periodic food sales and other cultural events are also held throughout the year.
- Syracuse Ukrainian Festival — July 24–25, 2026
- Periodic parish food sales
- Live-streamed services available via the parish Facebook page
Humanitarian Aid for Ukraine
St. John the Baptist has established a Humanitarian Aid fund to accept monetary donations for Ukraine. Donations may be made by cash or check (made payable to 'St. John the Baptist UCC,' marked 'Ukraine' on the envelope) or online via the parish's WeShare page under the 'Help Ukraine' tab.
- Cash or check payable to 'St. John the Baptist UCC' (mark 'Ukraine')
- Online via WeShare — 'Help Ukraine' tab on the parish website
Parish Cemetery
The parish maintains its own cemetery. The purchase of cemetery plots is a privilege reserved for parishioners, and the rectory should be contacted before any major improvements are undertaken on a plot. Day-to-day operations are handled by cemetery manager Peter Vassallo.
Stewardship & Giving
Beyond regular offertory giving, the parish encourages online giving through WeShare and accepts bequests. The parish's legal title for bequests is 'St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church, Syracuse NY.' Any use of church facilities must be cleared in advance at the rectory.
Visiting & Contact
The parish is located at 207 Tompkins Street, Syracuse, NY 13204-2023, at the corner of Tompkins Street and Wilbur Avenue on the West End / Tipperary Hill. The rectory phone is (315) 478-5109. Office hours (as listed) include Tuesday 10:00 am–12:00 pm and 1:00–4:00 pm; a separate parish blogspot lists Tuesday hours of 8:00–11:30 am and 12:30–4:00 pm.
- Address: 207 Tompkins Street, Syracuse, NY 13204-2023
- Phone: (315) 478-5109
- Office hours: Tuesday 10:00 am–12:00 pm; 1:00 pm–4:00 pm (per website contact page)
- Online bulletins via the parish website