About St. Mary [Ruthenian] · Ambridge, Pennsylvania
St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church is a Ruthenian (Byzantine) Catholic parish in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, belonging to the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh. The congregation traces its roots to the first Divine Liturgy celebrated there on November 3, 1940, in a wooden church borrowed from the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh. Today the parish is known for its distinctive Byzantine architecture — gold domes, an eastern cross, an icon screen and a refurbished bell tower with carillon — and for its beloved Pirohy (pierogi) sales, which have been a parish fundraiser since 1956. Father Anthony Costantino currently serves the parish alongside Deacon Thomas J. Klacik, offering Divine Liturgy in English and (per Byzantine tradition) Church Slavonic.
- Established
- 1940
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Father Anthony Costantino
- Diocese
- Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh (Ruthenian Metropolitanate sui juris)
Why belong here
St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church in Ambridge offers Byzantine Catholics (and anyone drawn to the Eastern Christian tradition) a tight-knit Ruthenian community in the heart of Beaver County. The parish combines a full schedule of Divine Liturgies — Sunday morning, Wednesday evening and Friday morning — with a deep tradition of Byzantine liturgical music (a dedicated choir and cantors), Eastern Christian Formation for children (September through May), adult education, and a Bethany Ministry that visits the sick and shut-ins. Visitors are welcomed by longtime community institutions like the Holy Name Society and the Senior Rosary Society, and by the parish's famed weekly Pirohy (pierogi) sales — voted 'Best Pirohy' at Ambridge Nationality Days.
Mass times at St. Mary [Ruthenian]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 4:45 PM – 5:45 PM
- Sunday after the Divine Liturgy (c. 12:00 PM – 12:15 PM)
About St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church
St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church is the Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic parish in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, serving Allegheny and Beaver county communities since November 3, 1940. The parish belongs to the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, the Ruthenian (Greek) Catholic metropolitanate sui juris headquartered in the region. Worship is celebrated in the Byzantine tradition using English (and, where appropriate, Church Slavonic), with Divine Liturgy offered on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and Great Vespers on alternate Saturdays.
- Rite: Byzantine (Ruthenian)
- Jurisdiction: Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh
- Pastor: Father Anthony Costantino
- Deacon: Deacon Thomas J. Klacik
Parish History
Founded by Carpatho-Rusyn immigrants in 1940, the parish first worshipped in a borrowed Episcopal church building before moving into its newly-built Byzantine-style complex in 1963. Subsequent pastors built the parish's institutions — Holy Name Society, Senior Rosary Society, ECF/Sunday School, Bethany Ministry, and the parish's beloved Pirohy Sales Project — and reshaped the campus, culminating in gold domes, an icon screen and a carillon in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The parish also shares its priest with St. George Byzantine Catholic Church in nearby Aliquippa.
- 1940 — First Divine Liturgy (November 3) in a borrowed Episcopal church
- 1956 — Pirohy Sales Project begins under Father Louis Sismis
- 1962 — Bishop Nicholas T. Elko breaks ground for the new church complex
- 1963 — Cornerstone set March 17; church, hall, rectory and detached bell tower dedicated August 25 by Bishop Elko
- 1973 — Monsignor Edward V. Rosack becomes pastor
- 1998 — Rear extension added and interior renovated
- c.2003 — Icon screen, gold domes, gold eastern cross, and carillon installed
- June 2004 — Msgr. Rosack retires; Father Thomas G. Schaefer appointed administrator
- October 2006 – November 2018 — succession of pastors: Fr. Kevin E. Marks, Fr. David A. Bosnich, Fr. James D. Hess O.Carm., Fr. Joseph R. Raptosh, Fr. Mykhaylo Shykynda
- Present — Father Anthony Costantino, pastor
Clergy and Staff
The parish is currently served by Father Anthony Costantino as pastor, with Deacon Thomas J. Klacik assisting as deacon and parish administrator. Together they shepherd both St. Mary in Ambridge and St. George Byzantine Catholic Church in Aliquippa. Liturgical music is led by cantors Alex Broussard, Mike McCann, Naedia McCann and Catherine Richthammer, and the Eastern Christian Formation program is coordinated by Jonathon Dohanich.
- Father Anthony Costantino — Pastor (cell: 878-226-0878)
- Deacon Thomas J. Klacik — Deacon / Parish Administrator
- Alex Broussard — Cantor
- Mike McCann — Cantor
- Naedia McCann — Cantor
- Catherine Richthammer — Cantor
- Jonathon Dohanich — ECF Coordinator
Divine Liturgy and Holy Mysteries Schedule
Byzantine worship at St. Mary follows the liturgical calendar of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, with regular Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning and two weekday days. Great Vespers are sung on alternate Saturday evenings, and the 1st and 3rd Hours are prayed mid-morning on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Confessions are heard Wednesday afternoons before liturgy and after Sunday Divine Liturgy. Holy Day, Lenten and festal services vary; the weekly bulletin carries the most current schedule.
- Sunday Divine Liturgy — 11:00 AM
- Wednesday Divine Liturgy — 6:00 PM
- Friday Divine Liturgy — 9:00 AM
- Great Vespers — Saturdays at 7:00 PM on odd weeks
- 1st and 3rd Hour — Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 AM
- Confessions — Wednesdays 4:45–5:45 PM and after Sunday Divine Liturgy
Holy Mysteries (Sacraments)
The Byzantine 'Holy Mysteries' — corresponding to the seven sacraments — are administered at St. Mary as elsewhere in the Byzantine Catholic tradition. Reconciliation is heard weekly; Mysteries of Initiation (Baptism, Chrismation and First Eucharist), Anointing, and Crowning (Marriage) are arranged through the parish office.
- Holy Mystery of Reconciliation: Wednesdays 4:45–5:45 PM and after Sunday Divine Liturgy
- Holy Mysteries of Initiation (Baptism/Chrismation/First Eucharist): contact the church office
- Holy Mystery of Anointing: ask prior to surgery or serious illness
- Holy Mystery of Marriage (Crowning): contact the church office eight months prior to wedding
Faith Formation and Education
The parish offers Eastern Christian Formation (ECF) for children from September through May, with adult education classes scheduled at varying times per the bulletin. The ECF program is coordinated by Jonathon Dohanich. In earlier decades the parish ran a Saturday-morning School of Religion and a two-week summer catechetical school taught by the Sisters of St. Basil.
- Eastern Christian Formation (ECF) — September through May
- Adult Education — call the church office or see bulletin
- Past: Sisters of St. Basil summer catechetical school (1960s)
Ministries and Organizations
St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church has a rich network of parish societies and service ministries that have defined its community life for decades. From the long-running Pirohy Sales Project to the Bethany Ministry that visits the homebound, members of the parish serve one another and the wider Ambridge community.
- Pirohy Sales Project — Friday fund-raiser since 1956; 'Best Pirohy' at Ambridge Nationality Days
- Holy Name Society
- Senior Rosary Society
- Bethany Ministry — visits the sick and shut-ins throughout the year
- Choir and Cantors
- Altar Boys
Music and Liturgy
The parish choir, founded by Monsignor Rosack, and a team of cantors lead Byzantine chant at the Divine Liturgy, praying from the icon screen at the front of the church. The cantors are listed in each weekly bulletin.
- Choir founded under Monsignor Edward V. Rosack
- Cantors: Alex Broussard, Mike McCann, Naedia McCann, Catherine Richthammer
The Pirohy (Pierogi) Sales Project
Started in 1956 under Father Louis Sismis as a way to fund the new church complex, the Pirohy Sales Project is now one of St. Mary's signature community outreaches and a beloved Beaver County tradition. Volunteers make fresh pirohy (pierogi) in several varieties, which are sold every Friday from October through May. Advance phone orders are taken on Wednesday mornings between 9:00 and 11:00 AM at 724-266-8642. The parish's pirohy were voted 'Best Pirohy' by Ambridge Nationality Days.
- When: Every Friday, October through May
- Phone orders: 724-266-8642, Wednesdays 9:00–11:00 AM
- Varieties: Potato & Cheese, Sauerkraut, Cottage Cheese, Lekvar (prune)
- Volunteers are warmly welcomed in the fall
Facilities and Campus
The St. Mary campus sits on Park Road in Ambridge and includes the church, a parish hall, a rectory and a detached bell tower. Over the decades the property has grown: the American Bridge Company parking lot across Park Road was purchased for parish use, a handicap-accessible ramp was added, the bell tower was repainted and fitted with a carillon, and a peaked roof was installed on the rectory. In 1998 a rear extension and a full interior renovation modernized the church building itself.
- 624 Park Road, Ambridge, PA 15003-2419
- Church, hall, rectory, detached bell tower
- Gold domes, gold eastern cross, icon screen, carillon
- Parish-owned parking lot across Park Road
- Handicap-accessible ramp
- Rear extension and full interior renovation completed 1998
- Church Hall phone: 724-266-8642; Church Fax: 724-266-1834
Getting Involved — Visiting and Joining
Visitors are warmly welcomed at any service. Those wishing to learn more about the Byzantine Catholic faith can sit in on a Divine Liturgy (Sunday 11:00 AM is the main liturgy), attend Adult Education, or arrange a meeting through the church office. The parish encourages new members to participate in the Pirohy Sales Project, ECF, the choir, or one of its longstanding societies.
- Office phone: 724-266-2030
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://byzantinecatholics.org/sm/
- Facebook: facebook.com/stmarybyzantineambridge
Contact and Directions
St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church is conveniently located right off PA Route 65 (Ohio River Boulevard) in Ambridge, 'down by the river.' Parochial contact details are listed below.
- Address: 624 Park Road, Ambridge, PA 15003-2419
- Rectory/Office: 724-266-2030
- Fr. Anthony's cell: 878-226-0878
- Church Hall: 724-266-8642
- Church Fax: 724-266-1834
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://byzantinecatholics.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stmarybyzantineambridge
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Gregory Moneta1940 – c.1950
Founding pastor; served the parish for ten years.
- Father Louis Sismisfrom 1956
Began the Pirohy Sales Project in 1956 as a parish fundraiser.
- Father Joseph J. Borodachfrom 1962
Administrator; shepherded the new church construction, groundbreaking in 1962 and dedication in 1963.
- Monsignor Edward V. Rosack1973 – June 2004
Long-tenured pastor; oversaw acquisition of American Bridge parking lot, interior renovation in 1998, choir, daily-liturgy chapel, ramp and rectory improvements; retired June 2004.
- Father Thomas G. Schaeferfrom June 2004
Administrator after Msgr. Rosack's retirement; his pastorate saw construction of the icon screen, installation of gold domes, gold eastern cross, and carillon.
- Father Kevin E. MarksOctober 2006 – October 2012
- Father David A. Bosnichfrom October 2012
- Father James D. Hess, O. Carm.from July 2014
Named to care for the spiritual needs of the people alongside Deacon Klacik as administrator.
- Father Joseph R. RaptoshSeptember 2015 – May 27, 2016
- Father Mykhaylo ShykyndaMay 27, 2016 – November 2018
- Father Anthony Costantino
Current pastor; serves with Deacon Thomas J. Klacik.