About St. Nicholas [Ruthenian] · Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Saint Nicholas of Myra is a Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic parish in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, serving the faithful of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh in the Eastern Christian tradition. Founded in 1955 as a mission chapel and seated in its present East Pittsburgh Street location since 1959, the parish is celebrated in the wider Greensburg community for its distinctive dome-topped church, its Slavonic heritage, and especially its homemade pirohy and ethnic foods. Today the parish is served by Father Vasyl Banyk, who also looks after the nearby mission of St. Mary in Hannastown, and continues to offer the Byzantine Divine Liturgy, Eastern Christian Formation for children, and a warm devotional life including the annual St. Nicholas Day celebration each December.
- Established
- 1955
- Patron
- St. Nicholas of Myra
- Rector
- Rev. Vasyl Banyk
- Diocese
- Archeparchy of Pittsburgh (Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Metropolitanate sui juris); physically located within the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg.
Why belong here
St. Nicholas of Myra offers a rare Eastern Christian witness in the Greensburg area, celebrating the full Byzantine liturgical tradition in the Ruthenian Catholic communion with the Archbishop of Pittsburgh. The parish gathers the faithful for the Divine Liturgy each Sunday and Saturday, with Holy Mysteries (Confession before services, plus marriage and anointing by arrangement), Eastern Christian Formation for children, and Bible Study for adults during Lent. A close-knit community life shows itself in the parish's famous pirohy and ethnic foods, its annual St. Nicholas Day celebration in December, and parish fundraisers such as Turkey Bingo in the social hall—making it both a spiritual home and a living expression of Slavonic heritage.
Mass times at St. Nicholas [Ruthenian]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM
- Saturday 4:30 PM
History of the Parish
The parish traces its roots to 1955, when local Byzantine Catholic families in Greensburg petitioned Bishop Nicholas Elko through the pastor of St. Mary in Herminie. Beginning as a mission on October 1, 1955, under the name Transfiguration of Our Lord Greek Catholic Church, the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated on October 5 in the rented second floor of a fire station. By December 1955, twelve families had leased the old Spiritual Church on Broad Street in South Greensburg, and the community worshipped there for Christmas on January 7, 1956.
- 1955 — Mission organized October 1; first Divine Liturgy October 5 in a fire-station hall
- 1956 — Twelve families lease the old Spiritual Church on Broad Street for Christmas (Jan. 7)
- 1958 — First resident pastor appointed February 2; East Pittsburgh Street property purchased August 28
- 1959 — Chapel in the rectory dedicated May 10; mission renamed St. Nicholas of Myra
- 1962 — Groundbreaking for the permanent church on April 8
- 1964 — Permanent church dedicated May 24
- 1968 — Dome and bell system added to the tower
- 1980 — 25th anniversary Liturgy broadcast via Radio Free Europe (October 19)
- 1983 — New icon screen and altar dedicated at the mortgage burning (August 28)
- 1986 — Church interior and social hall renovations
- 2005 — 50th anniversary milestone celebration in October
Clergy
The parish is currently served by Father Vasyl Banyk, who was appointed pastor of St. Nicholas of Myra, Greensburg, and Administrator of St. Mary, Hannastown, effective August 1, 2024. He previously served as pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Sykesville and administrator of the Nativity of the Mother of God Church in Du Bois. Father Banyk can be reached through the rectory (724-837-0295) or by email at [email protected].
- Pastor: Reverend Vasyl Banyk (since August 1, 2024)
- Previous pastor: Father Regis J. Dusecina (retired July 31, 2024)
- Founding pastor (1955): Father Josaphat Popovich, OSB, of the Herminie St. Mary community
Worship & Holy Mysteries
St. Nicholas celebrates the Byzantine Ruthenian Divine Liturgy each weekend in the parish church. The full schedule of 'Holy Mysteries' (sacraments) is listed on the parish's Archeparchy page, with the Divine Liturgy on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings, confessions on Saturday afternoons, and marriage and anointing arranged through the rectory.
- Divine Liturgy — Sunday 9:30 AM
- Divine Liturgy — Saturday 4:00 PM
- Confessions — Saturday 3:30 PM and 4:30 PM
- Marriage — by arrangement through the rectory
- Anointing of the Sick — by arrangement through the rectory
- Memorial services (Parastas and Panachida) — as needed
Faith Formation & Adult Education
The parish nurtures both children and adults in the Eastern Christian tradition. Eastern Christian Formation (ECF) classes meet for children on Sundays after the Divine Liturgy during the school year, and adults gather for Bible Study throughout Great Lent.
- Eastern Christian Formation (ECF) — Sundays after Divine Liturgy during the school year
- Adult Education / Bible Study — throughout Lent
Parish Life, Pirohy & Slavic Heritage
A defining feature of St. Nicholas of Myra is its living Eastern European, particularly Carpatho-Rusyn and Slovak, heritage. The parish's homemade pirohy have made it a fixture of the Greensburg community for decades, and the parish operates a dedicated 'Pirohi Kitchen' phone line (724-837-8299) for orders. The annual St. Nicholas Day celebration each December brings the community together, with the children of Eastern Christian Formation singing carols in front of the St. Nicholas icon and the bishop or pastor often presiding.
- Pirohi kitchen — parish-run; orders/info: 724-837-8299
- St. Nicholas Day celebration — annual December gathering, often on or near December 8
- Fundraising events in the social hall — Turkey Bingo, Ham Bingo, Chinese Auction, food-basket raffle
- Carpatho-Rusyn and Slovak heritage reflected in the parish's traditional foods (pirohy, haluski, paska, kolachi, nuthorns)
Buildings & Grounds
The parish occupies a single complex on East Pittsburgh Street in Greensburg. It comprises the domed church (dedicated 1964), a rectory whose first floor originally served as the chapel, a social hall used for bingo and parish events, and a parking lot paved in 1971. The garage on the property was remodeled as the center for Eastern Christian Formation.
- Church — permanent structure dedicated May 24, 1964; dome and bell system added 1968
- Icon screen and altar — installed 1983 at the mortgage-burning ceremony
- Rectory — first floor converted to chapel/church and dedicated 1959; renovated 1971
- Social hall — used for fundraisers and parish events; renovated 1986
- Catechetical center — formed from the remodeled garage; updated 1971
- Paved parish parking lot — added 1971
Contact & Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach the rectory by phone, and the pastor by email. The parish's main mailing address and primary online presence are listed below; the website is hosted on the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh's site at archpitt.org.
- Address — 624 East Pittsburgh Street, Greensburg, PA 15601
- Rectory phone — 724-837-0295
- Pirohi Kitchen — 724-837-8299
- Email (pastor) — [email protected]
- Website — http://archpitt.org/place/greensburgpa/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Josaphat Popovich, OSB1955 (first pastor of the mission)
Came from St. Mary Byzantine Church in Herminie; led the founding mission in 1955.
- Father Regis J. DusecinaUntil July 31, 2024
Previous pastor of St. Nicholas; also administered St. Mary, Hannastown; retired from active ministry in 2024.
- Father Vasyl BanykEffective August 1, 2024–present
Appointed pastor of St. Nicholas and Administrator of St. Mary, Hannastown, effective August 1, 2024; previously pastor of Holy Trinity, Sykesville.