St. Nicholas [Ukrainian]

Parish Identity and Contact

St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church (УКРАЇНСЬКА КАТОЛИЦЬКА ЦЕРКВА СВ. МИКОЛАЯ) is located at 308 Fillmore Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14206, in the Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma. The parish office can be reached at the rectory, (716) 852-7566, with a fax at (716) 855-1319 and the church hall at (716) 852-1908. Email is [email protected]; the official site is stnbuffalo.com and the parish maintains a Facebook page at facebook.com/saintnicholasukr.

History of St. Nicholas Parish

The parish was founded in 1894 when the Ukrainian Brotherhood of St. Nicholas built a small wooden church on Ideal Street for the growing East-Side immigrant community. A second wooden church followed at 193 Central Avenue in 1905. Under Rev. John Ortynsky, the parish acquired land at Fillmore Avenue and Oneida Street, broke ground in 1917, laid its cornerstone on October 26, 1919, and dedicated the present church on November 25, 1920. Major milestones in the 20th century included the 1949–1952 refugee sponsorship program, the 1960 parish school at 995 Fillmore Avenue, the 1986 English Tudor-style rectory, the 1992 addition of three banyas, and the 1994 domes — added for the parish's centennial and the 75th anniversary of the cornerstone.

• 1882 — first Ukrainian immigrants settle in Buffalo's Black Rock area
• 1894 — Brotherhood of St. Nicholas founded; wooden church on Ideal Street
• 1905 — second wooden church at 193 Central Avenue
• 1910 — visit of Metropolitan Andrew Sheptycky
• 1917 — groundbreaking at Fillmore & Oneida
• 1918 — 78 parishioners lost to the Spanish Flu
• 1919 — cornerstone laid Oct 26 by Rev. +Iwan Ortynsky
• 1920 — church dedicated Nov 25
• 1949–1952 — refugee committee helps over 2,000 Ukrainian families
• 1960 — parish school built at 995 Fillmore Avenue ($224,713)
• 1986 — new English Tudor-style rectory
• 1992 — three new banyas added to the roof
• 1994 — domes added; centennial of parish / 75th of cornerstone
• 1999 — school/chapel building at 995 Fillmore sold; parish family reunited
• 2004 — visit of Patriarch Cardinal Lubomyr Husar

Pastorate of Marijan Procyk (1990–present)

V. Rev. Marijan Procyk has served as pastor of St. Nicholas since 1990 and also as dean of the Buffalo Ukrainian Catholic Deanery. Under his pastorate the parish completed the 1994 centennial remodeling (with the long-awaited domes), sold the old school building in 1999 to reunite the parish under one roof, and led the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the church (2019) and 125th of the parish (2019), capped by the Anniversary Banquet at Salvatore's Italian Gardens in Depew on December 19, 2021. The parish also observes regular visits from a visiting priest, currently Rev. Raymond Palko (administrator in Niagara Falls, NY).

• V. Rev. Marijan Procyk, pastor since 1990 and dean
• Rev. Raymond Palko, visiting priest
• Elaine Nowadly and Mike Petryshyn, parish trustees

Worship: Divine Liturgy and Sacraments

The parish celebrates the Byzantine-Ukrainian Divine Liturgy (the Eastern-rite equivalent of the Roman Mass) in Ukrainian, with bilingual and English liturgies as well. Confessions are heard half an hour before every liturgy. The Ukrainian Catholic Divine Liturgy satisfies the Sunday obligation, and the Saturday vigil at 4:30 p.m. is bilingual. Communion in the Ukrainian rite is received on the tongue from the priest or Eucharistic minister, and communion hosts are leavened — distinctions explained during visits such as Buffalo Mass Mob XXV in 2018.

• Saturday 4:30 p.m. — Bilingual (Ukrainian/English)
• Sunday 10:00 a.m. — Ukrainian (per the official homepage)
• Sunday 8:00 a.m. — Ukrainian (per ukrainiansofbuffalo.com)
• Sunday 12:00 noon — English (per ukrainiansofbuffalo.com)
• Monday–Saturday 8:00 a.m. — Ukrainian (per ukrainiansofbuffalo.com)
• Holy Days 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (per ukrainiansofbuffalo.com)
• Confession: half hour before every liturgy

Music and Liturgical Arts

Music has been central to St. Nicholas since its earliest years. The cantors and choir directors over the decades have included Iwan Popeluk, Paul Lozinsky, Luka Kaczor, Joseph Zaremba, Theodore Choptiak, Mrs. Anna Laptuta, George Holowych, Theodore Zajac, Stephen Malutza, and Wasyl Makuch, with choir directors such as Roman Stawnyczyj, Jurij Lawriwskyj, and Myhajlo Procenko. The current cantor/diak is Teodozij Pryshlak, and the parish is part of the Buffalo Deanery Choir, which sings at the annual Christmas Memorial Service at St. Matthew's Cemetery in West Seneca. The historic Dramatic Society of Ostap Nyzankiwskyj (1921–1929) staged Ukrainian plays and operettas including Natalka Poltavka, Svatannia na Honcharivci, and Kara Sovisty.

• Cantor/Diak: Teodozij Pryshlak
• Deanery Choir sings at St. Matthew's Cemetery, 180 Old French Road, West Seneca
• Historical Dramatic Society of Ostap Nyzankiwskyj (1921–1929)

Religious Education and Youth

The parish runs a Saturday Religious Education (Catechesis) program preparing children for the sacraments. First Penance and Solemn Holy Communion require two years of catechesis, beginning around second grade (age 7). Classes for 2021–2022 met on a Saturday cycle from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on dates including October 23, January 15, February 19, April 9, and May 14. Registration is coordinated by Elaine Nowadly (825-8169), and the parish openly seeks volunteer catechists and substitutes.

• Saturday Religious Education, 10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
• First Penance & Solemn Holy Communion preparation (2 years, starting age 7/2nd grade)
• Registration: Elaine Nowadly, 825-8169

Parish School and the 995 Fillmore Building

Parish-school classes began in September 1958 in classrooms rented from Sacred Heart School. In 1959 the parish purchased property at 995 Fillmore Avenue for $30,063.75, and a dedicated school building was constructed on the site in 1960 at a cost of $224,713.00, staffed by Sisters and lay teachers who taught according to Christian principles, American educational standards, and the Ukrainian spirit. In 1999 the chapel/school building at 995 Fillmore was sold, reuniting the entire parish family in the main church building (the parish continues to use both the Gregorian and Julian calendars).

• 1958 — first classes at Sacred Heart School
• 1959 — 995 Fillmore Avenue purchased
• 1960 — parish school built at 995 Fillmore Avenue
• 1999 — school/chapel sold; parish reunited under one roof

Outreach and the Refugee Committee

St. Nicholas has a long tradition of welcoming newcomers. After World War II, a refugee committee was formed in March 1949 under chairman John Colomon and pastor Rev. Alexander Steranka. By July 1950 the parish had sponsored 450 Ukrainians fleeing post-war Europe; by the time the program ended in 1952, more than 2,000 families had been assisted with housing and employment. The parish also maintains a contemporary outreach arm through its annual Ukrainian Bazaar and parish activities.

• Refugee Committee formed March 1949
• John Colomon, first chairman
• 450 Ukrainians sponsored by July 1950
• 2,000+ families assisted by program end in 1952

Parish Activities, Bazaar, and Communications

The parish publishes a regular bulletin and operates the bilingual 'Good Samaritan' / 'Милосердний Самарянин' radio program on WJJL 1440 AM each Sunday at 2:00 p.m. (Ukrainian first half, English second half). The annual Ukrainian Bazaar is a major fundraiser: in 2025 it is held November 15–16 at Matthew Glab Post 1965, Abbott Road, Lackawanna, NY, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., featuring varenyky/pierogi, cabbage rolls, baked goods, more than 200 theme baskets, games, and raffles (no Attic Treasures or theme baskets sold until Sunday 3 p.m.; winners announced at 5 p.m.). Proceeds support church projects such as new resin tables and folding chairs.

• Annual Ukrainian Bazaar — November 15–16, 2025, Matthew Glab Post 1965, Lackawanna, NY
• "Good Samaritan" radio program on WJJL 1440 AM, Sundays at 2:00 p.m.
• Parish bulletin (Церковний Вісник)
• Parish website: stnbuffalo.com
• Facebook: facebook.com/saintnicholasukr

Notable Visitors and Anniversaries

St. Nicholas has been honored by visits from leaders of the Ukrainian Catholic world, including Metropolitan Andrew Sheptycky in 1910 (en route to the Montreal Eucharistic Congress), Cardinal Josyf Slipyj in 1972, and Patriarch Cardinal Lubomyr Husar in 2004. The parish celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1994 with a banquet at the Hyatt Regency downtown, concelebrated by Bishop Basil Losten and Bishop Edward Grosz, and the 75th anniversary of the church cornerstone the same year. The 2019 (100th anniversary of the church) and 2019 (125th of the parish) celebrations were ultimately consolidated into an Anniversary Banquet at Salvatore's Italian Gardens in Depew on December 19, 2021, after pandemic delays.

• 1910 — Metropolitan Andrew Sheptycky
• 1972 — Cardinal Josyf Slipyj
• 2004 — Patriarch Cardinal Lubomyr Husar
• 1994 — 100th anniversary of parish, 75th of cornerstone
• 2019/2021 — 100th of church / 125th of parish, banquet Dec 19, 2021 at Salvatore's Italian Gardens, Depew