About St. Nicholas [Ukrainian] · Watervliet, New York
St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church is an Eastern-rite (Byzantine) parish of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, located at 2410 4th Avenue in Watervliet, New York, within the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Stamford. The parish traces its roots to the first Ukrainian immigrants who settled in Troy, Cohoes and West Troy (Watervliet) in the late 19th century, and worships in the historic 1908 brick church — listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 — whose green onion-domed towers and buff-brick facade are a landmark in the residential neighborhood. Today the parish celebrates the Divine Liturgy in both Ukrainian and English, serves about 300–380 parishioners drawn from Watervliet, Troy and the broader Capital District, and has become a regional hub for humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
- Established
- 1900
- Patron
- St. Nicholas (Mykola) — patron also of the 1895 Brotherhood of St. Nicholas
- Rector
- Very Rev. Fr. Mikhail (Mykhailo) Myshchuk
- Diocese
- Eparchy of Stamford (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church); geographically within the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
Why belong here
St. Nicholas is a living link between the Lemko-region Ukrainian immigrants who built the church in 1906–1908 and the broader Capital District community today. Parishioners worship in the Byzantine-Ukrainian liturgical tradition — Divine Liturgy in Ukrainian on Sundays at 9:00 AM and in English at 11:00 AM (combined on the first Sunday of the month) — and gather around a tight calendar of devotions (Molebens, Akathists, Sorokousty memorial Saturdays, Presanctified Gifts Liturgy in Lent), a parish food hall tradition (pyrohy, holubtsi, paska, borscht) and ongoing outreach. Since February 2022 the parish has shipped about 60 tons of medical supplies to Ukraine and built IFAK military first-aid kits, giving members a concrete way to live out the mission of 'loving God and neighbor' in service to a war-torn homeland.
Mass times at St. Nicholas [Ukrainian]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays at 8:00 AM with Fr. Mikhail (per parish bulletin, e.g. March 2026)
- Before and after Divine Liturgy by appointment
- Holy Monday Parish Lent Confessions & Healing Service (annual): 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM, with visiting priests hearing confessions in English and Ukrainian
Adoration times
- Presanctified Gifts Liturgy (Lent): Wednesdays 9:00 AM in Ukrainian; Fridays 5:30 PM in English (per 2026 bulletin)
Parish at a Glance
St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church is an Eastern-rite Byzantine Catholic parish in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic tradition, located at 2410 4th Avenue in Watervliet, New York. The parish belongs to the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Stamford and serves roughly 300–380 parishioners drawn from Watervliet, Troy, Cohoes and the broader Capital District. It is led by Very Rev. Fr. Mikhail (Mykhailo) Myshchuk, with Rev. Deacon Thomas Gutch, trustees Nicholas Fil and Irene Skalij, and cantor Oleksandra Verzole.
- Pastor: Very Rev. Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk
- Deacon: Rev. Deacon Thomas Gutch
- Trustees: Nicholas Fil & Irene Skalij
- Cantor: Oleksandra (Olesia) Verzole
- Address: 2410 4th Avenue, Watervliet, NY 12189
- Phone: 518-273-6752
- Email: [email protected]
- Web: www.cerkva.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/cerkvaNY
Mission Statement
The parish's published mission, drawn directly from the church's website, reads: 'We the community of St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church are of Eastern rite and Byzantine tradition. We are committed to sharing our faith, tradition, and God's Light by embracing and living out God's two greatest commandments — love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. Our church embodies the Ukrainian spirit, culture, and heritage while welcoming all races, ethnicities, and nationalities.'
A Century of Ukrainian Catholic Life in Watervliet
The Ukrainian presence in the Troy–Watervliet area dates to the third quarter of the 19th century, when Lemko immigrants from the western Ukrainian lands of the Austro-Hungarian Empire settled in local mills and factories. In 1895 they organized the Brotherhood of St. Nicholas in Troy for mutual support; two years later they converted a Methodist meetinghouse on Third Street into their first chapel, where Father Ivan Zaklinsky celebrated the first Divine Liturgy on September 5, 1897. By 1900 a Certificate of Incorporation for St. Nicholas Greek Catholic Church of Troy was filed, and within a decade the parish would build the brick church that still stands on 4th Avenue.
- 1895 — Brotherhood of St. Nicholas founded in Troy
- 1897 — first Divine Liturgy at the converted Methodist chapel on Third Street, Troy
- January 6, 1900 — Certificate of Incorporation for St. Nicholas Greek Catholic Church of Troy filed
- 1905 — parish-wide fund drive raises over $4,600 for a new church
- February 1906 — Watervliet corner lot purchased for $1,650
Building the 1908 Church
Architect Bernhardt J. Noack was retained to design the new brick church and adjacent rectory. Father John Fekula became the first resident pastor in November 1906; the cornerstone was laid by Bishop Thomas Burke of Albany on May 30, 1907 (Decoration Day) with a procession led by Doring's Band. After Cohoes and South Troy broke away to form their own parishes, the remaining Watervliet faithful took out a $20,000 mortgage through Troy Savings Bank, and on July 4, 1908 Father Joseph Zaklinsky blessed the completed building at the direction of Bishop Stephen Soter Ortynsky, the first Ukrainian Catholic bishop for the United States. Total cost of the church and rectory was $40,337.92.
- Architect: Bernhardt J. Noack
- Building committee: Gustaf Krynicky, Lazar Tsar, Michael Madarash, Philip Telep
- First resident pastor: Father John Fekula (Nov 1906)
- Cornerstone: May 30, 1907 (Memorial Day) — laid by Bishop Thomas Burke of Albany
- Blessing: July 4, 1908 — by Father Joseph Zaklinsky at direction of Bishop Ortynsky
- Total cost of church and rectory: $40,337.92
Twentieth-Century Growth and the Chlystun Era
Between 1906 and 1926 more than 20 priests served the parish in rapid succession, limiting its growth. Stability arrived with Father Andrew Chlystun in 1926, who served for 27 years. He organized the Children of Mary and the Senior Sodality, revived the Apostleship of Prayer, fostered religious vocations and oversaw the founding of St. Nicholas Parochial School in 1940 — the first Ukrainian Catholic school in New York State. Under Father Bohdan Volosin the interior was replastered and a new iconographic program was completed in time for the church's rededication by Auxiliary Bishop Ambrose Senyshyn on February 12, 1950, in the presence of Bishop Edmund F. Gibbons of Albany.
- 1926 — Father Andrew Chlystun appointed pastor by Bishop Constantine Bohachevsky; serves 27 years
- Early 1930s — Sisters of St. Basil the Great conduct evening school
- 1940 — St. Nicholas Parochial School opened (first Ukrainian Catholic school in NY State); closes 1970 with 206 graduates
- Late 1940s — interior replastered, slate roof replaced with copper
- February 12, 1950 — church rededicated by Bishop Ambrose Senyshyn with Bishop Gibbons present
National Register Listing and the Centennial Restoration
St. Nicholas was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 15, 2004, nominated under Criterion C as the 'preeminent architectural statement' of the Ukrainian Catholic community in Watervliet. In the early 2000s, under Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk (who had arrived from Ukraine in the mid-1990s), the parish undertook a more than $600,000 restoration of the buff-brick facade, copper roof and iconic green onion-domed towers. The 2007–2008 centennial year — under the motto '100 Years of Sharing the Light through Faith and Tradition' — featured a combined Centennial Church Choir, a cultural program and banquet at the Albany Marriott, and the parish's first-ever visit by Bishop Patrick Chomnycky of the Eparchy of Stamford.
- April 15, 2004 — listed on the National Register of Historic Places
- Early 2000s — $600,000+ facade, roof and dome restoration under Fr. Myshchuk
- 2007 — Centennial Church Choir formed (30 English- and Ukrainian-choir singers)
- 2007–2008 — year-long centennial celebrations under motto '100 Years of Sharing the Light through Faith and Tradition'
- First visit by Bishop Patrick Chomnycky of Stamford
Clergy and Pastoral Staff
The current pastor is Very Rev. Fr. Mikhail (Mykhailo) Myshchuk. A native of Ukraine who came to Watervliet in the mid-1990s, he has led the parish through the early-2000s restoration, the centennial celebration and the post-2022 humanitarian effort for Ukraine. He is assisted by Rev. Deacon Thomas Gutch, trustees Nicholas Fil and Irene Skalij, and cantor Oleksandra Verzole, who also coordinates the annual pyrohy-making and Easter Food Sale. Bulletin notices are submitted to the parish office by Wednesday at 8 PM; office hours are Wednesdays and Fridays, 10 AM – 1 PM.
- Pastor — Very Rev. Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk
- Deacon — Rev. Deacon Thomas Gutch
- Trustees — Nicholas Fil & Irene Skalij
- Cantor — Oleksandra (Olesia / Natalka) Verzole
- Office hours — Wed & Fri, 10 AM – 1 PM (518-273-6752)
Worship Schedule and Liturgical Languages
Sunday worship follows the Byzantine-Ukrainian liturgical calendar. The Divine Liturgy is celebrated in Ukrainian at 9:00 AM and in English at 11:00 AM; on the first Sunday of the month the two congregations worship together at a combined liturgy. Weekday services (Monday–Saturday) are listed in the current bulletin — typical Lenten bulletins show a 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy on weekdays, with a Presanctified Gifts Liturgy on Wednesdays (Ukrainian, 9:00 AM) and Fridays (English, 5:30 PM).
- Sunday 9:00 AM — Divine Liturgy (Ukrainian)
- Sunday 11:00 AM — Divine Liturgy (English)
- 1st Sunday of the month — Combined liturgy (Ukrainian & English)
- Weekdays (Mon–Sat) — see current bulletin (typically 9:00 AM)
- Confessions: Saturdays 8:00 AM with Fr. Mikhail; check bulletin for changes
Devotions and Lenten Services
Beyond Sunday Divine Liturgy, the parish maintains a rich devotional life. Recent bulletins list Akathists and Molebens on weekday evenings — an Akathist to St. Nicholas on Mondays at 9:00 PM during Advent, a Moleben to Jesus Christ Lover of Mankind on Mondays, an Akathist to Suffering Christ for Peace in Ukraine on Tuesdays, and an Akathist for the Deceased on Thursdays. Sorokousty (Memorial Saturday Divine Liturgies) are celebrated on the Saturdays of the Souls in February, March and May. During Great Lent a parish-wide Lenten Confessions & Healing Service is offered on Holy Monday with visiting priests hearing confessions in English and Ukrainian and a presentation by Prof. Vasyl Babota of the Pontifical Gregorian University.
- Moleben to Jesus Christ Lover of Mankind — Mondays 9:00 PM
- Akathist to St. Nicholas — Mondays 9:00 PM (Advent)
- Akathist to Suffering Christ (for Peace in Ukraine) — Tuesdays 9:00 AM (Lent)
- Akathist for the Deceased — Thursdays 9:00 AM
- Sorokousty (Memorial Saturdays) — Souls Saturdays in Feb/Mar/May
- Rosary in English — Sundays 10:30 AM
- Parish Lent Confessions & Healing Service with Anointing — Holy Monday
Music and Choirs
Music has been central to parish life since the start. A 1907 photograph of the choir with Father John Fekula already shows 40 members of all ages. Under Father Chlystun and director Theodore Yaworski the choir performed beyond the parish walls, popularizing Ukrainian choral music in the Capital District. Today Oleksandra Verzole serves as cantor, with separate English and Ukrainian choirs that combine for major feasts. The Centennial Church Choir — 30 singers drawn from both Sunday liturgies — performed at the 2007 anniversary liturgy and banquet.
- Cantor: Oleksandra (Olesia) Verzole
- English Choir and Ukrainian Choir
- Combined Centennial Choir (2007) — 30 singers
Religious Education and Parochial School
From the earliest years the parish offered evening classes in religion and Ukrainian language, and organized a choir and a theatrical group that met in the church hall. The Sisters of St. Basil the Great conducted an evening school in the early 1930s, and in 1940 the former annex of Public School 8 was purchased and renovated as St. Nicholas Parochial School — recognized as the first Ukrainian Catholic school in the State of New York. The school closed in 1970 after producing 206 graduates. Adult faith formation continues through RCIA, the parish Annual Meeting and regular bulletin catechesis.
- Evening religion and Ukrainian-language classes (early 1900s – present)
- Sisters of St. Basil the Great — evening school (early 1930s)
- St. Nicholas Parochial School — opened 1940, closed 1970; first Ukrainian Catholic school in NY State (206 graduates)
- Parish Annual Meeting — e.g. March 8, 2026
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the Byzantine-Ukrainian sacramental life in communion with the Eparchy of Stamford. Baptisms are arranged personally at the Parish Office; marriages require at least six months' notice to the Pastor. The sick and homebound are visited on request, and the parish should be advised of any hospitalization. The Lenten Healing Service with the Sacrament of Anointing is offered annually, and a parish cemetery is maintained for registered parishioners.
- Baptism — by appointment through the Parish Office
- Matrimony — at least six months' notice to the Pastor
- Anointing of the Sick — during annual Lenten Healing Service and on request
- Holy Communion to the homebound/hospitalized — call the Parish Office
- Parish Cemetery — plots reserved for parishioners; contact the church office
Parish Life, Food and Culture
St. Nicholas is known for its strong parish-hall food traditions. Annual events include the Ukrainian Club Harvest Festival (since at least the early 2000s), the Christmas Paska sale, and the pre-Easter pyrohy/varenyky-making day — typically a six-AM-to-six-PM effort producing pyrohy, holubtsi, beets with horseradish, borscht, sauerkraut and paska, with proceeds going to Aid to Ukraine. Each March the parish gathers at the local Taras Shevchenko monument for a short ceremony followed by an afternoon concert honoring Ukraine's national poet.
- Easter Food Sale (pyrohy, holubtsi, beets with horseradish, borscht, sauerkraut, paska)
- Pyrohy/Varenyky making day — coordinator Natalka Verzole (518-860-3684)
- Ukrainian Club Harvest Festival (annual, since at least 2002)
- Taras Shevchenko memorial ceremony and concert (March)
- Paska (Easter bread) sale
Outreach and Humanitarian Aid to Ukraine
Since February 24, 2022, St. Nicholas has been a regional collection and coordination center for humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The parish — about 300 members, with an Albany-area Ukrainian community of roughly 700 people — initially shipped clothing, food and household goods, then shifted to higher-impact medical supplies: hemostatic agents, decompression needles, nasopharyngeal tubes, QuikClot, tourniquets and IFAK military first-aid kits. Father Myshchuk's brother Taras handles procurement and logistics; parishioner Dr. Ivan Shvachuk channels aid to hospitals in Ivano-Frankivsk and on the front lines; volunteer Olya Oliynyk collects goods and funds. Partners include the Military Chaplaincy Center of the UGCC (Lviv) and the #SaveUkraineNow (SUN) center in Ivano-Frankivsk. Roughly 60 tons of medical aid have been sent, with Easter Food Sale proceeds dedicated to this work.
- 60+ tons of medical aid shipped to Ukraine since February 2022
- 264+ IFAK military first-aid kits assembled by parish volunteers
- Partners: Military Chaplaincy Center of the UGCC (Lviv); #SaveUkraineNow (SUN), Ivano-Frankivsk
- Lead organizers: Fr. Mykhailo Myshchuk; Taras Myshchuk (logistics); Dr. Ivan Shvachuk (hospital liaison); Olya Oliynyk (volunteer)
- Funding: Easter Food Sale proceeds, online donations at cerkva.com
Our Faith — Byzantine-Ukrainian Tradition
The parish worships in the Eastern-rite Byzantine tradition of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, in full communion with Rome. The Divine Liturgy — typically that of St. John Chrysostom on most Sundays, with the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great on major feasts — is celebrated with the distinctive liturgical cycle of the UGCC, including the Presanctified Gifts Liturgy in Lent, Sorokousty memorial Saturdays, and the blessing of Easter foods on Holy Saturday. The parish website's 'Our Faith' section (cerkva.com/faith) introduces visitors to this tradition.
- Eastern-rite (Byzantine) Ukrainian Catholic
- Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom (Sundays) and St. Basil the Great (major feasts)
- Divine Liturgy celebrated in Ukrainian and English
- Presanctified Gifts Liturgy during Great Lent
- Sorokousty (Memorial Saturdays) — multiple times a year
Getting Involved and Stewardship
The parish welcomes new members and is supported by a stewardship culture that includes bequests. Visitors are invited to register with the Parish Office (518-273-6752 / [email protected]) or speak with Fr. Mikhail after Liturgy. Members serve as cantors, choir members, ushers, epistle readers, trustees, pyrohy-day volunteers, and Aid-to-Ukraine organizers. The parish encourages remembrance in wills: 'Remember your St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church in making out your will.'
- Parish registration — call the office or email [email protected]
- Stewardship / Bequests program
- Volunteer roles: choir, ushers, epistle readers, pyrohy-making, Aid to Ukraine
Visiting the Parish
St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church is at 2410 4th Avenue, Watervliet, NY 12189, on the corner of 4th Avenue and 24th Street — only two blocks from the historic Erie Canal and a short walk from the heart of the old Watervliet residential neighborhood. The brick church with its green onion-domed towers and the adjacent parish house are easily spotted from several blocks away. Sunday services are at 9:00 AM (Ukrainian) and 11:00 AM (English), with confessions Saturday mornings and a wide program of weekday devotions. The parish office is open Wednesdays and Fridays, 10 AM – 1 PM; for sick calls, baptisms, weddings or cemetery arrangements, call 518-273-6752.
- 2410 4th Avenue, Watervliet, NY 12189
- Office: 518-273-6752 / [email protected]
- Office hours: Wed & Fri, 10 AM – 1 PM
- Web: www.cerkva.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/cerkvaNY
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Ivan Zaklinskyfrom 1897
First pastor; celebrated the first Divine Liturgy at the converted Methodist meetinghouse on Third Street, Troy, on September 5, 1897.
- Father Ivan Dorozhynskyaround 1906
Blessed the Watervliet lot before construction.
- Father John FekulaNovember 1906 – c.1908
First resident pastor at Watervliet; oversaw the cornerstone laying (May 30, 1907) and early construction.
- Father Joseph ZaklinskyJuly 4, 1908
Officially blessed the completed new church on July 4, 1908 at the direction of Bishop Ortynsky.
- More than 20 different priests1906 – 1926
Frequent turnover because of a shortage of priests; few stayed more than one year.
- Father Andrew ChlystunMarch 15, 1926 – July 1949 (27 years)
Appointed by Bishop Constantine Bohachevsky; revitalized parish life, organized the Children of Mary and Senior Sodality, revived the Apostleship of Prayer, fostered vocations; oversaw the 1940 founding of the first Ukrainian Catholic school in New York State.
- Father George Dubitskya few weeks in 1949
Transitional pastor between Chlystun and Volosin.
- Father Bohdan Volosinfrom August 1949
Completed the late-1940s interior renovation, replastering and copper roofing begun under Chlystun; church rededicated February 12, 1950.
- Very Rev. Fr. Mikhail (Mykhailo) Myshchukarrived from Ukraine c.1995 – present
Led the early-2000s restoration of brick facade, copper roof and onion domes (over $600,000); led the 2007–2008 centennial celebration; has organized large-scale humanitarian aid to Ukraine since 2022.