About St. Stephen [Ruthenian] · Leisenring, Pennsylvania
St. Stephen Byzantine Catholic Church (Ruthenian) is the oldest Byzantine Catholic church in southwestern Pennsylvania, founded in 1892 in the small coal-and-coke community of Leisenring, Fayette County. As a parish of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh (Ruthenian Metropolitanate sui juris), it serves faithful of the Byzantine liturgical tradition and is the historic mother church from which several other Byzantine parishes in Fayette and Westmoreland Counties were later founded. Today it continues to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in the Byzantine rite under the pastoral care of Father Jerome G. Botsko.
- Established
- 1892
- Patron
- St. Stephen the Protomartyr (First Martyr)
- Rector
- Reverend Jerome G. Botsko
- Diocese
- Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh (Ruthenian Metropolitanate sui juris) — geographically located within the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg
Why belong here
St. Stephen is the historic mother church of Byzantine Catholic life in southwestern Pennsylvania — a small, faithful community with deep roots in the Carpatho-Rusyn/Slovak immigrant experience of the coal-and-coke region. Parishioners worship in the Byzantine (Ruthenian) tradition with congregational chant, an icon screen, and the Divine Liturgy celebrated in English (with Slavonic heritage). It is a welcoming, intimate parish where the faithful are known by name, and visitors are warmly invited to share in the liturgical and social life of a congregation now celebrating 130+ years of continuous worship.
Mass times at St. Stephen [Ruthenian]
Weekly Mass schedule
Parish History
Founded in 1892 by Father Alexander Dzubay, St. Stephen is the oldest Byzantine Catholic church in southwestern Pennsylvania and the mother parish from which eight other Byzantine communities were later established across Fayette and Westmoreland Counties. Its story is intimately tied to the immigration of Eastern European — Carpatho-Rusyn and Slovak — families who came to work in the Connellsville Coal Seam coke region, and to the generosity of the H.C. Frick Coke Co. of Scottdale, which donated land and monthly contributions to get the church built.
- 1892 — Church completed under founding pastor Father Alexander Dzubay (1892–1916).
- 1896 — Rectory built with active participation of the congregation.
- 1916 — Social hall built; Holy Name Society, Junior and Young Ladies Sodalities, and Greek Catholic Union lodges formed.
- 1962 — 70th Anniversary renovation: new marble altar, sacristy, and full interior/exterior remodeling (peaked towers removed, brick refaced in stone).
- 1967 — New rectory built for the 75th Anniversary.
- 1981 — Original social hall demolished due to insurance and maintenance costs.
- 1990 — Major 100th Anniversary renovation: three onion domes added, wheelchair-accessible side entrance, large front vestibule, outdoor deck for festivals, new icon screen, icons, lighting, and carpeting.
- December 11, 2022 — 130th Anniversary; Pennsylvania Senate Citation presented by Senator Pat Stefano.
Founding Pastor: Father Alexander Dzubay (1892–1916)
Father Alexander Dzubay came to the Leisenring area from Wilkes-Barre to organize a parish where the Byzantine Catholic faithful could worship in their own tradition. He led a committee of twelve in fundraising and planning, and under his pastorate the church was built, the rectory added in 1896, and the parish grew to roughly 1,800 members — at the time serving the faithful of both Fayette and Westmoreland Counties who walked many miles to attend services in the absence of public transportation.
Renovations and 130th Anniversary
The parish marked three major building milestones in the 20th century — the 70th Anniversary (1962), the 75th Anniversary (1967), and the 100th Anniversary (1990) — each bringing significant interior and exterior changes that shaped the church parishioners know today. The 1990 renovation in particular gave the church its distinctive three onion domes, its icon screen, and a wheelchair-accessible entrance. A 130th Anniversary celebration in 2022 was marked by a Pennsylvania Senate Citation.
Parish Life and Organizations
Throughout its history St. Stephen has organized its faithful into societies and sodalities that combined faith, fellowship, and service. While several early groups (Holy Name Society, Junior and Young Ladies Sodalities, Greek Catholic Union lodges) are no longer active, the parish continues to be supported by a Ladies' Guild that assists with social activities and the upkeep of church property.
- Holy Name Society (historical)
- Junior Sodalities (historical)
- Young Ladies Sodalities (historical)
- Greek Catholic Union lodges (historical, fraternal)
- Ladies' Guild (current — social and property upkeep)
- Religious education (historically housed in the social hall, 1916–1981)
Divine Liturgy and Sacraments
St. Stephen celebrates the Byzantine (Ruthenian) Divine Liturgy in English for its Sunday assembly, with a summer schedule shift to accommodate the warmer months. Lenten services are held on Wednesday evenings. The parish also offers the Anointing of the Sick by appointment. As the published schedule is limited, parishioners and visitors are encouraged to call the rectory for weekday or holy-day services.
- Sunday Divine Liturgy: 11:00 AM (September–April) / 10:00 AM (May–August)
- Wednesday Lenten Services: 6:30 PM
- Anointing of the Sick: by appointment (call the rectory)
Clergy and Staff
The parish is currently served by its pastor, Father Jerome G. Botsko, who is also listed in the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh's priest directory as Chaplain of Mount St. Macrina — the Basilian motherhouse near Uniontown. The rectory can be reached at the parish phone number for sacramental needs and appointments.
- Reverend Jerome G. Botsko — Pastor (also Chaplain, Mount St. Macrina)
- Rectory telephone: (724) 628-6611
Jurisdiction and Heritage
St. Stephen is a Ruthenian (Byzantine) Catholic parish under the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh — the Metropolitanate sui juris that serves Byzantine Catholics of the Carpatho-Rusyn and related Eastern European traditions in the United States. Although the parish sits geographically inside the territorial boundaries of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg, Byzantine Catholics are pastoral subjects of their own hierarchy and use the Byzantine liturgical rite. The parish is part of the Archeparchy's parish directory and is registered with GCatholic under Church ID 17297.
- Jurisdiction: Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh (Ruthenian Metropolitanate sui juris)
- Geographic territory: Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg
- Rite: Byzantine (Ruthenian)
- GCatholic Church ID: 17297
Visiting and Contact
St. Stephen is located in the small village of Leisenring in Franklin Township, Fayette County, along West Crawford Avenue. The church building is wheelchair accessible via the side entrance added in 1990. Visitors wishing to attend a Divine Liturgy or arrange sacraments such as Anointing of the Sick should call the rectory at the number below.
- Address: 3120 West Crawford Avenue, Leisenring, PA 15425
- Phone: (724) 628-6611
- Official listing: http://archpitt.org/place/leisenringpa-2/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Alexander Dzubay1892–1916
Founding pastor; came from Wilkes-Barre to organize the parish; oversaw construction of the 1892 church and the 1896 rectory. Served as pastor until 1916.