About Sts. Peter and Paul [Ruthenian] · Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania
Sts. Peter and Paul is a Ruthenian (Byzantine) Catholic parish in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, situated within the Roman Diocese of Erie but belonging to the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh (Ruthenian Metropolitanate of Pittsburgh sui juris). Founded in 1893 by Father John Sabo to minister to Slovak and Hungarian immigrant families in the coal-mining communities of Walston and Adrian, the parish is currently shepherded by Father Vasyl Kadar, with Deacon Steven F. White assisting. Worship is celebrated in English in the Byzantine (Ruthenian) liturgical tradition, with regular Sunday Divine Liturgy, Saturday Vigil Liturgy, and special Lenten services during the Great Fast.
- Established
- 1893
- Patron
- Saints Peter and Paul (Apostles)
- Rector
- Reverend Vasyl Kadar
- Diocese
- Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh (Ruthenian Metropolitanate sui juris of Pittsburgh) — geographically located within the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie
Why belong here
Sts. Peter and Paul offers parishioners a living link to the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic tradition in a small-town Pennsylvania setting, with regular Sunday and Saturday Divine Liturgies, weekday Lenten services, and active sacramental life. Members gather not only for worship but also for Eastern Christian Formation classes, Adult Education during the Great Fast, a Men's Fraternity, the Sts. Peter and Paul Angels women's group, and a Youth Ministry. The parish also maintains its historic bond with the surrounding community through the annual Parish Festival each June at The Pines picnic grounds in Adrian, preserving over a century of faith and fellowship.
Mass times at Sts. Peter and Paul [Ruthenian]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 PM
Parish History
Sts. Peter and Paul Byzantine Catholic Church was founded in 1893 by Father John Sabo to minister to Slavic and Hungarian immigrant families in the coal-mining towns of Walston and Adrian. After surviving the great coal strike of 1894, the parish built a wooden church (cornerstone 1895) and, a decade later, the present brick church (1905) modeled on the Hungarian shrine of Mariapocs. Through pastorates led by Fathers Paul Mankovich, Theodore Mankovich, Theodore Seginak OSB, and several administrators, the parish has grown across more than a century while preserving its Ruthenian Byzantine identity and its bond with the surrounding mining communities.
- 1893 — Father John Sabo arrives in Punxsutawney; first Liturgy in an Adrian private home
- 1895 — Wooden church built; cornerstone dedicated May 12, 1895; church blessed July 4, 1895
- 1901 — Icon screen dedicated by Bishop Fitzmaurice of Erie
- 1904–1905 — Brick church designed by Marius Rousseau (Pittsburgh); blessed September 4, 1905
- 1918 — Father Paul Mankovich becomes pastor (serves 25 years)
- 1943 — Father Theodore Mankovich transferred from St. Michael, Allentown
- 1950s — Golden Jubilee; parish growth; annual homecoming at 'The Pines' begins
- Early 1970s — Ceiling murals refurbished; interior repainted; Adrian social hall upgraded
- Early 1980s — Religious education classrooms added on second floor of social hall
- 1988 — Father Theodore Mankovich dies; Father Theodore Seginak, OSB, becomes pastor
Clergy and Pastoral Leadership
The parish is currently served by Reverend Vasyl Kadar as pastor, with Deacon Steven F. White assisting. Father William A. Lascelles previously served as administrator of the parish while also administering St. Anne Church in Clymer, and is now retired. Archeparchy appointment records also show Father James A. Ragan and Very Reverend Simeon B. Sibenik among the parish's more recent administrators.
- Reverend Vasyl Kadar — Pastor
- Deacon Steven F. White — Deacon
- Father William A. Lascelles — Retired (former administrator)
Holy Mysteries (Sacraments)
Confessions are heard weekly before the Saturday Vigil Liturgy. Baptisms, Marriages, and Anointing of the Sick are arranged by contacting the parish rectory.
- Confessions — Saturdays at 4:30 PM
- Marriage — contact the rectory
- Anointing — contact the rectory
Religious Education and Faith Formation
The parish runs Byzantine-specific faith formation for all ages. Eastern Christian Formation classes gather twice a month after Sunday Liturgy, while Adult Education meets on Friday evenings during the Great Fast. Religious education classrooms were added on the second floor of the social hall in the early 1980s to allow multiple classes to meet at once.
- Eastern Christian Formation (ECF) — 2nd and 4th Sundays after morning Divine Liturgy
- Adult Education — Fridays during the Great Fast following 6:00 PM Lenten Devotions
- Religious education classrooms — second floor of the social hall
Parish Groups and Fellowship
Beyond worship and formation, the parish sponsors men's and women's groups that meet regularly throughout the year, along with a youth ministry whose schedule is posted in the bulletin.
- Men's Fraternity — 1st Wednesday of every month
- Sts. Peter and Paul Angels (women's group) — meetings as scheduled
- Youth Ministry — meetings as scheduled
Parish Festival and 'The Pines'
The parish preserves its earliest connection to the mining community of Adrian by maintaining a 7½-acre picnic ground known as 'The Pines.' Since the 1950s, this has been the site of an annual summer homecoming, and today the Parish Festival is held the last weekend in June at the Pines Hall in Adrian, PA. Upgrades to the social hall in the 1970s helped preserve the building and picnic area for continued parish use.
- Parish Festival — last weekend in June
- Location — Pines Hall in Adrian, PA
- 'The Pines' picnic grounds — 7½ acres, in parish use since the 1950s
Architecture and Building History
The present-day brick church is the parish's second sanctuary, designed in 1904 by Pittsburgh architect Marius Rousseau and modeled after the famous shrine of the Blessed Mother at Mariapocs, Hungary. The building contract was awarded to James R. Long and Son for $15,500, and the completed church was solemnly blessed on September 4, 1905 by Very Reverend Andrew Hodobay, Apostolic Administrator. The interior has been refreshed several times — most notably with the Rambusch Company's redecoration in the 1940s, ceiling-mural refurbishment and painting in the early 1970s, and later the addition of a rear confessional and an enclosed breezeway connecting the church to the parish house.
- Architect — Marius Rousseau (Pittsburgh)
- Builder — James R. Long and Son
- Contract — $15,500
- Style modeled after the Marian shrine at Mariapocs, Hungary
- Icon screen — dedicated May 30, 1901 by Bishop Fitzmaurice of Erie
Contact and Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach the rectory by phone or email, and the official parish page is hosted within the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh website. The church is located at 714 Sutton Street in Punxsutawney.
- Address — 714 Sutton Street, Punxsutawney, PA 15767
- Phone — (814) 938-6564
- Email — [email protected]
- Website — archpitt.org/place/punxsutawneypa-2/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John Sabo1893–c.1918
Pioneer founding pastor; arrived December 1893; built the original wooden church (cornerstone 1895) and laid the groundwork for the brick church (blessed 1905).
- Father Paul Mankovich1918–c.1943
Served untiringly for 25 years; succeeded Father Sabo.
- Father Theodore MankovichApril 1943–1988
Son of Father Paul; transferred from St. Michael, Allentown; oversaw Rambusch Company interior redecoration, parish growth in the 1950s, Golden Jubilee, and annual homecoming at 'The Pines.' Died 1988.
- Father Theodore Seginak, OSB1988–
Became spiritual leader after Father Theodore Mankovich's death in 1988; led extensive maintenance, painting, carpeting, rear confessional, and enclosed breezeway.
- Very Reverend Simeon B. Sibenik
Served as pastor before being relieved; also Protopresbyter of the North Central Protopresbyterate.
- Father James A. Ragan
Served as administrator before being reassigned to other parishes and Penn State ministry.
- Father William A. Lascelles
Served as administrator of Sts. Peter and Paul (while also administering St. Anne, Clymer); now retired.
- Reverend Vasyl Kadar
Current priest appointed for liturgical services and pastoral care of the parish.