Saint Mary Byzantine Catholic Church Hannastown, PA

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Saint Mary Byzantine Catholic Church

Pollins Avenue

Hannastown, PA. 15635 Get Directions

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History

As immigrants from the Austro-Hungarian Empire migrated to the coal fields of Pennsylvania, many settled in Hannastown, the seat of government in Westmoreland County. A great desire, love and loyalty for their own Byzantine Church were the motivating factors in planning for their own worship space. Thus, a group of Greek Catholics assembled for public worship and requested to be incorporated according to the law on November 23, 1906. The name of the proposed corporation was St. Mary’s Greek Catholic Congregation of Hannastown. It was formed for the purpose of public worship according to the faith, doctrine, discipline and usage of the Greek Catholic Church. Priests from St. Mary Byzantine Church in Trauger (Latrobe) served the faithful of Hannastown.

A church was constructed in 1907 by the faithful residents of the community and was blessed in 1909 by Rt. Rev. Archabbot Leander of the Benedictine St. Vincent Archabbey of Latrobe, Pa. The first pastor was Father Stephen Gulovich. In the beginning, Liturgies were held on alternating Sundays. This was the schedule until 1941 when Liturgies were held on all Sundays and Holy Days. ECF (Eastern Christian Formation) classes were taught by the priests and lay people.

The church property was officially conveyed to the congregation on December 16, 1940, by the Jamison Coal and Coke Company. It was transferred upon the condition that the premises, together with any buildings, would be used for religious and educational purposes only.

St. Mary Church of Hannastown remained a mission of the Trauger parish until 1961, when it then became a mission of St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church in Greensburg. Parishioners remain faithful and active. They have a great love for the Divine Liturgy and the Mother of God and have a desire to remain a viable force in the community.