Saints Peter and Paul Byzantine Catholic Church Portage, PA

Contact Details

Address

Saints Peter and Paul Byzantine Catholic Church

143 Church Road

Portage, PA. 15946 Get Directions

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History

A large number of Greek (Byzantine) Catholics from the Austro-Hungarian Empire settled in the Portage area and began attending worship services at St. Michael Byzantine Catholic Church in South Fork. With the concern of parish pastor Father Elias Gojdich for the lengthy walk of over 7 miles for Portage dwellers to attend services, the people of Portage organized and chartered their own parish, SS. Peter and Paul, on August 19, 1917.
Their first resident pastor, Father Desiderius Zubriczky, traveled to local communities such as Bens Creek, Puritan, Springhill, Wilmore, Oil City, Lilly and Cassandra to garner a commitment from the Greek Catholics living there to build their own house of worship. The church was built and then dedicated on July 4, 1918.
The parish continued to grow in faith life and spiritual understanding. In 1971 the congregation decided to move and to build a new facility on their “Maple Grove” property just outside the borough. With the hard work and dedication of the faithful, this dream became a magnificent reality and the new church was dedicated in 1976. Over nine decades later, the parish members of SS. Peter and Paul Byzantine Catholic Church are still filled with the fruits of the Spirit and joyfully share Gods Good News.