Saint Mary Byzantine Catholic Church Herminie, PA

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History

St. Mary parish was unofficially founded in 1921 in the old Marsh General Store on the corner of Sunshine Road and Church Street in Herminie, Pa. It was incorporated on June 29, 1923, under the title of The Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary Byzantine Catholic Church. The first pastor was Father Stephen Loya.

The original by-laws state that this church was founded “to worship the Almighty God according to the faith, doctrine, creed, discipline and usage of the Rusyn Greek Catholic Church which is united with the Holy See of Rome.” The parish officially was embraced by the Pittsburgh Exarchate in December 1923.

Seven years later in April 1930, the congregation purchased the present church building on Second Street from the Clover Land Company. The property previously had been leased to St. Nicholas Orthodox Greek Catholic Church who built the present structure in 1912.

Over the succeeding decades, the parish community of St. Mary has witnessed and survived many turbulent times: the Great Depression, two World Wars and many periods of both economic stress and prosperity. The times of trial, turbulence and testing have served to strengthen the resolve and determination of its loyal parishioners. The parish’s long history is a testimony to the great strides of progress that have been made, both spiritually and materially.