Holy Trinity Byzantine Catholic Church Sykesville, PA

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History

Holy Trinity Church had its beginning in the late 1890s when a group of Byzantine Catholic faithful organized themselves for the purpose of building their own church and carrying on their faith traditions. They were poor but their strong faith and hard work led them to realize their dream. On October 1, 1907, a new church was opened in Sykesville and readied for worship. Father Myron Danilovitch accepted the assignment to be the new congregation’s first pastor.

Membership grew steadily. To accommodate the increasing number of members, the church building was expanded to twice its size in 1924. In 1926 a social hall was erected. Years later, in 1968, the significance and potential of the social hall became apparent. Remodeling began, a parking lot was prepared and additional surrounding properties were purchased. A Holy Name Society was organized during this period and with their assistance, new social and fundraising activities began. These activities continued until the social hall was destroyed by an arsonist in 1976. The fire, however, did not extinguish the determination of the people to improve and update their property.

In May of 1979 a new rectory was built adjoining the church. This became the basis for the future consolidation of the church facilities. Since the new rectory extended the basement of the church and added an additional floor, this provided space for a new social hall and classrooms. In the late 1980s the icon screen was restored and the church interior was refurbished according to Eastern Christian tradition. Improvements were continued in recent years with the completion of the social hall and the classrooms in 1995. Once again, the faith and hard work of the parishioners provided the proper setting for the education of its youth and for social activities.

A tradition of cooperation and generosity continues to motivate the parish — a tradition that began over a century ago. This is evident through support and faith the church receives through the Rosary Society, Social Club, Catechists, Advisory Board and parishioners of all ages.