Published June 28. 2017 02:46PM
St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church of Lansford celebrated its 125th anniversary Sunday with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy.
The church, located at 104 E Bertsch St., Lansford, was built in 1892 by Slavic immigrants.These immigrants came from the Carpathian Mountains and intended to preserve their spiritual, liturgical and cultural heritage through the church. In addition to holding liturgy and worshipping, the church has sought to share their cultural traditions through community outreach and area service projects.The Carbon County Board of Commissioners sent the church a resolution recognizing the anniversary and congratulating both the church and its congregants on the church's heritage.The Bishop of the Eparchy of Passaic, Most Rev. Bishop Kurt Burnette celebrated a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy Sunday.The Rev. Dr. Vasyl Chepelskyy is the parish administrator. He and many local and regional priests joined in the Liturgy.
RIGHT: St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church in Lansford celebrated its 125th anniversary with a special hierarchical divine liturgy of thanksgiving mass and banquet celebration on June 25. The church has been serving the community since 1892, and was awarded letters and certificates of recognition and appreciation on behalf of Pope Francis, Gov. Tom Wolf, Sen. Robert P. Casey Jr., state Sen. John J. Yudichak, state Rep. Doyle Heffley, and the borough of Lansford. MIRNA P. GLEDHILL/SPECIAL TO THE TIMES NEWS
Left to right: Rev. Michael Kerestes, Rev. Frank Baransky, Rev. Bill Gore from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware; Michael Salnicky from St. Nicholas in Mount Pocono, Seminarian Tim Fariss, Fr. Jerome OFM. Franciscan Monastery Conynham, Sister Regina OSBM Wilkes-Barre, Rev. Eduard Shestak Old Forge, Very Rev. Edward J. Higgins, Rev. Lewis Rabayda Parish Vocation, Fr. Michael Popson St. Ann's Church, Harrisburg, Sister Theodocia OSBM, Rev. Scott Boghossian, Rev. Vasyl Chepelskyy and his wife Maria, son Vitaly and daughter Victoria Chepelskyy; Very Rev. Peter Hosak, Most Rev. Kurt R. Burnette, DD Eparchy of Passaic Bishop, Retired Rev. James Hayer, Rev. Gregory Hosler, Very Rev. Francis Twardzik SDB, Rev. Vitaly Pukhayev, Rev. Martin Vavrak from Perth Amboy NJ, Rev. John Zeyack, Retired Monsignor John Puhak, Rev. John Cigan, altar boy Michael Keer, and Rev. James J. Burdess.
ABOVE: Liturgy Homilist, Bishop of the Eparchy of Passaic, Rev. Kurt R. Burnette, DD, looks on at the end of the Mass as Rep. Heffley reads his certificate of appreciation for the St. John the Baptist Byzantine Church's longtime service, and commended their continued presence in the community as a pillar of faith and hope. During the sermon Bishop Burnette encouraged the congregants to invite friends and family to come and pray to the icon of the "Our Lady the Helper in Childbirth," behind Heffley, and gave testimony of miracles that have occurred by her intercession.