Church celebrates 100 year anniversary
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
The Rev. Vasyl Symyon poses June 19 on the altar at Saint John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church in Avella.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
A mosaic inside Saint John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church in Avella
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
The Rev. Vasyl Symyon stands June 19 inside Saint John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church in Avella.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Saint John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church in Avella
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Reverend Vasyl Symyon walks June 19 inside Saint John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church in Avella.
The Rev. Vasyl Symyon believes what makes Saint John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church so rich with history is the community surrounding it.
The church located at 176 Cross Creek Road in Avella will be celebrating its 100 year anniversary at 4 p.m. Sunday.
“We are a small community, but a strong one,” Symyon said.
That community has been around since the church first opened in 1919. The original church was less than half a mile down from the current one on Cross Creek Road.
In 1916, a group of immigrant families joined together to start building a church. A loan for $8,000 was taken out under the supervision of Father Nicholas Sagon of Mingo Junction, Ohio, and the construction began. The Rev. Valentine Staurostowsky was the first resident pastor after completion.
In 1961, construction on the existing church began and opened one year later on May 13, 1962.
Symyon has been with the church since 2014, moving to the United States from Rome, Italy, where he was asked to serve in the outskirts of Pittsburgh from his bishop.
“God wanted me here in this community to serve these people, he believed I was meant to be here,” Symyon said.
A native of Mukachevo, Ukraine, Symyon left his homeland to study in Rome.
“I have all of my family in Ukraine,” Symyon said. “My brother is a priest serving there. The will of God brought me to the United States.”
Within the first year of Symyon moving to Washington County, the church went under major restoration. The carpet, windows and roof were replaced. The candle holders and chandelier were imported from Greece.
Symyon said all of the renovations cost a little more than $100,000.
“It was a big project and we did a lot of work,” Symyon said. “Almost everything has been renovated – it makes a lot of a difference.”
One of Symyon’s goals for the church is to keep increasing the community involvement.
“If we want to see people in our churches, we have to first open the doors to them,” Symyon said. “We want to keep seeing people come back. Prayer is the first way to a connection with our Lord.”