Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh
The Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh (Latin: Archieparchia Pittsburgensis Ritus Byzantini) is the Catholic archeparchy (archdiocese) governing all of the Byzantine Catholic (Ruthenian) Church in the western portion of Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, and in the states of Louisiana, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia. Its chancery office and the residence of the Archbishop are located at 66 Riverview Avenue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is distinguished from the Latin Church Diocese of Pittsburgh. The current archbishop is the Most Reverend William C. Skurla.
Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh Archieparchia Pittsburgensis Ritus Byzantini | |
|---|---|
 St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Cathedral | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| Ecclesiastical province | Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh |
| Statistics | |
| Population - Total | (as of 2009) 58,997 |
| Parishes | 79 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church |
| Rite | Byzantine Rite |
| Established | May 8, 1924 (96 years ago) |
| Cathedral | St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Cathedral |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | William C. Skurla Metropolitan of Pittsburgh |
| Map | |
 | |
| Website | |
| www.archpitt.org | |
History
Exarchate
In 1924, the church had been established by the Holy See as an exarchate, known as the '"Apostolic Exarchate of Pittsburgh for Faithful of the Oriental Rite (Ruthenian)'". Exarchate is an ecclesiastical term which indicates a "missionary diocese" or territory.
This move separated the Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church in the United States into two distinct groups: one for those originating from Galicia (in modern-day Ukraine) with its see in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the other for those who were from the Carpathian Mountain region (in modern-day Ukraine and Slovakia), as well as those from Hungary and Croatia. In time, the two groups would come to be known as Ukrainian Greek Catholics and Ruthenian Byzantine Catholics, respectively.
(Arch)Eparchy
The Exarchate of Pittsburgh was elevated to the status of an eparchy (diocese) in 1963.
Byzantine Catholics in the United States were given sui iuris (self-governing) status as a Metropolia (archdiocese) by Pope Paul VI in 1969. Archbishop Stephen Kocisko was installed as the first Metropolitan-Archbishop on June 11, 1969, at Holy Spirit Church in Oakland (Pittsburgh). He was the first prelate in the history of people from the Subcarpathian Rus region (of present-day Ukraine and Slovakia) to hold this rank.
Operations
The seat of the Archeparchy is the St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Cathedral in Munhall, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh.
The Archeparchy of Pittsburgh also operates SS. Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Seminary in the North Side section of the city, for the training of candidates for the priesthood and diaconate, cantors and those in other ministries. Established in 1950 by Bishop Daniel Ivancho, the seminary serves all four eparchies of the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh.
Parishes
As of 2010, the Archeparchy has 85 parishes under its canonical jurisdiction.
The majority of the archepachy's parishes are located in Western Pennsylvania, particularly in the Pittsburgh and Johnstown metropolitan areas.
Although most Ohio parishes are under the jurisdiction of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma, 5 churches in metropolitan Youngstown and 5 churches in Ohio River communities are governed by the archeparchy.
Additionally, there are churches in the following states: Louisiana (1), Tennessee (1), Texas (4), and West Virginia (2).
Hierarchs
- Apostolic Exarchs
- Basil Takach (1924–1948)
- Daniel Ivancho (1948–1954)
- Eparchs
- Nicholas Thomas Elko (1955–1967)
- Archeparchs
- Stephen John Kocisko (1967–1991)
- Thomas Victor Dolinay (1991–1993)
- Judson Michael Procyk (1994–2001)
- Basil Myron Schott, O.F.M. (2002–2010)
- William C. Skurla (since 2012)
- Other priests of this eparchy who became bishops
- Michael Joseph Dudick (priest here, 1945-1963), appointed Bishop of Passaic (Ruthenian) in 1968
- Emil John Mihalik, appointed Bishop of Parma (Ruthenian) in 1969
- John Michael Kudrick, appointed Bishop of Parma (Ruthenian) in 2002
See also
- Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh
- Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma
- Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic
- Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix
- List of the Catholic bishops of the United States § Eastern Catholic eparchs
References
- Byzantine Catholic Metropolia of Pittsburgh (1999). Byzantine-Ruthenian Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh Directory. Pittsburgh: Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh. ISBN none.
- Magocsi, Paul Robert and Ivan Pop (2005). Encyclopedia of Rusyn History and Culture. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. ISBN 0-8020-3566-3.
- Warzeski, Walter C. (1971). Byzantine Rite Rusins in Carpatho-Ruthenia and America. Pittsburgh: Byzantine Seminary Press. ISBN none.