History

It was during the late 1880’s that Slavic people began to come in growing numbers to the United States, and this immigration continued until the outbreak of World War I.  Other waves of immigration took place, including that of White Russians and Cossacks in the early 1920’s, following the takeover or Russia by the Bolsheviks. Again in the 1940’s and 1950’s displaced persons from conquered territories overseas came to settle in Western Pennsylvania.

Orthodox Christians from the Carpathian Mountains and from Galicia began to arrive in California, Pennsylvania. In the latter part of the 19^th century, economic conditions in the “Old Country” were growing steadily worse and religious persecutions were mounting.  Desperately seeking a better life for themselves and their children, these early pioneers managed to get to America.  Things were extremely difficult for these pioneers in their new land.  Unfortunately, the working skills they possessed were not of much use in their new environment; they had to learn a new language; they had to face varying degrees of hostility and discrimination as they tried to become an integral part of their new society. Unlike many other ethnic groups, there was no network of support or even a point of contact when they arrived. The Orthodox Church, which had always been a central part of their life, did not exist in Western Pennsylvania.

The men found work in the coal mines, steel mills and railroads while the women looked after the children in rented rooms, shacks and houses, making ends meet by doing housecleaning for others, laundry, and sometimes by separate employment in factories and businesses. Wages were low; working conditions were poor and often dangerous; there were no effective Unions; insurance, healthcare, emergency medical care, and pensions were virtually non-existent. Some of those who had arrived to begin new lives were already at retirement age, yet they started all over again, and through hard work were able to provide for themselves and their families.  They were men, women, and teenagers of great courage, firm determination, and strong faith.  It is difficult for us to understand the hardships they went through, for we live entirely different lives today.

Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church was one of the newest parishes formed in what is known today as the “Monongahela Valley”.  Before 1920, there was already an established parish in Charleroi. But, Orthodox families living in the village of Phillipsburg – now called California  – had to travel many miles on foot for Sunday and Feast Day liturgies, baptisms, marriages, funerals and so on. Thus, the large community of Orthodox faithful wanted a parish of their own in California – Phillipsburg.

In 1920, a dynamic Priest – Archpriest Gregory Cucura – met with a group of family leaders in one of the homes of an Orthodox Christian and set the wheels in motion for the establishment of a mission parish. Within a very short period of time, fifty-five families were gathered.  Soon after, Father Gregory was celebrating Divine Liturgy every Sunday morning in a rented room. For two years services were held in this rented room while the community of Orthodox believers struggled to save what it could toward the purchase of its own property.

On March 6, 1922, the parishioners purchased the residence that had once belonged to Doctor William H. Phillips.  Thus, the parish became linked in a special way to the history of the local area, for the Phillips family had been prominent in the history of the California-Phillipsburg region, and the family homestead is one of the oldest buildings in California, dating back to the 1700’s.

The Phillips homestead was remodeled and served as a residence for the Parish Priest, as well as a Chapel for worship and church school.  It functioned as a Church for nearly 34 years.

In 1948, Archpriest Andrew Fedorchak and a group of determined parishioners pressed forward among the people to go ahead with the construction of a permanent church building.  Realizing that there were insufficient funds to hire professional contractors, the parishioners decided they would construct a new church with donated labor.  This was a mammoth undertaking, but the idea caught on and professional and technical people outside the Church community also donated expertise and equipment, while other organizations and individuals donated money and materials. Though construction lasted from 1949 – 1955, when completed, the building was mortgage free.

On Palm Sunday of 1955, the doors of the new church were opened by the Parish Rector, Archpriest Simeon Figol, Archpriest John Oleynik and Priest Elias Yancousky with a blessing service.  On October 2, 1955, His Grace Bishop Benjamin of the Diocese of Pittsburgh and West Virginia consecrated Holy Trinity Church.

In 1957, the parish petitioned the American Carpatho-Russian Diocese for acceptance into its diocese. His Grace Bishop Orestes Chornock accepted the request and appointed Priest Ivan Dornic as Pastor.  The parish remained in the Carpatho-Russian diocese for several years.

In 1990, Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church petitioned the Synod of Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia for its spiritual needs and leadership. His Eminence Metropolitan Philaret accepted the parish that now found itself without a priest or diocesan bishop and appointed Archpriest George Mitchell as its spiritual Father.

As the result of the ever-growing number of parishes in Pennsylvania under the spiritual leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Bishop Hilarion of Manhattan (now Metropolitan of the ROCOR) was appointed to oversee all the new parishes in Pennsylvania. With the formation of a new parish in Clymer, PA, Archpriest George Mitchell was transferred to Christ the Savior Church. Father George was the last full time on site priest assigned to Holy Trinity Church.

Holy Trinity Church maintains the Julian calendar for all of its liturgical services. Traditional Orthodox Christmas falls on January 7; while the civil New Year falls on January 1, it is celebrated on January 14.

Today, liturgical services at Holy Trinity are conducted primarily in the English language. And, with the ever-growing number of converts to Orthodoxy here in America, the need and use of English in most parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad is imperative.

Though the property has changed somewhat with the construction of the church, the old gazebo and springhouse are gone.  There are no large gardens anymore since the cemetery was established in 1952.