Parishoners from Eight Byzantine Catholic Churches Take Part In Tribute to Culture, Heritage, and Religion

(Wilkes-Barre) - On August 19th, 2007, Luzerne County Commission Chairman Gregory A. Skrepenak hosted Luzerne County's first-ever Byzantine (Greek) Catholic Celebration.  Over 100 descendents of immigrants from the Carpatho-Rusyn region, including Commissioner Skrepenak, celebrated the faith, customs, art, music and food of those who settled in Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, Freeland, Kingston, Swoyersville and Pittston in the 1800's. In 1884, Father John Voliansky from Galicia organized the first Rusyn Byzantine Catholic Church in America, St. Mary of the Dormition of Freeland.  Other parishes followed, including St. Mary of the Dormition and St. John the Baptist of Hazleton, St. Mary's Protection in Kingston, St. Michael the Archangel in Pittston, St. Nicholas of Myra in Swoyersville, St. Mary of the Assumption in Wilkes-Barre, and St. John the Baptist in Wilkes-Barre Township. Commissioner Skrepenak presented the congregations of each church with a special resolution commemorating the celebration.