This is a 1920's postcard of the Russian Orthodox church in Mt Carmel. It is no longer there, and the cornerstone is in the church cemetery.
**Broken Image Link(s) Removed**
Postcard of Centralia's Vanished Russian Church
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The vast majority of Russian Orthodox Churches in the Pennsylvania were actually not comprised of Russians at all, but Carpatho-Rusyns. Some were entirely Lemko parishes, some entirely Subcarpathian and many a mixture of both Rusyn groups. In this instance, many of these people have adopted a "Russian" identity.
"While these people may call themselves Russians, they really don't know what that is", "They still live Rusyn culture, serving Rusyn foods, singing Rusyn songs, preserving Rusyn customs, but calling it all "Russian". Who are the Rusyns http://www.c-rs.org/whoarerusyns.htm
In addition, in northeastern Pennsylvania's hard coal region, for example, the number of Ukrainian Catholic (and Orthodox) Churches are less than 10% of Ukrainian origin. Faced with the strong wave of Ukrainization in 1920 the Rusyn parishes became Ukrainian and lost their Rusyn identity. This happen also on the Russian Orthodox parishes losing the Rusyn identity and began think of themselves as Russian which they are not.
"While these people may call themselves Russians, they really don't know what that is", "They still live Rusyn culture, serving Rusyn foods, singing Rusyn songs, preserving Rusyn customs, but calling it all "Russian". Who are the Rusyns http://www.c-rs.org/whoarerusyns.htm
In addition, in northeastern Pennsylvania's hard coal region, for example, the number of Ukrainian Catholic (and Orthodox) Churches are less than 10% of Ukrainian origin. Faced with the strong wave of Ukrainization in 1920 the Rusyn parishes became Ukrainian and lost their Rusyn identity. This happen also on the Russian Orthodox parishes losing the Rusyn identity and began think of themselves as Russian which they are not.
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Interesting history. It's too bad regarding the loss of Rusyn identity, in name, but good that they yet preserve their culture in practice.
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Still one Church left in Centrailia Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Greek-Catholic Church on North Paxton Street, Centralia, PA. The Assumption Of The Blessed Virgin Mary is the last of the seven churches in Centralia. The other's were the First United Methodist (1863-1985), Holy Trinity Episcopal (1866-1966), Presbyterian (1867-1954), St. Ignatius Roman Catholic (1869-1995), First English Baptist (1887-1917) and St. Peter and Paul Russian Orthodox (1916-1986). Fortunately, The Assumption Of The Blessed Virgin Mary is located outside of the designated "impact zone" and was allowed to remain in Centralia.http://www.vpnavy01.com/websites/church/index.html[/url] History [url]http://www.vpnavy01.com/websites/church/history.html
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Grew up as a Greek Catholic & had many Russian Orthodox friends but yet never knew where the name came from. Looking at that alter brought back memories of our old church, back then the priest's were still allowed to be married, mine had something like 19 kids.
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Happen to be driving through Centralia last evening on my way to pick up my cousin at Bloomsburg University and saw the Blessed Virgin Mary Greek-Catholic Church on the top of the hill overlooking Centralia. They should really put lights on it would be magnificent at night.
The Greek Catholic Church has such a rich culture and heritage in America it is essentially the Orthodox Church under the Pope. They would be wise to cultivate that distinction between Greek Catholics and Roman Catholics.
The Eastern Catholic Churches are autonomous, self-governing (in Latin, sui iuris) particular churches in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. There are 23 such autonomous Churches, one "Western" (AKA the Roman Catholic) and 22 "Eastern", a distinction by now more historical than geographical.
The Pope is the Pope of All Catholics not the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. In 1963 they almost elected a non-Roman Catholic as the Pope.
Also another problem was nationalism kind of confused everyone, the Orthodoxs aligned themselves with Russian Orthodox Church in America and so many started believing that they were somehow Russian. And Ukraine nationalism movement claimed the Greek Catholic Church. Neither being Russian or Ukrainian in origin.
I think it is interesting the even the first Greek Catholic Church in American now thinks that thry are Ukrainian when I have a copy of the, St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church, Shenandoah PA 1959 Diamond Jubilee Book September 1959 and nowhere in the whole book is the word Ukraine or Ukrainian even mentioned.
Re-writing of History is an amazement to me.
The Greek Catholic Church has such a rich culture and heritage in America it is essentially the Orthodox Church under the Pope. They would be wise to cultivate that distinction between Greek Catholics and Roman Catholics.
The Eastern Catholic Churches are autonomous, self-governing (in Latin, sui iuris) particular churches in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. There are 23 such autonomous Churches, one "Western" (AKA the Roman Catholic) and 22 "Eastern", a distinction by now more historical than geographical.
The Pope is the Pope of All Catholics not the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. In 1963 they almost elected a non-Roman Catholic as the Pope.
Also another problem was nationalism kind of confused everyone, the Orthodoxs aligned themselves with Russian Orthodox Church in America and so many started believing that they were somehow Russian. And Ukraine nationalism movement claimed the Greek Catholic Church. Neither being Russian or Ukrainian in origin.
I think it is interesting the even the first Greek Catholic Church in American now thinks that thry are Ukrainian when I have a copy of the, St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church, Shenandoah PA 1959 Diamond Jubilee Book September 1959 and nowhere in the whole book is the word Ukraine or Ukrainian even mentioned.
Re-writing of History is an amazement to me.