By TOM LAVIS
TLAVIS@TRIBDEM.COM
A century of service will be observed by members of SS. Peter & Paul Orthodox Church in Vintondale on Sept. 2.
The celebration will begin with Pro-Liturgy at 11:30 a.m. A dinner will follow at 1 p.m.
The church is located on Third Street and is easily recognized by its gold dome.
“Because of the church’s small size, the parish has existed as a mission for the past 30 years, sharing a priest with Colver and for the past 10 years with Portage,” said Dennis Kovach, parish council president.
“As an aging community, the adults who are faithful and support the church must be lauded.”
The church, which has 16 parishioners, will be blessed by the Very Rev. Gregory Tsjouman of Portage, acting rector.
Kovach said former parishioners and clergy who have served the parish have been invited to attend.
The roots of SS. Peter & Paul Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church of Vintondale were planted between 1902 and 1904 in Wehrum, a mining community about 3 miles from Vintondale.
The charter name given to the Wehrum community was Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church.
The only existing records of the Wehrum community is the October 1906 purchase of a tract of land for use as a cemetery in Buffington Township.
A dedication monument at the church cemetery is dated Oct. 6, 1906, and still exists.
The community of Wehrum was abandoned in 1904 by the Colliery Co. and all miners were told to vacate. Most moved to Vinton-dale.
The church committee purchased a lot in 1907 in Vintondale for $1 from the Vintondale Colliery Co.
The company deeded the lot to the church and the cornerstone was placed on Nov. 28, 1907. The church was completed shortly thereafter.
Only local oral chronicles recall the history of SS. Peter & Paul.
Nine priests have served the Vintondale Orthodox community.
In the past 10 years, extensive renovation and updating have taken place to improve the church and its facilities.
Currently, a building project is under way to use a basement storage area.
SS. Peter & Paul is served each week with the Sunday Typica and a Wednesday morning Divine Liturgy and Bible study.
“Because the congregation is so small, when the faithful gather, we do so as a family or as a one-room schoolhouse,” Kovach said.
Services are conducted in English and Church-Slavonic languages, and use the medium of Carpatho-Russian Congregational Chant.
Milestone
What: SS. Peter & Paul Orthodox Church 100th anniversary.
When: Pro-Liturgy at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 2. Dinner at 1 p.m.
Where: 176 Third St., Vintondale.
Information: 749-5104.
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Parishioners to mark Vintondale church's centennial
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