In February 1990, a delegation of Ruthenian Catholic Bishops and Priests travelled to Uzhhorod shortly after the legalization of the Church (1989) to celebrate with the Ruthenian faithful of the Eparchy of Mukachevo this momentous event in the life of the Church. It was to be, practically speaking, the first major Divine Liturgy celebrated since the suppression of the Greek Catholic Church in 1947.
The Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Greek Catholic Church in Tsehol’nya (Church of the Transfiguration) on February 18th, 1990 by Bishop Ivan Semedi (Eparchy of Mukachevo), Metropolitan Stephen Kocisko (Archeparchy of Pittsburg), Bishop Michael Dudick (Eparchy of Passaic), and Bishop Thomas Dolinay (Eparchy of Van Nuys), as well as priests and deacons from both the United States and the Eparchy of Mukachevo.
A multitude of people attended the Liturgy as can be seen from the overhead photo taken during it’s celebration. It was a very powerful moment in time for the Greek Catholic Church in Transcarpathia, and many a tear were shed. Just think, for fifty years these people were legally prohibited to even gather together and pray, but now could receive communion in public, and do so without fear of reprisal.
Seen also in the photos is a picture of faithful lining the street leading up to the Church with candles lit waiting for the arrival of “our” American Bishops and Priests.
These photos, along with many others, currently are framed and hanging in the Bishop’s Residence in Uzhhorod. I have wrote the captions on the photos as they appeared on the wall here in Uzhhorod. As a side note, if anyone can identify any of the American priests who are in the photos and post their names here, or send me a message I would be greatly appreciative. The only one I spotted that I knew was Heguman Joseph Stanichar (Duchovny Dom Byzantine Catholic Mens Monastery) pictured in the second photo just right of center looking straight at the camera.
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