www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Photo Gallery Sts Peter and Paul UGCC Mount Carmel PA

Here are some photographs of Saints Peter and Paul UGCC in Mount Carmel, PA. I took them this morning after assisting with the 8 a.m. Holy Mass at my RC parish (Divine Redeemer), and then walked the 50 feet to this parish and sang with the cantor for their 9 a.m. Divine Liturgy.

This is my maternal late-grandparents' home parish.

This building, finished in 1994, was built after a fire devestated the old 1914 building in 1991, two weeks before its one-hundredth anniversary celebration. The old building was a grand structure. I remember being inside it with my late grandmother, with all windows, paintings, woodworks, gold-leaving, and Iconostasis restored - about a month before the fire. I was in amazement of the huge chrystal chandelier which was suspended in the center of the nave. It was on that day that I fell in love with the East.

Then, on June 10, 1991, (I was 8 years old), a workman repairing holes in the main (125 foot high) dome accidentally left his torch on during lunch. Many tears were shed that day - my own included.

The pastor of the OCA parish of St. Michael, a block away, called the pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul and offered their old four main Icons which they had just recently replaced, as well as any vestments or vessels which they may have needed. The UGCC pastor was able to rescue much of the sacristy before the fire spread. But before this present Iconostasis was installed in the new church in 1997, old OCA icons were being venerated by UGCCs. That's what I call ecumenism

If you would do a google search for Mt Carmel PA, you will inevitably find pictures of this "Avenue of Churches."

Last year at Christmas time I left my RC church and was praying in the choir loft of Sts. Peter and Paul before I went home. I was still wearing my cassock and collar, and the cantor came up to me and said, "Are you singing with us today?" I said, "I wasn't planning on it..." Then he said, "Well, here's a book." Then he found out I was a Roman seminarian! He didn't care - Neither did I. Midway during a litany he said "You have a beautiful tone - you'll make an excellent priest." How much simpler it would be if that's all it took!

Since then I've had a standing invitation to assist with singing!

Wow! It takes my breath away. Especially the Pantocrator in the dome.
Can you tell us a bit about the iconographer Christine Dochwat?

All's I know is that she is from the Philadelphia area (Norristown I think) and that she's written icons in about 70 churches along the eastern US.

She also did the iconography for the Byzantine Chapel in the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington: Byzantine Chapel, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception [nationalshrine.com]

She has also written some icons which have been reproduced and are being sold via Ignatius Press (an excellent Roman Catholic publishing house).

Perhaps some of the forum inhabitants can elucidate further?

OOOOOOH! Very nice! The Christos Pantokrator in the dome, as well as the stained-glass, are particularly beautiful.

Jon,

Very beautiful. Curiousity, if you perhaps know, what happened to the icons from the OCA parish?

Many years,

Neil

That is a very beautiful church. Thanks for posting the pictures.

Hmmm...

I don't know. Perhaps they're back in storage at St. Michael's. Maybe not. They were in the 'Italianate' style. The new ones at the OCA, written by Rudolph Rohn studios (I think) are of 'soft-Byzantine style'.

Hopefully I'll be able to get in St. Michael's and get some pictures there.

Beautiful! I love the shot from the choir loft...and thank you for sharing the story about the fire and restoration. Like Neil, I am also curious as to what happened to the icons donated by the OCA parish.

Bless, Father Jon,

I happened across photos of what may be the fire that you described in 1991. Although they're identified as Ss Peter & Paul ROC, I doubt that there were 2 such fires in Mt Carmel the same year, both of temples named for Ss Peter & Paul.

They're here [kanezo.com] - scroll most of the way down the page.

Many years,

Neil

Very nice!

Neil,
That's the original church which burned in 1991. That was a very tragic day. My family and I watched it from our back porch, which looks upon "the Avenue of Churches."

Here is a youtube clip I found a while ago which one of the local fire companies uploaded: here [youtube.com]