www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Parish Life & Evangelization St. Mary's (Pokrov) Byzantine Catholic Church

This is a beautiful and well done display of that Church and it's icons. Hope some of you will enjoy it as much as I did.

http://www.geocities.com/~pgresh/index.html

Peace!

its a very wonderful church! do correct me, the icons in the iconastasis seems western looking...

God bless... eumir

Gee, I used to know the present pastor, Fr. Theodore "Ted" Krepp, when he was yet a young seminarian at the now-closed Conventual Franciscans' St. Hyacinth's Seminary in Granby, MA. He once told me I sounded too Orthodox--and he wasn't even yet in the Byzantine Rite himself at the time (he often stood next to me in the choir in the now-closed St. Michael's Byzantine Catholic Church in South Hadley, MA!). Small world, but his church, I think, is very beautiful, despite there being some Westernized icons.

OrthodoxEast

Hey Eumir,
Haven't seen you post for awhile.

I agree with you that they do look somewhat westernized. It looks like it could have been done during the time that the Roman affect was so strong on the church. But, I do think they put an aweful lot of time and effort into the church.

Also, whoever had the patience to do the computer work deserves many kudos.

Alex,
You are right, it just shows what a small world we live in.

Rose

The icons on the screen at St. Mary's Pokrov are very typical of the style of iconography that was popular not only in the US parishes but in Russia and other Eastern European countries in the 19th and early 20th centuries. I believe that it is called the Italianate style---someone correct me if I'm wrong. Since it was popular in Europe, it was what was done here in the US when the first churches and screens were built. Look at many of the churches--Orthodox and Catholic from this period and you'll see it. This is not a latinization, in the sense of Stations, altar rails, etc. It's what they knew. That screen is a treasure and a true period piece. It's amazing that it has survived intact.

John,

You are quite right. There are several Orthodox parishes in Pa and OH with similar Iconostasis which are Italianate in form. Look at St Isaac's Cathedral in St Petersburg or the newly constructed Christ the Saviour Cathedral. All of these are in that Italianate style.

I don't happen to prefer this style but the Churches are beautiful.

It is also interesting that most of the OCA Churches in Alaska also have this "Italinate" style on their iconostas...just a note

Blessings,


Robert

The iconostas is in the "Hard Coal Hunky" style.
If you ever visited the indeginous Rusyn and Ukrainian Greek Catholic parishes of North Eastern PA, all of the original iconography looks like St. Mary Church in Kingston, PA. I think the artist made his living on doing the iconostasis for the immigrant Greek Catholic Churches and that's why they look the same.

Ung-Certez

I have to remember that.

I like that white and gold treatment! Nothing like it around where I live.

Michael

To be fair, this type of iconography from St. Mary's in Kingston (and elsewhere) looks a *LOT* more Byzantine than the "Italian"-style art (that I won't even suggest is iconography) found in such shrines to western European culture as St. Isaac's in St. Pete.

Most of the icons in the old-style Rusyn Greek Catholic and Orthodox churches in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, etc. were done by two artists: Stefan Hegedus~ from Trenton, New Jersey and Jan Zacharias~ from Barnesboro, Pennsylvania. The others, of similar style, were imported from Europe.

Most of the baroque-style masonry churches in Carpatho-Rus' (Slovakia, Poland, Subcarpathian Rus') have this style of iconography. The more authentic Byzantine iconography is found only in the wooden churches, and even there it takes on a softer "folk" style but still according to the traditional patterns.

When I looked at the icons and the Altar area of St. Mary's "Pokrov" in Kingston, I saw absolutely no difference between this church and one in the OCA, except that the latter might have retained a curtain behind the Holy Doors. Yes, there was a time when the "Italianate" style of icon art was quite expansive (and it wasn't confined to the Slavs either--I've seen Greek and Albanian Orthodox churches similarly affected), but Fr. Ted appears to be restoring authentic Byzantine iconography wherever he is able in his Kingston church without destroying his church's artistic legacy and historicity. Bravo!

OrthodoxEast

Dear Friends,

St. Mary's Pokrov is one of the original Greek Catholic parishes founded by Father Ivan (aka John) Wolansky in the 1880s. His achievements were pretty amazing considering the obstacles he faced from the Bishops, the Polish priests, and from Rome. I think he should be considered a candidate for sainthood.

The story is told here:

http://stcyrils.tripod.com/origin/

John
Pilgrim and Odd Duck

John,
Thank you for that very interesting link. I was aware of names and dates but reading this article opened my eyes to the struggles of these turn-of-the-century priests.
Eternal Memory!
Sam

Dear Sam,

The story of the early Ukrainian settlers in Pennsylvania and elsewhere was a story of triumph over great opposition. Also, a story of tragic divisions in the Church.

There is a parallel story of the Ukrainian settlement in Canada. But there, the story is somewhat better because of the interest of Archbishop Langevin to get the Redemptorists to come to Manitoba. Father Achilles DeLaere of Belgium learned Slavic languages and transferred to the Byzantine Rite in order to serve the Ukrainians in their native Liturgy. Not a perfect solution, but good enough to get Metropolitan Sheptytsky to support the effort. There is more detail here:

http://www.yorktonredemptorists.com/who%20we%20are.htm

John
Pilgrim and Odd Duck

This style icon is all over--not only in PA and OH. The Ukrainian Catholic Church of St. Michael in Terryville, CT has a similar screen, floor to ceiling with matching "side" altars and the Italianate iconography. An interesting difference in the this parish is that the screen and the altars were never painted white with gold trim. They remained beautiful, natural oak accented with gold trim. What a difference it makes. The walls have fresco-style icons between each window that depict the 12 feasts. Practically the entire church is covered in icons. It's amazing that this survived. I guess that CT is truly "exile" and no one bothered to care how the churches looked! ;-) Kidding--NO FLAMES PLEASE!

John