His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon and His Grace, Bishop Paul presided at the 100th Anniversary of Saint Nicholas Church, Mogadore, OH November 10-12, 2017.
The weekend opened as Archpriest Nicholas Wyslutsky and the faithful welcomed Bishop Paul for the celebration of Friday evening Daily Vespers. On Saturday morning, Bishop Paul presided at the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, during which Father Nicholas, clergy from the Cleveland Deanery and other local clergy concelebrated. A luncheon followed in the undercroft of the church. Upon the arrival of Metropolitan Tikhon, Saturday evening Great Vespers was celebrated.
During the Sunday morning Hierarchical Liturgy, Father Nicholas was awarded the jeweled cross. Metropolitan Tikhon presented a Synodal Gramota to Father Nicholas and the parish, while Bishop Paul presented Diocesan Gramoti to Marianne Malish Price, James and Maria Stevens, Eugene and Hope Zemlansky, and Ronald and Linda Smith in recognition of their devoted work on behalf of the parish community.
A highlight of the weekend was the presence and participation of former pastors and “sons” of the parish who had entered the ordained ministry, including former pastors, Archpriests John Mason and Stephen Kopestonsky; sons of the parish, Archpriests Daniel Hubiak and Michael Zahirsky and Deacon Luke Laboda; and Archpriest Michael Hatrak, Father Nicholas’ childhood pastor in Minersville, PA. Also concelebrating was Archdeacon Joseph Matusiak.
Following the Divine Liturgy, a festive anniversary banquet was served at Saint Nicholas Banquet Center.
A History of Saint Nicholas Church, Mogadore, Ohio
This small, but zealous group of Orthodox Christians decided to form an Orthodox parish. The nucleus of this group was members of the Saint Nicholas Russian Brotherhood, which was organized in Akron in 1914. At a parish meeting on March 4, 1917, Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker was chosen as the patron saint and heavenly protector of the parish. Services were held in parishioners’ homes while plans were being finalized for the construction of a church.
Through much saving and sacrifice, this small group constructed a church on Robert Street. The first Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the new parish in the fall of 1917. It was the center of activity for the Russian Orthodox community.
Throughout the 1920s and 1930s the parish continued to expand rapidly and thoughts turned toward constructing a new church to meet the demands of this growing community. In 1946, property was purchased on the corner of Sylvan and Pardee Avenues, ground was broken in 1950, and in May 1952 the new church was consecrated and the first services held.
In November 1963, a new iconostas (icon screen) was completed—the same iconostas that stands in our church today.
By 1964, the parish began to see the need for continued progress, and decided to think seriously about constructing a recreation and school building. Because adequate property could not be found in the city, and because many parishioners were moving into the Akron suburbs, the parish purchased the Mogadore property in 1974 for the new parish complex.
The rectory was completed in 1977 and the social hall in 1979. Ground was broken for the new church in April 1983 and the first Divine Liturgy was held in the new building on January 29, 1984. The new church was consecrated on May 6, 1984.
Much has changed since 1917. A mere handful of Russian immigrants has grown into a thriving community of all ethnic backgrounds dedicated to Christ. What has remained unchanged is our dedication to Orthodoxy and to the mission of our founding fathers and the Apostles over two millennia ago—to spread the Word of God and to bring the world to Orthodoxy.
Photo Credit: Subdeacon Roman Ostash
