Church of the Holy Transfiguration

Diocese: Diocese of New York and New Jersey

Deanery: New Jersey Deanery

Address

35 Sickletown Rd
Pearl River, New York 10965-0759

Mailing address:

PO Box 759
Pearl River, NY 10965

Website: holytransf.org

Office: 845-548-3170

Parish Contacts

Lay Leadership

Directions

General Location
Church of the Holy Transfiguration is located in Pearl River, NY, approximately 20 miles NW of New York City and the George Washington Bridge in Rockland County.

From New Jersey via Garden State Parkway
Take the Garden State Parkway north to Grand Ave (exit 172). Exit and turn right at the end of the ramp. Follow Grand Ave to the end of the road (3 miles) and turn left onto Middletown Rd. At the first traffic light (0.7 mile) turn right onto Gilbert Ave. At the second traffic light (0.3 mile), turn left to stay on Gilbert Ave. Go about 1 mile to the end of the road and then turn left onto Sickletown Rd. Go 0.2 mile and the chruch will be on the left. Please park in the gravel lot, not in the Naraushaun Country Deli driveway.

From New York via the New York State Thruway/I-87
Take the Thruway to the Palisades Interstate Parkway south (exit 13s). Take the PIP to exit 7 (Town Line Rd) and turn left at the end of the ramp. Follow Town Line Rd west (0.8 mile) to Ehrhardt Rd (at the first traffic light) and turn left. At the end of Erhardt (1 mile), turn left onto Blauvelt Rd, and then make a quick right onto Oriole St. Proceed to the end of Oriole (0.5 mile) and then turn left onto Orangeburg Rd. Go 0.5 mile, and the church will be on the left, immediately before the end of the street. Please park in the gravel lot, not in the Naraushaun Country Deli driveway.

From Rockland County via Palisades Interstate Parkway southbound
Take the PIP to exit 7 (Town Line Rd) and turn left at the end of the ramp. Follow Town Line Rd west (0.8 mile) to Ehrhardt Rd (at the first traffic light) and turn left. At the end of Erhardt (1 mile), turn left onto Blauvelt Rd, and then make a quick right onto Oriole St. Proceed to the end of Oriole (0.5 mile) and then turn left onto Orangeburg Rd. Go 0.5 mile, and the church will be on the left, immediately before the end of the street. Please park in the gravel lot, not in the Naraushaun Country Deli driveway.

From NJ and NYC via George Washington Bridge via Palisades Parkway
northbound
Take exit 6W (Orangeburg Rd) and follow Orangeburg Rd/Veterans Memorial Highway for 1.9 miles (the third traffic light from the parkway exit) and turn right onto Blue Hill Rd. Follow Blue Hill Rd 0.7 miles to the end (at stop sign) and turn left onto Sickletown Rd. Go 0.3 miles and the church will be on the left. Please park in the gravel lot, not in the Naraushaun Country Deli driveway.

By Bus
Red & Tan lines route 20 runs between New York City and Nanuet. Request a stop at Orangeburg Rd.  The church is at the bottom of the hill, (Orangeburg Rd.) approximately 1 mile where it ends at Sickletown Rd.

Schedule of Services

All services are in English.

6:00 PM Great Vespers and Confessions.
Saturday Evening and Eves of Great Feasts

9:10 AM Third and Sixth Hours; 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy followed by Coffee Fellowship.
Sunday Morning

10:00 AM Divine Liturgy.
Mornings of Great Feasts

6:00 PM Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.
Wednesday Evenings in Great Lent

Confessions are heard following Great Vespers on Saturday and Eves of Great Feasts or by appointment.
Confessions

For a complete list of upcoming services, or to arrange Baptisms, Marriages, Memorials, etc., please call the Rectory at 845-548-3170.

Parish Background

The founding of the Orthodox Christian Church of the Holy Transfiguration began in 1967.  Negotiations with the Metropolia (Metropolitan Ireney) to become an English speaking parish under its jurisdiction, were started on July 12, 1967.

The first Divine Liturgy was held on February 18, 1968 at the West Nyack Fire Hall in West Nyack, NY.  Very Rev. John Nehrebecki celebrated the Liturgy, assisted by Deacon John Townsend.  In addition to the founders of the parish, many faithful of other Orthodox parishes came to this joyous event.  Seminarians from St. Vladimir’s Seminary sang the responses for the Liturgy.  Deacon John Townsend was ordained to the Holy Priesthood the following week and became our first presbyter.

A total of six founders and their families—Alexander & Eftihia Colman, William & Chardella (Maria) Colman, Katherine Hajworonsky, Nicholas & Fay Lassios (Rev. Nicholas), Christina Sloboda, and Dr. Terry Terzakis—started the parish.  Five were of Greek descent, the sixth of Czechoslovakian heritage.  This small group rented the West Nyack Fire Hall as a place for Divine Services for approximately one year.  Paschal Services for the first year were held at the Clarkstown Hall Courtroom.  The choir consisted of some of the parishioners along with Sister (now Mother) Victoria, Sister Edith Raphael, and other sisters.  During this period, Saturday Evening Vespers were usually held in the homes of parishioners.

From the West Nyack Fire Hall, we relocated to the Rockland State Hospital Library wing of the Roman Catholic Chapel.  At this location, the library furniture had to be moved and replaced before and after each service.  This had to be done in order to make room for the parish’s portable iconostasis, which was constructed by Nicholas Lassios.  Mr Lassios, now fallen asleep in the Lord, later became a priest of the Greek Archdiocese.  The iconostasis, altar table, stands, icons, etc., were all stored in an adjacent room made available by Monsignor Cox, Vicar of the Rockland County Roman Catholic Diocese.

During our use of the Rockland State Hospital facility, Sunday Divine Liturgies were made available to the hospital’s Orthodox patients.  On one Saturday each month, a Liturgy was held after which an Agape Meal was served to the patients.  Parishioners would escort patients to and from these services.  Other parishes were involved in this special ministry as well.  People from Christ the Savior Church in Paramus, NJ, St. John the Baptist Church in Spring Valley, and SS Constantine & Helen Church in West Nyack were also involved.

In the summer of 1970, we rented and relocated to the Old Nauraushaun Presbyterian Church, which was built 1856.  In July 1976, we purchased our current church.  Many major and minor repairs had to be made on the structure.

The name of the church was selected by the parish Founders under the advice and recommendation of Fr. John Nehrebecki.