St. John's Restoration Project · Pittsburgh, PA
The oldest surviving Ukrainian Catholic church in America needs urgent repairs to its roof and iconic golden dome. Help us preserve this Pittsburgh landmark for generations to come.
You may not know its name, but chances are you know the distinctive domes of St. John the Baptist — especially the great gold one — rising over Pittsburgh’s South Side and skyline.
Built in 1895, St. John’s is the oldest surviving Ukrainian Catholic church building in America. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it embodies the spirit of Pittsburgh itself — but age and the elements have taken their toll.
A restoration project estimated at $1 million is needed to repoint its brick, replace its roof, and save its distinctive domes. Join those across Pittsburgh and beyond in safeguarding this unique piece of our shared history.
Oldest surviving Ukrainian Catholic church in America
To repair the roof, domes & masonry
Matching grant — your gift is doubled
Every gift is matched dollar-for-dollar by the National Fund for Sacred Places grant. Thank you for your generosity.
Donate securely with PayPal or any major credit card.
Make your check payable to St. John’s Restoration Fund and mail it to:
St. John’s Restoration Fund
109 S. 7th Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church has received $200,000 from the National Fund for Sacred Places, a program of Partners for Sacred Places in collaboration with the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
This funding will support repair and restoration of St. John’s central, golden dome and the surrounding roof area. The project is expected to cost approximately $400,000 and matching funds are required by the program — so every gift you make is matched dollar-for-dollar.
St. John’s is one of 30 organizations to receive a total of over $8.7 million in grant funding that provides training, planning grants, technical assistance, capacity-building support, and capital grants to congregations of all faiths.
Since its inception, the National Fund has awarded or pledged over $33 million to 168 community-serving congregations representing 28 faith traditions across 45 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. To learn more about this program and this year’s grant recipients, visit fundforsacredplaces.org.
On Easter Sunday in 1889, a group of Ukrainian immigrants gathered for worship in a borrowed Roman Catholic Church. Tears of joy filled their eyes as they sang “Christos Voskrese!” (Christ is Risen!) – they were finally able to worship inside a church sanctuary, not a classroom or a rectory. For some that Easter morning, nearly a decade had passed since they had attended a service of their own Greek Catholic tradition inside a church proper.
By the time the service ended, those present decided they would have a church of their own. Within two years, they did. That church became St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church on Pittsburgh’s South Side. The church’s unique history and architecture has earned it a spot on the National Register of Historic places. For many Pittsburgh residents and visitors, the church is a symbol of the city’s rich cultural tradition as its distinctive golden dome rises in contrast to the buildings of downtown.
But not all may know the humble beginnings of this church. Leaving their homes in small rural villages, those Ukrainian immigrants could take little with them. Along with their baptismal certificate, some brought only a small feather bed or a single change of clothes. Some had sold all their worldly possessions to buy a one-way ticket for a long voyage across the ocean, exchanging certain hardship for unknown opportunity.
One can imagine what courage such a journey took, what sacrifice, what determination to dream for a better future. They not only left their possessions and land. They left family and friends, their language and an entire way of life. But what they did bring with them was a rich cultural heritage and, at the center of this heritage, their Eastern Catholic faith. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic immigrants who settled in Pittsburgh’s South Side counted this faith among their most treasured possessions, guarding it carefully and practicing it devotedly.
This church is a testament to the legacy of those first Ukrainian Greek Catholics who carried their faith with them to forge a new life among the industrial opportunities of Pittsburgh, thousands of miles from their homeland. For these devoted immigrants and their descendants, their faith was the most valuable treasure they could have brought with them. St. John the Baptist is the visible testament of that faith. The small congregation grew into a source of strength and inspiration for many, becoming the mother of all Eastern Rite Catholic churches in Western Pennsylvania. St. John the Baptist, for more than 100 years, has ensured that the faith tradition of its founders would be shared for the benefit of others.
As our church looks to the future, we turn to both our members and the general public for assistance. Our parish is starting a large-scale renovation and restoration project to address structural issues and repair age-related damage that threaten this significant landmark. It is essential to take action soon--and we are determined to do so in such a manner to maintain the historical integrity of our beloved church, which is not only a vital part of our lives, but an important part of the architectural and cultural heritage of all of Pittsburgh. Your generosity will help with efforts to preserve this landmark, rich in meaning for so many.
Help us to honor the legacy of those who have gone before us, continue to serve the greater community and preserve a part of Pittsburgh history for generations to come.
It's pretty much a compilation of Diamond Jubilee Book, 1967 text.
Another history passage found in St. Josaphat "millennium" directory book, published in 1988.
