Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church in Centralia, Pa.

After a 54-year-old underground coal fire forced 99% of the town’s residents to relocate via eminent domain in the 1980’s. The community was left with only a few diehards who struck an agreement with the Federal Government to allow them to live out their remaining years in town.
The town’s only standing church Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church located just north of the borough line was declared a pilgrimage site in this desolate town. The church was founded in 1911 and in 2015 Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, primate of the worldwide Ukrainian Catholic Church, came to the church was amazed that the parishioners have endured despite among the ruins of the town. August 28, 1911 is both the , Feast of the Assumption, commemorating Mary’s bodily ascent to heaven and the date the church was founded on.
Shevchuk compared it to emptiness to that of Pripyat, a Ukrainian town of 49,000 abandoned in 1986 after the Chernobyl nuclear plant catastrophe. But he saw a profound symbol of God’s presence in the persistence of the church.
Rev. John Fields, spokesman for the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia explaining how the church bearned its pilgrimage site designation. “He thought (Assumption) was so holy and spiritual, he wanted to make it special,” “It’s eerie,” “There’s no town at all but there’s a viable church, in a day and age when churches are being closed.”
Today Sunday, the church will welcome the faithful for liturgy and prayer. It’s the first such event since Assumption was declared a holy pilgrimage site.
Rev. Michael Hutsko pastor said “Everyone is invited,” “It’s not just for Eastern Catholics. It’s a call to prayer. We’re hoping people will leave with a renewed sense of God’s presence in their lives.” While the people have been scattered by the winds of time “but the church remained the common denominator.”
The theme of the pilgrimage is “Beseeching God’s Mercy” “Praying for the Intercession of the Mother of God.” “We’re anticipating 300 to 400 people.
Events will begin at noon, with Metropolitan-Archbishop Stefan Soroka of the archeparchy as main celebrant of the Divine Liturgy.
A Living Rosary was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. before a jeweled 18th century copy of the Icon of Our Lady of Pochaiv.
At 4 p.m., pilgrims will gather at the outdoor chapel for a candlelight procession to the church and the Blessing of Water for the Jubilee Year of Mercy will take place at the Grotto of the Holy Cross. Holy water will be distributed to the pilgrims.
Celebration of a Moleben (prayer service) to the Mother of God. Soroka will again be the main celebrant as well as homilist.
Confessions will be available along with religious articles for sale, and will be blessed during the evening
The church is on North Paxton Street, two blocks north of Route 42. For more information, contact the rectory at 570-339-0650.