Founded in 1891 by Ukrainian immigrants, St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church is among North America’s oldest surviving Ukrainian Catholic churches.  Located in the South Side Flats neighborhood, the Byzantine multi-domed church is a defining feature of Pittsburgh’s skyline. The original church was built in 1895 and designed by Gothard Weiss. It was later expanded in 1919, nearly doubling in size, with a major addition designed by R. Lang. The congregation’s blue-collar heritage stems from Pittsburgh’s diverse industrial era immigrant communities. Early in its history, St. John’s championed Ukrainian independence and in the 1910s, supported labor rights, particularly for miners and steelworkers. Largely composed of Ukrainian descendants throughout its long history, St. John’s has recently received an influx of new members emigrating from Ukraine. St. John’s plays a vital role in maintaining the community’s cultural heritage, offering stability and continuity to a changing neighborhood.

Today, St. John’s shares its spacious, former convent with Unity Recovery, a drug rehabilitation program offering a comprehensive range of programs, including residential treatment, individual and group counseling sessions, and sober living arrangements for those transitioning back into independent living. St. John’s also aids unsheltered people in its neighborhood, collecting food for those in need throughout the region and extends its reach beyond Pittsburgh to assist victims of disasters and refugees. The church has been a significant hub for collecting and distributing essential supplies to Ukrainian orphans, particularly since the escalation of the conflict there in 2022, including partnering with organizations like the Rotary Club to expand their reach and maximize the impact of their support.

A National Fund grant of grant of $200,000 with $200,000 in matching funds raised by the congregation will allow St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church to complete repairs to the roof and the iconic golden dome to ensure the preservation of its unique architectural features and the continuation of the building as a center of community life.

Photo by Andriy Bidochko