Protection of the Holy Theotokos Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Allentown (Pennsylvania)

Protection of the Holy Theotokos Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral (famously known as St. Mary’s Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral) in Allentown, Pennsylvania, is an architectural landmark, a historic cradle of autonomous Ukrainian Orthodoxy in the United States, and an eminent spiritual sanctuary of the Eastern Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA (Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople). Located at 1029 North 6th Street (at the junction of Fullerton and Catasauqua Avenues in the Sixth Ward), this monumental Byzantine temple has anchored the Ukrainian community of the Lehigh Valley for over 115 years.

Immigrant Genesis and the Historic 1929 Sobor

The parish’s roots extend back to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, as Ukrainian families from Galicia and Transcarpathia settled in Allentown to labor in the flourishing silk mills, cement quarries, and Bethlehem Steel plants of the Lehigh Valley. Desiring a dedicated house of prayer in their ancient Eastern Rite, immigrant families in the First and Sixth Wards formally organized the parish in 1909.

Under the visionary pastorate of Reverend Anthony Lotowycz, the congregation resolved on May 28, 1916, to construct a permanent house of worship in authentic Byzantine design. Constructed in 1917, the cathedral stands as one of the earliest and purest examples of Byzantine ecclesiastical architecture in North America.

On April 9, 1929, St. Mary’s Parish Center hosted an event of monumental historic importance for the entire diaspora: the General Church Congress (Sobor) of fifteen clergy and twenty-four lay delegates, which officially resolved to organize a distinct Ukrainian Orthodox Diocese in America under the canonical jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. In 1930, renowned theologian Father Dr. Joseph Zuk joined the diocese here, subsequently being consecrated as its first bishop in 1932.

Architectural Majesty: A Pure Byzantine Masterpiece

Acclaimed by architectural historians as one of the premier Byzantine religious monuments in the United States, the cathedral’s design transports worshipers from the earthly to the heavenly:

• Monumental Copper Dome & Campanile: The red-brick exterior is crowned by a colossal central hemispherical copper dome that has weathered to a noble sea-green patina, flanked by subsidiary cupolas and an imposing Italianate-Byzantine square bell tower (campanile) with arched belfry louvers.
• Arched Brick Fenestration: The perimeter walls feature recessed round-headed windows with stained glass depicting Eastern Christian iconography, outlined by detailed corbel tables and ornamental masonry belt courses.
• The Restored Altar Sanctuary: The cathedral interior underwent a comprehensive $500,000 restoration for its centennial, renewing its canonical wall frescoes, hand-written iconostas, and polished marble solea.
• Acoustic Nave & Dome: The soaring interior rotunda creates exceptional choral acoustics, designed to magnify liturgical polyphony throughout the nave.

Historic Visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I (1989)

A pinnacle moment in the cathedral’s history occurred in 1989 during its 80th anniversary, when His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I of Constantinople—the spiritual leader of world Orthodoxy—visited St. Mary Cathedral during his historic first apostolic tour of the United States. A bronze commemorative plaque blessed during the Patriarchal visit remains affixed to the cathedral sanctuary to this day.

In July 1991, Father Dr. Anthony Ugolnik was ordained to the holy priesthood at the cathedral, becoming the first American-born priest to regularly pastor the parish alongside legendary Protopresbyter William Czekaluk.

Centennial Jubilee and Contemporary Leadership

Under the devoted leadership of longtime pastor Very Reverend Father Myron Oryhon, St. Mary Cathedral celebrated its 100th Centennial Jubilee with an all-hierarchical weekend of thanksgiving. Today, the cathedral community remains an active hub of cultural memory, operating religious education classes, youth ministries, and traditional Slavic food festivals.

In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Father Myron Oryhon and the parish council have mobilized substantial humanitarian aid drives, sending medical equipment, tactical trauma kits, and financial aid to wounded defenders and civilians in Ukraine.

Chronological Milestones of St. Mary Cathedral

Parish Information & Contacts