JOHNSTOWN, PA - With great sorrow, the Diocesan Chancery announces that Matushka Catherine Jula reposed in the Lord on Monday, August 7. 2017.

Matushka Catherine Jula (Jugan), age 83, was the beloved wife of the late V. Rev. Dr. Stephen Jula, the founding pastor of our Diocesan Christ the Saviour Orthodox Church in North Royalton, Ohio . She is survived by her children Ilarion (Rita), Maria Jula, and Anthony (Linda), her grandchildren Stephanie, Catherine, Megan, and Nathaniel and siblings Helen Hart, Millie Muir, George and Donald, She was pre-deceased by parents Michael and Mary (nee Kozar) Jugan, one sister and five brothers.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - With great sorrow, the Diocesan Chancery announces the falling asleep in the Lord of Very Rev. Protopresbyter Elias Kozar, Pastor Emeritus of St. Mary's Orthodox Church of Yonkers, NY. early this morning (Sunday June 11, 2017).

Father Elias was born on January 19, 1926 in Dickson City, Pennsylvania, the son of Elias, Sr. and Anna Kozar. On January 25, 1948 he was married to Anna Yanoscik and he was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by His Eminence, Metropolitan Orestes Chornock on February 1, 1948 in Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church on 10th Street in New York City. He was elevated to Protopresbyter in October, 1976 by His Grace, +Bishop John Martin.

Father Elias served as Dean of the Eastern Seaboard Deanery which consisted of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut and President of the Westchester, NY Orthodox Clergy Fellowship.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - With Great sorrow, the Diocesan Chancery announces the falling asleep in the Lord of Metropolitan Philotheos of Meloa, the sole surviving Consecrator of His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas on May 11, 2017 following a short illness.

JOHNSTOWN, PA [Diocesan Chancery] The words of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last" (Revelation 22:13) come to mind as His Grace, Bishop Gregory and the clergy and faithful of the Diocese mourn the passing to eternal life of both a junior and a senior priest of the Diocese within a twenty four hour period.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - It is with great sorrow that His Grace, Bishop Gregory announces, the falling asleep in the Lord of Fr. William George, Pastor of Sts Peter and Paul Church of Rockaway, NJ late in the evening of Friday May 5, 2017 as a result of fatal injuries sustained in a car accident earlier that day.

Funeral arrangements are as follows:

Thurs., May 11th – reception of the body into SS. Peter and Paul Church, Rockaway, NJ with the Church opened the remainder of the day. Priest’s Parastas at 7 PM.

Fri., May 12th – 10 AM Funeral Liturgy followed by interment in the parish cemetery.

The clergy and faithful of the Diocese are kindly asked to keep the newly departed Priest William and his Pani Amy and their family and the Parish Community of Sts. Peter and Paul in their prayers.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - With great sorrow, the Diocesan Chancery announces the falling asleep in the Lord of Very Rev. Protopresbyter Ronald Hazuda on Thursday, May 5, 2017.

Born July 18, 1935 in Coaldale, Pa. he was a son of the late George, Sr. and Bertha (Medinci) Hazuda. He graduated from Nesquehoning High School and attended Penn State University and Christ the Saviour Seminary in Johnstown, Pa. where he graduated with a Licentiate of Theology. He later graduated from Gannon University with his B.A. Degree.

Fr. Ronald was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by His Eminence, Metropolitan Orestes on June 8, 1958. He served his first pastorate as administrator of SS. Peter & Paul Church in Newark, N.J. for 14 months. In 1959 he was assigned to St. Nicholas Orthodox Church of Erie, PA where he served as pastor for over 52 years with piety, strength and unwavering faith.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The Diocesan Chancery has been informed that +Henry Beben, the father of Pani Marsha Tobias, fell asleep in the Lord on Wednesday, April 25, 2017.

Funeral arrangements are as follows:

Friday April 28, 2017 - Parastas will be served at 7:30 pm at Rossi Funeral Home, North Road, Warren, Ohio. The funeral service will be sung on Saturday April 29th at 10:00 am at St. Nicholas Church, Warren, Ohio.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - The Diocesan Chancery is saddened to announce that Helen Spanovich, long-time former choir director of Christ the Saviour Cathedral and Instructor of Music at Christ The Saviour Seminary reposed in the Lord on Monday, March 6, 2017.

Helen’s musical career began when as an eleven year old she was a member of the Spanovich family orchestra. After she studied under private tutors, her choir directing career began with an all-girls choir in the 1940’s. Over a span of 75 years, in addition to the Cathedral Choir and Seminary Chorus, she taught a-capella choirs in the Greater Johnstown area representing four jurisdictions: St. Mary’s Antiochian Orthodox Church Choir (Westmont); St. Michael Antiochian Orthodox Church Choir (Greensburg); St. George Serbian Orthodox Church Choir (Cambria City); St. Petka Serbian Orthodox Church Choir (Woodvale); St. John Orthodox Male Choir (Conemaugh). At one time she taught seven different choirs each week, sometimes directing two rehearsals in one evening!

Helen taught liturgical music and voice at Christ the Saviour Seminary from 1960 until her repose, musically mentoring a total of 124 priests!

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The Diocesan Chancery has been informed that Jack Cochran, the father of Protopresbyter David Cochran, reposed in the Lord on Saturday, February 11, 2017.

Jack was born on June 12, 1940 in Webster Springs, WV, he was the son of the late Cleremont Cochran & Elladean (Schrader) Been. He married Lona (Carnegie) Cochran on June 12, 1964 in Lake Station, IN. He was a member of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church in Osceola Mills, PA. He was a U.S. Navy Veteran, a member of the Operating Engineers Local 150, a retired Operating Engineer Image of the U.S. Navy Sealfor Heckett Engineering of East Chicago Indiana and a 1958 graduate of the Hobart High School in Hobart, IN.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The Diocesan Chancery has been informed that George Smisko, the brother of the late +Metropolitan Nicholas, reposed in the Lord on Sunday, February 5, 2017.

George, a parishioner of St. John The Baptist Orthodox Church of Perth Amboy, NJ, was an Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, a trustee of St. John The Baptist Church, a member of St. John's Social club and a volunteer at the parish Soup Kitchen and Pirogi Sales.

He is preceded in death by his loving parents Andrew and Anna and is survived by his devoted wife of 45 years Rose Marie; beloved father of Rose Ann Smisko; loving brother of Michael and his wife Mary Ann Smisko, his brother-in-law- Peter Jr. and his wife Lorraine Fenenic

JOHNSTOWN, PA - The Diocesan Chancery has been informed that Pani Martha Zeleniak, the widow of Very Rev. Protopresbyter John Zeleniak, reposed in the Lord on Sunday, December 25, 2016.

Pani Martha was born Dec. 10, 1923, to the late John and Martha Bodrucki in Elizabeth, N.J. She was married for 57 years to the late Protopresbyter John Zeleniak, who died in 1999. Together they served parishes in Ambridge and Nesquehoning, before accepting the pastorship at St. George's Orthodox Church in Taylor in 1952. They served Taylor and the greater Scranton community for over 40 years.She was a beloved and respected member of the St. George's Orthodox Church community. Throughout her 74 years of service, she was recognized as the longest-serving pani (priest's wife) in the American Carpatho Russian Orthodox Diocese.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - The Diocesan Chancery has been informed that Pani Martha Zeleniak, the widow of Very Rev. Protopresbyter John Zeleniak, reposed in the Lord on Sunday, December 25, 2016.

Pani Martha was born Dec. 10, 1923, to the late John and Martha Bodrucki in Elizabeth, N.J. She was married for 57 years to the late Protopresbyter John Zeleniak, who died in 1999. Together they served parishes in Ambridge and Nesquehoning, before accepting the pastorship at St. George's Orthodox Church in Taylor in 1952. They served Taylor and the greater Scranton community for over 40 years.She was a beloved and respected member of the St. George's Orthodox Church community. Throughout her 74 years of service, she was recognized as the longest-serving pani (priest's wife) in the American Carpatho Russian Orthodox Diocese.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - The Chancery has been informed of the repose in the Lord of Margaret Yawkey (State College, PA), wife of Deacon Thomas Yawkey assigned to St. John’s Church in Hawk Run, PA on Sunday, December 18th.
Her funeral will be sung in St. Nicholas Church of Homestead on Thursday of this week at 10 AM. St. Nicholas is the home parish of the Yawkey’s, and burial will be in the parish cemetery.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - With great sorrow, the Diocesan Chancery announces the falling asleep in the Lord of Very Rev. Protopresbyter Paul Herbert, age 83, on Sunday, August 21, 2016. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Pani Eleanor Jean (Blaschak) Herbert; daughters Ruth Ann Herbert of Lansford and Claudia (Ernest) Pido of Mount Vernon, OH; grandchildren EJ, Kaitlin and Jacob of OH; brother John Herbert of Nesquehoning; brother-in-law Very Rev. Fr. Thomas (Magdelyn) Blaschak of Greenville, PA; sister-in-law Carolyn Duranko of Tewksbury, MA; also several nieces and nephews and many friends. He is preceded in death by his parents John and Helen Herbert; brother George and sister Mary.

It is with great sadness and prayer that the Diocesan Chancery announces that the servant of God Peter Tatsis, the father of His Grace Bishop Gregory, reposed in the Lord on Monday June 6, 2016.

Peter was born in Asimohori, Epirus, Greece on August 15, 1931. He immigrated to the U.S. at age 19 following the Greek Civil War and settled in New York City for 5 years. He married his wife of 58 years, Antonia, on February 9, 1958. They then settled in Charlotte, NC. Along with his wife, Peter operated many restaurants including the Hutchinson Avenue Grill, Tatsis Restaurant, the Patriot Restaurant, Tasos Restaurant and the Crimson House Restaurant. When he semi retired, he became a courier for First Union Bank in Charlotte. Peter was a member of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Charlotte, NC

JOHNSTOWN, PA - His Grace Bishop Gregory and the Diocesan Chancery Staff offer their sincere condolences to Very Rev. Fr. Andrew Fetchina on the repose of his father +Basil Fetchina on Tuesday, March 8, 2016. Born in Saint Clair, PA to the late Simeon and Anastasia Chaplick Fetchina, he resided in Jackson for the past 15 years. Prior to his retirement, he was a salesman for Bell & Howell in Washington, DC. He served in the Navy Reserves before being transferred to the Army, where he served during the Korean War. He was a member of St. Alexander Nevsky Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Howell.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - The Chancery has been notified of the repose in the Lord of Deacon Robert Kuchta on Saturday Morning, March 5, 2016. Deacon Kuchta studied in the Diocesan Diaconate Program from 2004-2007, and was ordained by Metropolitan Nicholas. He was assigned and served in St. Michael Church in St. Clair, PA until 2013. At that time he moved to York, PA when he was canonically transferred to the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Pittsburgh, as there was no Carpatho-Russian Church nearby. He had been serving since then at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in York, PA.

Diocesan faithful and clergy may pay their respects at St. Michael Church in St. Clair, PA on Tuesday, March 8 from 9 to 10:30 AM. The Funeral Service will be celebrated by his priest, Fr. Andrew Tsikitas and Fr. Jeff Zias, the pastor of St. Michael's Church. Diocesan clergy are invited to participate. Interment with Military Honors will be in Holy Ascension Orthodox Cemetery, Englewood/Frackville, PA.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - His Grace, Bishop Gregory, along with the entire clergy family of the Diocese extend their deepest sympathy to the family of + Deacon Michael Kozar (86), of Saint Mary's Orthodox Church in Dickson City, PA who passed to life eternal on Sunday February 28. + Deacon Michael is the brother of Very Rev. Protopresbyter Elias Kozar and is survived by his son Scott and wife Mary, son David, and son Gregg and wife Lisette, and grandchildren Nicole, Will, Natalie, Nina, Claudia, and Luke. He was predecessed by his wife Evelyn (Evanish) in 2008.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - The Chancery has learned that + JOSEPH PARIMUCHA, former Diocesan Trustee and talented architect who designed the Diocesan Chancery Building, Saints Cyril and Methodios Church at Camp Nazareth and Holy Resurrection Church, fell asleep in the Lord on Sunday October 18, 2015. Funeral arrangements are as follows: Wednesday, October 21 - Visitation at Holy Resurrection Church (Potomac, MD) from 2-5 PM and 7-9 PM, Parastas will be at 7 PM.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - The Chancery has learned that +KATHERINE MACURA, the mother of Very Rev. Fr. E. Michael Macura of St. John the Baptist Church Stratford, CT (Silver Lane) fell asleep in the Lord on Thursday Oct 1, 2015. Katherine, the widow of John Macura, was born in Torysky, Czechoslovakia to the late Joseph and Anna (Zentkovich) Bradac and immigrated to the United States at a very young age. She lived in Bridgeport for over 50 years and Stratford since 1999. She was a devoted member of the Carpatho Russian Orthodox Church of St. John the Baptist, Mill Hill Avenue, Bridgeport where she was a member of the Mothers & Daughters Club, St. John’s Seniors, the Orthodox Council of Eastern Orthodox Christian Churches of Greater Bridgeport, CT and the Carpatho Rusyn Society.