On Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th of August, St. Stephen the Protomartyr Church in Old Forge, PA celebrated the 40th anniversary of its founding. Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York arrived to officiate the divine services in honor of the parish’s milestone.

Serving alongside His Eminence at All-Night Vigil on Friday and Divine Liturgy on Saturday were: Archpriests Basil Micek (rector of Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Scranton, PA), Michael Lepa (interim rector of St. Nicholas Church in Wilkes-Barre, PA), Michael Taratuchin (rector of St. John of Kronstadt Memorial Church in Utica, NY), and Alexis Duncan (rector of Nativity of the Mother of God Church in Albany, NY); Priests Matthew Smith (rector of St. Nicholas Church in Endicott, NY), Vincent Dranginis (parish rector), George Sharonoff (rector of St. John the Wonderworker Church in Lewisburg, PA), and Michael Fiocca; Protodeacon Stephen Howanetz (clerics of St. John the Baptist Cathedral), Hierodeacon Panteleimon (Jigalin; diocesan cleric), Deacon Dimitri Krenitsky (cleric of St. John the Baptist Cathedral), and Deacon Lazarus Sparandera (cleric of St. John of Kronstadt Memorial Church). Deacon Michael Pavuk (cleric of Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY) sang on kliros.

Prior to the start of Liturgy, Metropolitan Nicholas tonsured Lawrence Kropp a reader.

After the service, a celebratory banquet was served in the church hall, with many of the people and friends of the parish in attendance. The serving clergy were joined by Archpriest John Sorochka (dean of Pennsylvania).

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Parish History

The first service in the new parish of St. Stephen the Protomartyr was served on the feast of the Holy Hierarch Nicholas, Wonderworker of Myra in Lycia – December 19, 1982. For the first four years of its existence, divine services were held in a community center in Old Forge. Under parish president William Lehmkuhl, planning for the new church building began in 1984, the cupola and cross were installed on December 18, 1986, and construction was completed in time for Nativity – January 7, 1987.

Then-Hieromonk Luke (Murianka; now Bishop of Syracuse) would travel down from Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY to nourish the faithful, as would many other diocesan clerics, including Fr. John Sorochka, Archpriest Vladimir Shishkoff, Archpriest Philip Petrovsky, Archimandrite Flor (Vanko), and Schema-Archimandrite Averky (then Fr. Anastassi Shvetsov-Zagarsky). Fr. Michael Taratuchin served as rector for several years, but the majority of the parish’s history took place under the rectorship of Abbot German (Ciuba). In 2021, Fr. Vincent was appointed rector, and has been working diligently to revitalize parish life.

Local Orthodox Christians are encouraged to attend and support St. Stephen the Protomartyr Church!