Nestled on the edge of Manassas, just off Spriggs Road, is a gem of Eastern Christianity.
The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church holds the distinction of being the first church of the Byzantine rite in the South and the smallest community of its kind in North America. This pioneering community celebrated 10 decades of faith in their church Oct. 12. A faith that was planted by Eastern European farming families from Pennsylvania and Ohio who helped build the church board-by-board and brick-by-brick.
Ron Cebula recalled helping to add the brick to the church in the 1950s and watching “Big John” Shutlock install the church steeple.
“That’s how it was,” said Cebula. “When something needed to be done, we (the parishioners) provided the labor.”
The centennial celebration drew slightly more than 100 people, including past and present parishioners, descendants of the founding families, as well as parishioners from churches in Washington and Maryland. The church is part of the Philadelphia archeparchy, or archdiocese, which includes 64 churches in New Jersey, the eastern half of Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia and Washington. Its other church in Virginia is Sts. Joachim and Anna Ukrainian Catholic Church in Front Royal. Archbishop Borys Gudziak, who has served as metropolitan-archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia since 2019, traveled from Philadelphia to be the principal celebrant of the Divine Liturgy.
“This parish for me is special because of its intimacy,” said Archbishop Gudziak, who also serves as chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development. “It is not a big community, but it is very family style. You can feel the communion among the people.”
Members of the Byzantine rite are in communion with Rome, yet retain distinctive traditions as evidenced during celebration of the Divine Liturgy, the equivalent of the Mass. Prior to construction of St. Mary Church in 1925, local Byzantine Catholics worshipped at Mass alongside Roman Catholics who would become the founders of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Manassas, or attended the Divine Liturgy celebrated in private homes, including those of the Duritza and Cebula families.
On the outside, the church looks like many other Southern country churches apart from the unique domed steeple and Slovanic three-bar cross. But the inside transports the faithful eastward to a different time and place. Icons adorn the walls. Stained-glass windows, a gift from St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church in Baltimore, catch the light. Tapered beeswax candles, symbolizing the light and presence of Christ, flicker on circular platforms. In the heart of the church, an icon of the Annunciation, is adorned with flowers and incense. Behind the icon is a wall, known as an iconostasis, which separates the nave from the sanctuary of the church. In the nave are 14 humble pews. Worn down by hundreds of hands over time, they stand steadfast and invite visitors to pray.
After the Divine Liturgy, families gathered in the churchyard to socialize and visit the graves of loved ones. The day was particularly special to the Reece family, who were able to visit the grave of their beloved father who died young in a motorcycle accident.
“Our family came in 1978 when I was two,” said Michael Reece. “We have a lot of history here through my formative years growing up. I received first Communion here and the sacraments, the priest was part of my wedding celebration, my father is buried here. There are a lot of highs to the church for at least a few decades.”
Michael was joined by his mother, Pat, his two sisters and two of his three brothers along with four of his children.
“Being here for the 100th anniversary and part of this is a big deal for us,” he said.
Throughout the celebration, devoted parishioners shared stories of the church’s many renovations and restorations over the years. Parishioner John Stine has been with the parish for the past 24 years and has enjoyed the vibrant and intimate community, which includes approximately 20 families, with an increasing number of them from Ukraine.
“Many people come through, but they remain family, and I hope that remains into the future,” Stine said.
“One hundred years is just the beginning,” Archbishop Gudziak said. “This is a parish that shows the traditions of the past are vital and lifegiving. People are happy here. It’s Sunday and they got up, went to church together, they prayed, they heard the Word and received the Eucharist. Now we are going to have a meal together. They are not stuck in front of screens. They are not depressed by being lonely, they are full of joy.”
Kassock is a freelance writer from Fredericksburg.
