For nearly a century, generations of Ukrainian-American Orthodox Christians have walked the beloved St. John’s Parkway in Johnson City, New York - a street that has carried them not only toward the physical parish complex, but toward the very heart of their spiritual identity. Here, on these sacred grounds, countless faithful have nurtured the soul, spirit, and mind of a community determined to preserve the spiritual legacy of the Holy Orthodox Church.

As St. John’s Parish prepares to celebrate its Centennial in 2026, its faithful - under the dedicated spiritual leadership of Very Rev. Fr. Ivan Synevsky - have embarked on numerous projects to strengthen their parish home. Repairs to the temple and parish hall, beautification efforts, and new iconographic adornments are all visible signs of a deeper inner renewal. These efforts testify that the parish seeks not only to restore brick and mortar, but to proclaim enduring faith through sacred beauty, echoing the lives of the Saints portrayed in the new iconography.

This year’s 99th Anniversary celebration became a moment of rare grace as the parish welcomed hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA. Traveling from the spiritual center of the Church in South Bound Brook, NJ, His Eminence Metropolitan Antony and His Eminence Archbishop Daniel arrived to offer prayers, blessings, and spiritual support to the faithful of Johnson City.

Escorted by the altar servers of the parish community and seminarians of St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Theological Seminary, the hierarchs entered the church in a solemn procession adorned with banners and icons. At the very threshold of the temple, they were greeted by parish council members, children with flowers, and the traditional offering of bread and salt - signs of warmth, honor, and profound Ukrainian hospitality.

Very Rev. Fr. Ivan Synevsky approached with the hand-cross, humbly asking the bishops to lead the faithful in prayer and to offer intercessions for the parish community, for the generations of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians who built St. John’s, and for the suffering homeland of Ukraine.

With heartfelt words, he expressed the parish’s joy in receiving their archpastoral blessing, especially on this day when the parish would consecrate newly written icons of the Holy Archangels, whose presence in the sanctuary reminds the faithful that every Divine Liturgy is offered not only on earth but also mystically before the heavenly hosts. Fr. Ivan noted that just as the Archangels stand before God in ceaseless praise, so too the hierarchs - successors to the apostles - stand among the people to guide them in truth, prayer, and sacrificial love. His greeting set a deeply spiritual tone, preparing all present for the solemn blessing of the icons and the celebration at the Holy Altar.

Having been greeted with the traditional offering of bread and salt - Archbishop Daniel paused at the entrance of the temple to offer words of sincere gratitude to the parish pastor and the president of the parish board of administration Gary Dobransky, the Sisterhood, and all dedicated workers for their unwavering faith and tireless service. “Your stewardship,” he reflected, “is not merely administrative or structural - it is spiritual, sacrificial, and deeply rooted in love. You have offered yourselves unconditionally for the good of God’s creation, caring for the parish entrusted to you just as the Lord commanded: with humility, diligence, and joyful hearts.” His words uplifted the faithful, reminding them that true stewardship blossoms when believers place their gifts, talents, and labor entirely in the hands of God for the building up of His Holy Church.

Upon entering the temple, the hierarchs began the solemn prayers of blessing for the new icons commissioned for the parish. Beautifully written by ethnographer and iconographer Subdeacon Taras Prystupa, these sacred images form part of the parish’s ongoing spiritual project to renew and beautify the temple with iconography that proclaims the timeless truths of the Orthodox Faith.

As the prayers were offered, Protodeacon Pavlo Vysotskyi censed the new icons and the faithful. The rising clouds of incense filled the temple with a heavenly sweetness, creating the sense that the entire parish community was enveloped by a cloud of prayer - lifting hearts, minds, and souls into the embrace of the Lord.

With gentle reverence, Archbishop Daniel sprinkled the icons with holy water, invoking the grace of the Holy Spirit upon these sacred images - icons not merely of the past but calling present generations to imitate the holy lives they depict.

The Divine Liturgy brought together clergy from several Ukrainian Orthodox parishes of the region:

• Very Rev. Fr. Mykola Andrushkiv, St. Luke UOC Parish, Warners, NY
• Protopresbyter Myron Oryhon, former pastor of St. John’s
• Rev. Fr. Philip Herendza, Holy Archangel Michael UOC Parish, Scranton, PA, a native son of St. John’s Parish

The parish choir, under the direction of Julieanne Marra, offered profoundly beautiful responses. Each voice seemed woven into a single harmonious prayer, lifting the hearts of all present into the presence of God. Their singing became not merely music, but a confession of faith.

Following the Gospel reading from Luke 10:25–37, the Parable of the Good Samaritan, His Eminence Metropolitan Antony delivered an uplifting sermon. He reminded the faithful:

“The true measure of our faith is not how often we are comforted, but how willing we are to become the comforters - those who stop, as the Good Samaritan did, and lift the fallen. This parish, for ninety-nine years, has been such a Samaritan to its people and to the wider Ukrainian community.”

He continued: “As we approach the Centennial, you are called to renewal - not only of walls, not only of iconography, but of the heart. The saints on your walls now look upon you. Their lives call you to holiness, to compassion, and to courageous love.”

His words resonated deeply, especially as he invoked prayers for Ukraine: “To love our neighbor today means to stand with our homeland, to pray without ceasing, and to believe that the light of Christ is stronger than the darkness of war.”

Hundreds of faithful approached the Holy Chalice to receive the Body and Blood of Christ - the ultimate moment of communion and unity. In this sacred encounter: fears were quieted, hearts were healed, and the faithful became one body in the Lord.

The Fathers remind us that the Eucharist does not merely symbolize unity - it creates it. As parishioners - from the eldest to the youngest - partook of the Holy Gifts, they renewed their personal bond with the Savior and strengthened the communal identity of St. John’s.

In a deeply moving moment that united gratitude with spiritual symbolism, Very Rev. Fr. Ivan Synevsky approached Metropolitan Antony with a special gift from the parish - an icon of Our Lord Jesus Christ the High Priest, presented in honor of the Metropolitan’s 40th anniversary of archpastoral service. As he placed the icon in the hands of the First Hierarch, Fr. Ivan spoke with heartfelt sincerity: “Vladyka, this icon is more than a gift; it is a reflection of your life among us. For forty years, your ministry has been a living icon - revealing the compassion, patience, and shepherding love of Christ Himself. As this holy image shows us the face of the Savior, so your service has shown us the way to the Savior.” Metropolitan Antony, visibly moved, received the icon with humility, expressing his gratitude and reminding the faithful that “every year of my service has meaning only insofar as it brings souls closer to the Lord.” His words filled the temple with a renewed sense of devotion and unity.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, the choir prayerfully chanted “Mnohaya Lita”.

A moment of special joy arrived as the Council of Bishops bestowed a Certificate of Hierarchical Blessing upon JodyLynn Marie Dimitriou, Sisterhood President and devoted leader active in every aspect of parish life.

His Eminence Metropolitan Antony read the text of the certificate and invited JodyLynn to come forward to receive this honor. The parish responded with heartfelt applause, recognizing her tireless dedication.

The celebration continued in the beautifully remodeled parish hall - another sign of preparation for the upcoming Centennial. The luncheon became a true agape meal, a continuation of the unity first established at the Holy Chalice.

People shared stories, memories, and hopes for the future. Laughter echoed, children played, elders reminisced, and the faithful of all ages rejoiced in the identity they share as one parish family.

As St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Orthodox Church completes its 99th year and steps toward its 100th, one truth shines clearly:

This parish is more than a building. It is a living legacy - a community of faith, love, memory, and hope.

For nearly a century, St. John’s has nurtured Ukrainian Orthodox identity, preserved sacred tradition, and formed generations in the life of the Gospel. Today, it continues to shine as a beacon of faith for Ukrainians in America and for the suffering homeland abroad.

With gratitude, hope, and determination, the faithful of Johnson City now turn their eyes toward the Centennial anniversary of 2026 - ready to enter the next century of their sacred journey.