Saint George Byzantine Catholic Church - History
cultural heritage. Without such magnificent contribu tions America would indeed be much poorer.
One of the groups coming to America has indeed a colorful and ancient heritage, the intimate details of which are little known to their American decendants. Their ancestors can be traced to pastoral groups of Europe. They were among the hardiest warriors, the best farmers, highly skilled craftsmen, and devoted makers-of-families. As an ethnic group they were known in ancient times as Magyars, and in more recent history they have acquired a national recognition.
The color, the beauty, the pagentry of Old Hungary was transplanted to the shores of the United States in the later half of the Nineteenth Century. One of the largest concentrations of Magyars coming to America settled in Youngstown, Ohio. Here they lived closely together in the Brier Hill section of Youngstown. The area became so well known that it affectionately was named “The Hungarian Village”.
On May 13, 1914, a committee met to undertake planning the future of the Hungarian Greek Catholics who had left St. Mary’s Church. Among those stalwarts were: Frank Vasko, John Vasko, Nicholas Simon, John Szalma, Michael Druga, Michael Stofko, Andrew Holok, John Pletenik, Michael Miglets, Peter Lengyel, Andrew Szofi, Frank Cholensky, Sr., Peter Homa, Andrew Lonard, and Stephen Holmoya. The decision by this committee was to contact the Reverend Alexander Papp, then the pastor of St. Nicholas Church on Wilson Avenue.
Father Papp recommended that the committee canvass those interested in forming a new church and get their signatures. This was completed and at a second meeting held in May, 1914, sixty persons pledged their support.
