Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church History

1887 - 1907 - 2001

There are no written records of those first immigrants who came in the 1880's to settle in the environs of Troy, NY. They were scattered over the entire Troy area and were thus isolated from each other. Their efforts were almost entirely aimed at improving their economic lot.

Over time, the Ukrainian community began to grow as relatives and friends began to arrive. As their number increased, it became apparent that there was a need to organize the community. In 1895, through the initiative of several energetic men, the Brotherhood of St. Nicholas was organized. This Brotherhood has the distinction of being the first Ukrainian organization in the Troy area.

Early on, the Brotherhood decided that in order for a Ukrainian community to grow and prosper, as well as to keep its people from joining other demoninations, a Greek Catholic Church was needed. Everyone realized that nothing ever would be able to take the place its own church, and that only the Church could unite the the entire Ukrainian community in the area. Thus, through the efforts of the Brotherhood, a Greek Catholic parish became a reality. Money was collected to purchase a house on 4th Street in Troy, which was soon renovated as a church, and on May 9, 1897, Father Wolansky offered the first Divine Liturgy in Troy.

The new church soon became the center of both the religious and national life for Ukrainians in the Troy area. It satisfied the spiritual needs of the first settlers while at the same time reminding them of their homeland and uniting them in spirit with it. The Greek Catholic Church became synonymous with Ukrainian nationality at this point in the community's development.

But the beginnings were not easy for community leaders as they had to cope with many adversities. Two problems in particular coalesced, fragmenting the community here as well as in other areas of the country. They were the unofficial attitude among a part of the Roman Catholic hierarchy and proselyytism on the part of the Tsarist government. Becauser Eastern Church customs were so different from those practiced by fellow Catholics of a Western Tradition, some among the Roman hierarchy made our priests feel decidedly unwelcome by refusing to grant them canonical jurisdiction. Although many Roman Catholic bishops were friendly to the Ukrainin Church and helped in every way possible, the open hhostility of the few drove many of our people into the Russian Orthodox Church.

At the end of the 19th century, the Tsarist government was actively subsidizing the Russian Orthodox Church here in the States to a considerable extent. Not only were the Ukrainian people welcome among the Russian Orthodox, but also little demand was now made on the immigrants' limited financial assets because of the steady influx of money, church artifacts, and clergy from the Tsar. It is estimated by the Orthodox themselves, that as many as eighty percent of their communicants are made up of erstwhile members of the Greek Catholic Church. In this way, a vast number of Ukrainians not only exchanged their Catholicism for Orthodoxy, but also allowed their Ukrainian nationality to be assimilated into the Russian.

Yet, inspite of these devastating losses, the Church survived, thanks to the continuous influx of new immigrants who swelled the membership of the parish. A large number of new members began to settle in the western part of Troy, which shortly thereafter became the City of Watervliet. In a few years, the Church in Troy became too small for the ever expanding congregation. In addition, the church building itself became structurally unsafe,and it was decided in 1904 to build a new church.

On February 27, 1906, land was purchased on the corner of 4th Avenue and 24th Street in Watervliet at a cost of$1,650. During the summer, the existing building was razed and soon after, the site of the future church was blessed by Father Dohorywsky. With the arrival of Father John Fekula as pastor, the building committee approved the plans for the new church and rectory. The estimated cost for both buildings was $35,000. Construction began in the fall of 1906 and proceeded without interruption, until Father John Obushkewycz solemnly blessed the church cornerstone in May of 1907.

Soon after the cornerstone blessing, the parish underwent further division. No one knows all the reasons for the split, however, two neighboring communities of Cohoes and Troy decided not to contribute further toward the completion of the Church in Watervliet. The parish of Watervliet took upon itself the burden of building the new church alone. The cost of building the church proved to be far beyond the financial resources of the Ukrainian immigrants. Still the people in Watervliet did not lose hope. Parishioners donated and loaned a considerable sum of money toward the effort, yet it fell short of what was needed to finish the job. Attempts to secure bankloans were completely unsuccessful. In this desperate situation, the building committee, with the parishioners' approval, approached the Roman Catholic bishop of Albany and requested financial help. The Most Reverend Thomas Burke, the local ordinary, and after looking into the matter, gave surety for the cause. On the basis of this guarantee, the Troy Savings Bank advanced a loan of $20,000 for the completion of the church. The parish was tied financially to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany until 1944 when the loan was repaid in full.

In the summer of 1908, the church was completed. The total cost for church and rectory was $40,337.92. For the essential furnishings in the church, and extra $910 was expended. The Brotherhood of St. Nicholas purchased the Holy Table for $300. Subsequently, many additional church items were donated by individual parishioners.

The first Ukrainian Catholic bishop for the United States, the Most Reverend Soter Ortynsky, directed Father J. Zaklynsky to have the church blessed. This unforgettable day in the life of teh Watervliet parish took place on July 4, 1908. On this blessed day , the doors of the new church were opened wide. From that day on, the church has been the center of spiritual life of all Ukrainians in Watervliet and beyond. Furthermore, the impressive edifice became a landmark which beautified the skyline of the new city of Watervliet and even today it is an imposing part of the city's skyline.

The church served not only as a house of worship, but also as a school for many years, where new generations were taught the cultural heritage of their ancestors. Nothing reflects this heritage as vividly as the church. It is not surprising that for centuries, the church has been under the constant attack of enemies. Even in recent years, the Church in Ukraine was the first target of the communists!