St. Nicholas Croatian Church in Millvale plans luncheon to mark 125th anniversary
St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Croatian Church in Millvale, the first Croatian church in the U.S., will celebrate 125 years on June 1.
The 125th anniversary celebration will begin with a Mass at 10 a.m. with Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik as celebrant, followed by a luncheon from noon to 3 p.m. at The Camelot Event Center in Marshall.
The deadline to register for the luncheon is May 15.
Tickets are $40.
St. Nicholas is one of the Shrines of Pittsburgh, which includes five Catholic churches — St. Anthony Chapel on Troy Hill, St. Patrick and St. Stanislaus Kostka churches, both in the Strip District, and Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Polish Hill.
“This church has such an important place in the history of Croatian immigrants in the U.S.,” said the Rev. Nicholas Vaskov, director of the Shrines of Pittsburgh. “It is and has been a place to share the culture that is so important to the people of Croatia for generations.”
The cornerstone of the Millvale church was dedicated on May 15, 1900. The place of worship is home to the famous Maximilian Vanka murals that depict the history of its immigrant founders. Some of those first parishioners were drawn in the paintings.
A committee of 13 people has been planning the anniversary event for the past year. The group collaborated with Wendell August Forge in Grove City to create a holiday ornament of the church for $20. It is available before and after Mass and will be sold the day of the anniversary celebration.
Details: 412-821-3438 or www.pghshrines.org/nicks125
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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