Motorcyclists seek blessing ahead of spring riding season

George Cunningham knows both the joys and the potential dangers of motorcycle riding.

Cunningham, 50, of Derry was among the nearly 100 bikers who gathered late Sunday morning at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Latrobe for the 18th annual Blessing of the Bikes.

“I’m on two wheels, so it’s better to have the Lord look out for me a little now. It surely can help,” Cunningham said.

Organizers said the event came about as an offshoot to the large-scale bike blessing conducted each spring in Murrysville that in some years has attracted thousands of motorcycles.

Charlene Nicholson and her husband, Herb, said they wanted to attend a smaller event and, starting in the early 2000s, looked to their home parish to sponsor a blessing of the bikes. Each spring for nearly two decades, bikers gather in Latrobe for a little divine intervention seeking safety during their rides.

“That first year, we had seven bikes show up. Now, it’s between 80 to 90,” Nicholson said. “It’s a way to reach out from the parish to the community, and we invite everyone of all faiths or no faith to join us.”

The Rev. Richard Kosisko and church Deacon Mike Orange presided over the blessings of both the motorcycles and their riders. Kosisko, himself a motorcyclist, said he intended to ride his Harley-­Davidson on Sunday afternoon, whether permitting.

He and Orange walked along the rows of parked bikes and spritzed them with holy water .

“Bike riding at times can be challenging. When I began to ride, my father told us to watch and to ride cautiously,” Kosisko said.

Motorcycle riders are certainly aware of the potential dangers associated with their hobby.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, in 2020 more than 3,500 vehicle crashes in the state involved motorcycles that led to 3,200 injuries and 217 fatalities, a five-year high. More than half of those killed, 53%, did not wear a helmet, the report said.

Riders hope Sunday’s blessing might just provide an extra bit of protection, said co-organizer Herb Nicholson.

“It makes people feel great. It’s a feeling of security — at least it is for me,” he said.

It’s a sentiment echoed by Jerry Mikesic of Greensburg, who attended Sunday’s blessing with his wife, Chris. The Mikesics already this year attended bike blessings in Murrysville and Altoona.

“Anything to keep us safe,” Jerry Mikesic said.