St. Elias Orthodox Church marks 100th anniversary

ELLWOOD CITY St. Elias Church is celebrating its 100th anniversary July 19 and 20. The committee has planned a full weekend, beginning with a light supper and greeting Archbishop Nathaniel Popp from Michigan, who oversees more than 100 parishes in North America.

The ceremony for the opening includes presenting the archbishop with bread and salt, the traditional gift to important and respected guests, and girls will present him with flowers. The archbishop will preside over the events of the weekend.

The official date of the anniversary is Feb. 1, but the anniversary is being celebrated now because the feast day of St. Elias is celebrated annually on July 20.

The Rev. John Schmidt, who has been pastor at St. Elias for eight years, said the event is to give glory to God for 100 years of worship in the church.

Juliana Thetford, the parish council secretary and a cantor, and Docia Jinar Jacobs, president of the parish committee, are co-chairing the event. Jacobs is the granddaughter of George and Mary Vintile Jinar, founding members of the church.

So many of the members were named George and Mary. I had aunt Marys, cousin Marys, Jacobs said. I love my church. I feel at home any time I walk in, whether there are a lot of people or just a few. I love my church.

Today, the church has about 50 members. Some are descendants of the founders, some are new Romanian immigrants, and some are of Macedonian, Russian, Greek and Middle Eastern descent, as well as converts to the faith from western European backgrounds.

We have evolved into a little melting pot, we are pan-ethnic, Schmidt said. When we do the responses to the liturgy Lord, have mercy at the Easter service, we do it in Russian, Greek, Romanian, Arabic and sometimes other languages including Italian. We stress inclusiveness.

Jacobs said that until 20 years ago, the minutes of the church council meetings were in Romanian, and former secretary Adrian Draghiciu, who lives in Cranberry, translated them into English.

Draghiciu wrote a short history of the church for the anniversary.

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St. Elias Orthodox Church marks 100th anniversary