Five bishops will lead pilgrims in prayer at Assumption BVM Ukrainian Catholic Church in Centralia during the Fourth Annual Call to Prayer Marian Pilgrimage Sunday, Aug. 25.
Prayers of the Third Hour and traditional Marian Hymns will be sung by the choir of the Holy Family Ukrainian National Shrine, Washington D.C. beginning at 11 a.m.
Mass will be celebrated at noon by: Metropolitan-Archbishop Borys Gudziak, Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia; Bishop Paul Chomnycky, O.S.B.M., Stamford Eparchy; Bishop of Harrisburg Ronald Gainer; Bishop of Allentown Alfred Schlert; and Auxiliary Bishop John Bura, Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia.
Metropolitan Gudziak will be homilist. Father Deacon Paul Spotts will serve as deacon.
Responses to the Divine Liturgy will be congregational singing led by Dennis Hardock; cantors from local parishes; members of St. Nicholas Choir, Minersville; and the shrine choir.
After Divine Liturgy, a procession will be held from the church with the Icon of Our Lady of Pochaiv, where it will be placed in the outside chapel for veneration.
At 2 p.m. a discussion, “Out of Many, One,” on the various churches, from east and west, that comprise the One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church will be led by Archpriest John Fields.
Priests will be available for confession from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. throughout the church grounds.
Living Rosary will be prayed at 2:30 p.m. before the historic and jeweled 18th century copy of the icon.
At 3:30 p.m. the Akafist Prayer to the Dormition (Assumption) of the Most Holy Mother of God before the Holy Shroud of the Dormition will be sung.
At 4:30 p.m., religious items will be blessed in the outdoor Pochaiv Chapel.
At 5 p.m. all will gather at the chapel for a candlelight procession with the icon to the church for the celebration of a Moleben to the Mother of God, followed by prayers for healing and anointing with holy oils.
Pilgrims will have an opportunity to venerate the Icon of Our Lady of Pochaiv, the Icon of Our Lady of Persecuted Christians (blessed by Pope Francis) and the Holy Shroud of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God throughout the day.
During his historic visit in November 2015, Major-Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Father and Head of the worldwide Ukrainian Catholic Church, marveled at the continuing presence of the church in Centralia. He also noted how this coal region parish fostered four priestly vocations and three sisters to the religious life.
Patriarch Sviatoslav felt a sense of true holiness which pervades the entire church property. His desire is for all people of faith to come and experience this holiness, sanctity and serenity as pilgrims to this holy place on the mountain.
From the visit of Patriarch Sviatoslav and with the encouragement of Metropolitan-Archbishop Stefan Soroka of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, the place was designated a holy site of pilgrimage.
While the town of Centralia was destroyed by an underground mine fire, which resulted in the relocation of almost all the residents and demolition of all but a few buildings, the church still serves a thriving parish family.
Food and beverages will be for sale throughout the day. Handicap parking will be provided on the church grounds. Off-site parking and shuttle van service will be provided from the center of town. The church is on North Paxton Street, 2 Blocks North of Route 42.
For more information, call the rectory at 570-339-0650.
