Constantine Bohachevsky 1924
On August 14, 1924, two newly appointed bishops — Constantine Bohachevsky and Vasyl Takach — arrived in New York aboard the British ocean liner, the Mauretania. Freshly renovated in the spring of that year, the ship carried 2,165 passengers and docked at Manhattan's 14th Street Pier at 9 p.m. Waiting to greet them were the faithful, representatives from various organizations, and Bishop Nykyta Budka, the only Eastern Catholic bishop in North America at the time.
After the warm greetings, the bishops, along with the faithful and priests, made their way to the Uhro-Rusyn Catholic Church of St. Mary on 13th Street and the Ukrainian Catholic Church of St. George on 7th Street. There, they prayed Molebens and sang "Mnohaya Lita" in honor of the new bishops. These parishes still exist in New York, though they have since moved to new church buildings on 14th and 7th streets, respectively.
Following the prayers, a banquet was held in the bishops' honor at the Pennsylvania Hotel, attended by about 150 people. Bishop Nykyta Budka was the keynote speaker. Sadly, this grand hotel, only 5 years old at the time, was demolished in 2023.
The official ceremonies concluded on Friday, August 15, when Bishop Constantine and Bishop Budka took a train from Pennsylvania Station — also demolished in 1963 — to Philadelphia. It was there, on September 1, that Bishop Bohachevsky began his episcopal ministry, a service that would last more than 36 years.
Follow Bishop Constantine’s journey from the Mauretania to the train to Philadelphia. Through his eyes, see America and the historic buildings that, though no longer standing, played a crucial role in this significant moment in history.
