Metropolitan Borys Gudziak led the Liturgy at the Ukrainian Homestead in Lehighton, PA

“Today, August 1, our Church commemorates several important events. It honors the memory of the Maccabees, (the Old Testament martyrs), the Procession of the Precious Wood of the Life-giving Cross of Jesus Christ, and the anniversary of the Baptism of Ukraine,” said Archbishop Borys.

He focused on the question of faith, which is important in personal, community and national life. “If we have faith, everything else will fall into place. There will be healing. The most important thing is that we have our Baptism and faith that the Lord overcame death with the cross we venerate today. In our Baptism, we become members of His eternal Body. All our problems–with children, family, community, government, and a world–are all in God’s hands”

In 1957, the Organization for the Rebirth of Ukraine, which was founded in 1929 by Colonel Yevhen Konovalets, purchased a 450-acre settlement in Lehighton. Since then, the Ukrainian Homestead hosts different cultural and artistic events, festivals, children’s holidays and workshops. Generations Ukrainian Americans have their vacation or permanent home there. The Organization was especially strong in the 1930s when it developed its 78 branches.

“There was a time when our organization had 10,000 members and owned two jets. Now there are only five branches, and the Philadelphia branch has existed since the start. With the new wave of immigration, the settlement is growing,” said Ulyana Protsyuk, a Homestead administrator and secretary of the Organization.