St. Mary’s parishioners dedicate cemetery chapel

Special to The Vindicator

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St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church parishioners gather around the new Ascension Chapel in the parish’s nearly 115-year-old cemetery at 128 S. Schenley Ave., Youngstown.

YOUNGSTOWN

Approximately 40 parishioners of St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church attended the dedication of a new outdoor chapel at its nearly 115-year-old cemetery at 128 S. Schenley Ave.

The church’s pastor, the Very Reverend Richard I. Lambert, who named the new edifice “Ascension Chapel,” led the Memorial Day prayer service with responses sung by Cantor Dan Kovachik.

The cemetery chapel idea came about in 2002 as a way to provide more shelter for mourners during burial services. A fund began that year.

The chapel is a 10-sided wooden structure with a two-tiered, shingled roof and a domed cupola capping it. The Byzantine three-bar cross sits at the highest point. The back wall contains three windows, and in the center is a small stained-glass image of an angel.

This window came from the church’s South Belle Vista Avenue front entrance. Using it as part of the cemetery chapel design connects the structure to its main house of worship.

Construction of the chapel began in February, with a Memorial Day weekend deadline. Contractors and volunteers teamed to complete the work on time.

Caretaker William Allison Jr., Eugene Leson Jr. and Dr. Thomas Sopkovich oversaw the construction. Other parishioners, staff and volunteers included Eugene Benyo, James Hanigosky, Dan Kovachik and Linda (Hrina) Wibly.

Former council members Robert Hnat and the late Andrew Ragan were instrumental in the initial planning. Current members of St. Mary Parish Advisory Council include Sopkovich, Leson, David Brown, Donald Danko Sr., Sharon Hrina, Karen (Wallace) Muransky and Linda (Puskar) Sefcik.