St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Orthodox Church among Sacred Sites Open House highlights

Ever notice a large church with gold domes while driving by exit 71 westbound on Route 17 in Johnson City?

It’s St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Orthodox Church, one stop on the Sacred Sites Open House, which takes place Sunday, July 24. There are 20 houses of worship featured with in-person tours this year, sponsored by the Preservation Association of the Southern Tier.

“I think there's a mystery,” said church member Carol Wasylko, ”when you do attend a church that you're not familiar with, like the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.”

Wasylko has led many people on tours. One couple came in after having driven by a number of times over the years while their daughter attended Binghamton University. Their last trip to the area included a visit to the church.

“It was a marvelous experience,” she said.

While it may look like just two domes in front, an overhead view reveals a third dome over the center of the building. There’s also what appears to be stained glass featuring the patron saint above the front doors. It’s not.

“It’s a mosaic created in Italy,” Wasylko said.

”Tile colored glass stone,” she added. "When I say tiny pieces, I mean maybe less than an inch. It was all put up and erected above the front doors. And it's a stunning, stunning artistic work.”

An original church was built by Ukrainian immigrants in the 1920's. The gold-domed structure, which includes a memorial center to remember soldiers from the parish, was constructed in 1968.

Wasylko said immigrants came to the U.S. to work in the coal mines of Scranton, Pennsylvania. She said the opportunities with shoe manufacturing at Endicott Johnson brought many to Broome County. While able to attend church in Binghamton’s First Ward, they sought liturgy in their own language.

“I think one of the most historic parts is using the iconostasis from our former church,” Wasylko said.

“That’s the screen with all the icons on it which separates the altar area to the main part of the church,” she said. ”All the paintings of the saints were incorporated into the new iconostasis. Which we like to say, if something goes good to start with, to continue to incorporate into something new.”

Wasylko notes that IBM's growth in the area helped provide jobs for later generations of parishioners. Some younger people have moved away in ensuing years, she said, but they return for visits.

“Coming back for Christmas and Easter is a must, and (we) welcome them with open arms,” she said.

Others have been welcomed to the parish, too, including the pastor, the Rev. Ivan Synevskyy, his wife and family. Synevskyy is from Ukraine.

And for the first time in a couple of years, the doors are open again to visitors on the Sacred Sites Open House.

“It takes a person who has an interest in architecture when you are visiting a church,” Wasylko said.

“I think people learn that you become part of visiting something unusual,” she said. “We welcome everyone, even if it is for 10 or 15 minutes. So you can plan your journey to visit as many as you possibly can.”

More information

St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Where: 1 St. John's Parkway, Johnson City, NY 13790.

Website: stjohnuoc.org/

Phone: 607-797-1584

Sacred Sites Open House

Twenty houses of worship in Broome County are open Sunday, July 24. Sponsored by the Preservation Association of the Southern Tier. For more details, go to pastny.org/tours-events

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This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Sacred Sites tour includes St. John's Ukrainian Orthodox Church