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In remembrance
and unto the glory of God. Amen

It came to be that Romanians fromTransylvania, Banat, and Crisana could no longer endure foreign oppression under the Hungarian rule, nor could they suffer the hardships brought about by this despotic government. Their only comfort and ray of hope was in their church and the traditions of their ancestors.

Guided by the priests and apostles, the Romanian people succeeded to preserve their language, their identity, and most of all their orthodox faith, untouched, as they had inherited it from the holy apostles and the fathers of the church. Nothing was changed in the holy tradition despite all hardships that came over the oppressed people over many centuries. Towards the beginning of the 20th century a new light of hope dawned on the oppressed Romanians in the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, hopes for freedom and a better life. This hope shone over the Atlantic Ocean like a beacon from a lighthouse – America!

American life with work and reward for all the Romanian toil. Romanians from all over the old country crossed to ocean for the promised land, left behind families, parents, sisters, brothers, their homes. They brought to the new world their ancestor’s faith.

Once arrived in Philadelphia they stayed, bore children and built new families. They emigrated from the blessed Banat from Pesac, St.Nicolau Mare, Comlas, Igris, Sat-Chinez, Lovrin, Lunga, etc.

They organized a parish in the old law on June 22, 1913 with the help of the Anglican Church, who offered them the upper floors of the current building to celebrate religious services and pray. In 1922 the same Anglican Church hands over to the Romanians the big church at Brown and American Sts.

In 1931 this church underwent a general remodeling and was consecrated on Sunday May 24, 1931 by Fr. Ioan Truta, Stefan Oprean, Ioan Popovici, and P. Craciun. Listed below are all contributors.


Fr. Ioan Popovici

They offered
their work and sacrifices. Showed love towards God, faith and obedience.
Committee, year 1931
Ginna Callu 10
Mihaiu Lata si fam 15
Traian Milos 5
Laz&atilder Boldovici 10
Teodor Andras 5
Dimitrie Bogdan 5
Gheorghe Lautas 5
Ioan Ardelean si fam 5
Ioan si Catita Radici 5
Gheorghe Ivascu si fam 5
Ioan Croitor si fam 5
Vichentie Ionescu 5
Arcadie Micsa 5
Mihaiu Ardelean 5
Iancu Apostol 5
Pavel Velici 5
Petru Rosu 5
Ioan Tantoi 5
Iosiv Lazarica 5
Teodor Vatca 5
Simion Galu 5
Andrei Andrei 5
Ioan Alexiak5
Mihaiu Brancu 5
Teodor Oprea 5
Constantin Diminescu 5
Ilie Vatca 5
Gheorghe Niculita 5
Gheorghe S. Candea 5
Ioan Nichifor 5
Gheorghe Iancu 5
Gheorghe Garbi 5
Mihaila Brancu 5
Nicolae Sumantu 5
Gheoghe Miroch 5
Stefan si Veronica Preda 5
Ioan Bogdan "Macei" 5
Toma Batejan 7
Mihaiu T. Damian 6
Gheorghe Bogdanescu 6
Mihaiu Bebean 5
Octavian Nedelcu 4
Victor Oprea 8
Simion Minda 2
Iepta Minda 1
Aurel Paladie 2
Gheorghe Tintoi 1
Petru Macavei 8
Teodor Ceoban 8
Ioan Tantoi 1
Catarina Dramandi 1
Zinca Petrov 1
Gheorghe Boian 1

Fr. Ioan Popovici
Ioan Radici president
Mihai G. Marian vice president
Constantin Gavosdean tutor I
Gheorghe Magdin tutor II
Ioan Groza tutor III
Teodor Bacican fost tutor
Gheorghe S Candea secretary
Gheorghe P Popa former secretary
Partenie Batejan cantor
Ioan Bogdan "Macei"
Gheorghe Tarca
Ioan Lautas
Nicolae Sumantu
Mihaiu Ardelean

Mihaiu G. Marian si fam 20
Ioan Lautas si fam 15
Partenie Batejan si fam 15
Pr Ioan Popovici si sotia 10
Petru Olarean si fam 10
Gheorghe Batejan si fam 10
Gheorghe Magdin si fam 10
Vasile Farca si sotia 10
Gavrila Milos si fam 10
Ioan Bogdan si fam 10
Const. Gavojdean si fam 10
Vasile Marian si fam 10
Vasile Dobos 1
Gligor Lupsa 2
Gheorghe Plapsa 2
Mihaiu Craciun 1
N. Lopaziak 1
Ion Gheorghe1
Albu 1
Ira Civacevici 1
Teodor Rosu 1
Paia Isaac 3
P. Apell 1
Ion Minda 3
Gheorghe Craznic 2
Alex Sociac 1
Floarea Orcia 3
Iuliana Tomas 1
Ghigor Farca 2
Gheorghe Sumandan 3
Lazar Sumandan 1
Gincu Matei 1
Nicolae Isac 1
Nicolae Toconita 1
Arest Matici 1
Milan Radu 2
Ilie Todose 2
Barbu Dalagolu 1
I. Blanay 1
Ion Caba 1
Ioan Nicoara 1
Gheorghe Lata 2
Traina Micsa 3
Teodor Ianovici 1
Dl. Strilbski 2
Petru Cretu 2
Traian Ivan 2
Eva Miescu 2
Dimitrie Bogdan 1
Ludovic Lepner 2
Alex Pavlovici 1
Ioan Nemeth 1
Florita Rosiu 1
Societatea "B&atilden&atildeteana Vasile Alexandri" 150
Cl. Doamnelor Rom&acircne 900
Cl. Tineretului Rom&acircn 100
Parohia "S-ta Maria" Cleveland 10
Parohia "S-ta Maria" St. Paul 5
Parohia "Adormirea Maici Domnului" Chicago 5
Parohia "S-tii Arhangheli" Roebling 5
Soc. Voluntarii Rom. 5
Parohia "S-tii Apostoli Petru si Pavel" Detroit 5
Parohia "St. Ioan Botezatorul" Erie, PA 5
Biserica Rusa Philadelphia 5
Soc. "Albina" New Castle 5
Parohia "S-tii Constantin si Elena" 2
Soc. "Adevarul" Bethlehem 5
Parohia "Pogorarea Duhului Sfant" Gorj 5
G Lucaci Zakezeski 1
Pantilie Costa 1
Gust. Covazi 2
Ioan Lescu 2
Tudor Marian 2
Dumitru Nicolescu 2
Teodor Dobos 2
Dimitrie Blanar 3
Vasile Pop 3
Sofia Garzeu 2
Achim Dumineca 1
Marina Isac 1
Vioara Craciun 2
Ilie Calin 2
Anca Dacia 1
Anna McLean 2
Cusman Oncea 1
Ioan Lungu 1
Marcu Damianov 1

We thank you God, our Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit for granting us your children, estranged on foreign land, to build the church in which we worship you, thank you and pray, we and our children.
Remember, oh God, the founders who have passed.
Remember, our Father, all benefactors of this church. May their efforts and sacrifices be received on your heavenly altar. Amen

Fr. Ioan Popovici

It was written for eternal remembrance today May 21, 1931, the feast of Sts. Constantine and Helena.

Glory to you, who showed us the light, glory to God, peace on earth and among men.

. For our Orthodox Parish “Descent of the Holy Spirit”, Philadelphia, PA, June 17, 1931.

George S. Candea secretary Ioan Radici president Constantin Gavosdean tutor I

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