St. Euphrosynia Belarusian Orthodox Church
| St. Euphrosynia Belarusian Orthodox Church | |
|---|---|
| Basic information | |
| Location |
284 Whitehead Avenue South River, NJ 08882 |
| Affiliation | American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese |
| Architectural description | |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Completed | 1950s |
The St. Euphrosynia Belarusian Orthodox Church is a Belarusian Greek Orthodox church in South River, New Jersey. The archdiocese is the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the U.S.A.. The head of the church is Rev. Fr. Michael Psenechnuk.[1] It is named after Euphrosyne of Polotsk.
History
After the end of World War II, Belarusian parishioners came together and worshiped in Displaced Person-Camps in Regensburg, Michelsdorf and Backnang, Germany. Some of the church members were able to move to the United States and moved to South River, New Jersey, where already a Belarusian community existed. In 1951 a parish council was elected, with Father Mikalaj Lapitzki selected as its first pastor. The parish celebrated their first worship in the second floor of the Conklin Methodist Church, a local church, whose Rev. G. Nelson Moore allowed to use it. The Church Council became a member of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America. In 1953 the parish bought a former Jewish Synagogue on Whitehead Avenue and converted it into an Orthodox Christian Church. In addition the Church acquired a piece of land on Hillside Avenue for use as a parish cemetery.[2]
On a hilltop behind the St. Euphrosynia Belarusian Orthodox Church a large memorial was installed bearing the official seal of the Byelorussian Central Council (Bielaruskaja Centalnaja Rada, or BCC) reads, “glory to those who fought for freedom and independence of Byelorussia.” The stone memorial is topped by a large iron cross, which has a small double barred cross at its center, which represents the Cross of Saint Euphrosyne and is a central element of the medieval Belarusian coat of arms, Pahonia. According to some researchers, this was also the insignia of the 30th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS.[3]
Saint Euphrosynia Belarus Orthodox Church Cemetery
Notable burials
- Radasłaŭ Astroŭski (1887–1976), president of the Belarusian Central Rada
- Jan Stankievič (1891–1976), politician, linguist, historian and philosopher
References
- ↑ Saint Euphrosynia Belarusian Orthodox Church, South River at orthodox-world.org
- ↑ History of the St. Euphrosynia Belarusian Orthodox Church at sites.google.com
- ↑ Mark Alexander: Nazi Collaborators, American Intelligence, and the Cold War. The Case of the Byelorussian Central Council. University of Vermont Graduate College Dissertations and Theses, Nr. 424, 2015, p. 1.
Coordinates: 40°26′25″N 74°21′55″W / 40.440214°N 74.365210°W