On the eve of the Feast of the Ascension, May 28, 2025, Bishop Bohdan Danylo, together with clergy from the Greater Pittsburgh area, celebrated the Vespers Divine Liturgy at Saint John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Parish in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

More than 200 faithful from local parishes gathered at Saint John’s as part of the Jubilee Year celebration.

Saint John the Baptist Parish, located on Pittsburgh’s South Side, is the oldest parish in the Saint Josaphat Eparchy, established in 1891.

For those who filled the church that evening, the Year of Hope stirred memories of the early 1980s, when pews were packed with families and children.

In his homily, Bishop Danylo called on all present to be signs of hope in the lives of others. In a world of noise and doubt, we are called to carry light.

Hope does not disappoint. And with faith, we believe Saint John the Baptist Parish will again stand strong as a beacon of Christian presence in Pittsburgh.