Archbishop Daniel Leads Liturgical Services in McKees Rocks, PA Honoring Fr. Timothy Tomson on his 25th Anniversary of Holy Priesthood

A small town of over 6,000 residents and a rich history of over 253 years since its formal foundation – McKees Rocks, PA is a home for generations of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians that weekly worship at the Dormition of the Birth-Giver of God Ukrainian Orthodox Church on Ella Street.

The Fifth Sunday after Pascha, which is known as Samaritan Woman Sunday, coincided this year with two other important events in the life of the local community. The entire parish family honored the living and reposed in the Lord mothers of the community and joyfully greeted their pastor – Very Rev. Fr. Timothy Tomson on the 25^th Anniversary of his ordination to the Holy Priesthood.

Upon the invitation of the parish family and in order to greet the mothers and the pastor of the church community, His Eminence Archbishop Daniel traveled to McKees Rocks, PA and presided over the Archpastoral Divine Liturgy.

As the hierarch entered the Dormition of the Mother of God Ukrainian Orthodox Church, children presented him with flowers; traditional bread and salt was offered by the members of the parish’s board of administration and the pastor, Fr. Timothy, asked Vladyka Daniel to remembered in his prayers mothers of the local community.

During the Liturgy, upon the request of the entire parish family and upon the decisions of the Council of Bishops of the UOC of the USA, Very Rev. Fr. Timothy Tomson was awarded Miter for the years of dedicated service in the life of the Church and the local parish community.

In his sermon, Archbishop Daniel called upon the faithful of the Church to be the true Bridge-Builders between humanity and God, always seeking the ways of bringing others closed to perfection and an encounter with the Lord.

As the Liturgy concluded, members of the parish’s Brotherhood presented every lady in a church with a flower.

Later in the day, the community honored the Fr. Timothy and all ladies of the parish with a traditional Mother’s Day luncheon.