Saint Nicholas Croatian Catholic Parish

Description

Saint Nicholas Croatian Catholic Parish is an ethnic Roman Catholic church that ministers to the spiritual needs of Roman Catholics of Croatian heritage as well as the immigrant community who arrived as refugees from the nations of Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina following the wars of the 1990s.

It is named in honor of a Greek bishop named Nicholas (270-343) who was known for his miracles and his secret gift-giving --- such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him --- and thus became the model for Santa Claus, whose modern name comes from the Dutch name Sinterklaas.

The walls and ceiling of Saint Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church are decorated with elaborate tempera paintings by Croation-American artist Maxo Vanka (1890-1963). The murals tell the story of the Croatian peasants who left their native farm lands at the turn of the 20th century to seek a better life in the post-industrial United States of America. The evocative murals also capture Vanka's strong belief about the futilty of war and his sadness about the destruction of the motherland.

Inspired by Saint Nicholas' kindness and charity, the church and its members actively support many ecumenical and community programs.

Hours of operation

Hours vary; call the church for more information.

Parking

Free, on-site parking is available.

Bus routes that serve this area

• 1F - Millvale