Daniel Ivancho
Encyclopedia
Daniel Ivancho was the third bishop
of the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh
, the American
branch of the Ruthenian Catholic Church
.
, Máramaros
, Austria-Hungary
, he emigrated at the age of eight to the United States and settled in Cleveland, Ohio
with his widowed mother. He graduated from St. Procopius College in Lisle, Illinois
and completed his seminary training in Rome, Italy. Due to illness, he transferred to Uzhhorod
Theological Seminary where he completed his studies. On September 30, 1934, Bishop Basil Takach
ordained him to the priesthood and he served in parish assignments.
for the appointment of an auxiliary bishop. Monsignor George Michaylo and Father Stephen Gulovich were perceived to be leading candidates, but the Vatican announced the appointment of Ivancho, a dark horse. The 1946 official decree declared his status to be a "Coadjutor Bishop", mandating that he would automatically become Bishop Takach's successor.
He was ordained as the first-ever Coadjutor Bishop of the Greek Catholic Exarchate of Pittsburgh on November 5, 1946. In order to accommodate the crowds, the ceremony was held at the Cathedral of Saint Paul
of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
in the Oakland
district. Byzantine and Roman Catholic bishops and clergy attended, as did the Empress Zita
and other members of the Imperial Habsburg
family of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. Monsignor Fulton J. Sheen
was the homilist for the ordination.
In May 1948 Takach died, and Ivancho became the new bishop. Some advisors urged that construction of a new cathedral church should be a priority. They believed a new cathedral—not the 1903 St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Cathedral
—was needed in the post-World War II
era. More seating capacity and a more central location in Pittsburgh, they argued, would better showcase the identity of the Eastern Catholic church. Ivancho, however, tackled the problem of seminary training. In a pastoral letter dated June 14, 1950, he announced plans for the construction and operation of the first Eastern Catholic seminary in the United States. Byzantine Catholic Seminary of SS. Cyril and Methodius
was completed in October 1951.
Ivancho resigned suddenly for personal reasons on December 2, 1954. According to a historical account by Serge Keleher, Ivancho was forced to resign once it was revealed that he had secretly married after his priestly ordination. He died in retirement in Florida in 1972.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh
Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh
The Byzantine Catholic Metropolia of Pittsburgh is an autonomous Byzantine Rite particular church of the Catholic Church, originally serving members of the Ruthenian Catholic Church and their descendants in the United States...
, the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
branch of the Ruthenian Catholic Church
Ruthenian Catholic Church
The Ruthenian Catholic Church is a sui iuris Eastern Catholic Church , which uses the Divine Liturgy of the Constantinopolitan Byzantine Eastern Rite. Its roots are among the Rusyns who lived in the region called Carpathian Ruthenia, in and around the Carpathian Mountains...
.
Early life
Born on March 30, 1908 in YasiniaYasinia
Yasinia is an urban-type settlement in the Rakhiv Raion of the Zakarpattia Oblast in Ukraine. It was the site of the Hutsul Republic after World War I, and the birthplace of several prominent Ukrainians declaring independence from Kingdom of Hungary. This republic was ended by Romanian troops on...
, Máramaros
Máramaros
Máramaros is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is presently in north-western Romania and western Ukraine...
, Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, he emigrated at the age of eight to the United States and settled in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
with his widowed mother. He graduated from St. Procopius College in Lisle, Illinois
Lisle, Illinois
Lisle is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 22,930 at the 2011 census, and estimated to be 23,135 as of 2008. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Illinois Technology and Research Corridor...
and completed his seminary training in Rome, Italy. Due to illness, he transferred to Uzhhorod
Uzhhorod
Uzhhorod or Uzhgorod is a city located in western Ukraine, at the border with Slovakia and near the border with Hungary. It is the administrative center of the Zakarpattia Oblast , as well as the administrative center of the surrounding Uzhhorodskyi Raion within the oblast...
Theological Seminary where he completed his studies. On September 30, 1934, Bishop Basil Takach
Basil Takach
Basil Takach was the first bishop of the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh, the American branch of the Ruthenian Catholic Church.-Early life:...
ordained him to the priesthood and he served in parish assignments.
Episcopate of Bishop Ivancho
When Bishop Takach was diagnosed with terminal cancer in the 1940s, a request was made to the Holy SeeHoly See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
for the appointment of an auxiliary bishop. Monsignor George Michaylo and Father Stephen Gulovich were perceived to be leading candidates, but the Vatican announced the appointment of Ivancho, a dark horse. The 1946 official decree declared his status to be a "Coadjutor Bishop", mandating that he would automatically become Bishop Takach's successor.
He was ordained as the first-ever Coadjutor Bishop of the Greek Catholic Exarchate of Pittsburgh on November 5, 1946. In order to accommodate the crowds, the ceremony was held at the Cathedral of Saint Paul
Cathedral of Saint Paul in Pittsburgh
The Cathedral of Saint Paul is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States...
of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh is a Roman Catholic diocese. It was established in Western Pennsylvania on August 11, 1843. The diocese includes 211 parishes in the counties of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Lawrence, and Washington, an area of with a Catholic population of 719,801...
in the Oakland
Oakland (Pittsburgh)
Oakland is the academic, cultural, and healthcare center of Pittsburgh and is Pennsylvania's third largest "Downtown". Only Center City Philadelphia and Downtown Pittsburgh can claim more economic and social activity than Oakland...
district. Byzantine and Roman Catholic bishops and clergy attended, as did the Empress Zita
Zita of Bourbon-Parma
Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma was the wife of Emperor Charles of Austria...
and other members of the Imperial Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
family of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. Monsignor Fulton J. Sheen
Fulton J. Sheen
Servant of God Fulton John Sheen, born Peter John Sheen was an American archbishop of the Catholic Church known for his preaching and especially his work on television and radio...
was the homilist for the ordination.
In May 1948 Takach died, and Ivancho became the new bishop. Some advisors urged that construction of a new cathedral church should be a priority. They believed a new cathedral—not the 1903 St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Cathedral
St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Cathedral (Pittsburgh)
St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Cathedral is the mother church of Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh, the American branch of the Ruthenian Catholic Church...
—was needed in the post-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
era. More seating capacity and a more central location in Pittsburgh, they argued, would better showcase the identity of the Eastern Catholic church. Ivancho, however, tackled the problem of seminary training. In a pastoral letter dated June 14, 1950, he announced plans for the construction and operation of the first Eastern Catholic seminary in the United States. Byzantine Catholic Seminary of SS. Cyril and Methodius
Byzantine Catholic Seminary of SS. Cyril and Methodius
The Byzantine Catholic Seminary of SS. Cyril and Methodius is a degree-granting school of theology in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States which prepares candidates for priestly ministry to the Byzantine Catholic churches of North America....
was completed in October 1951.
Ivancho resigned suddenly for personal reasons on December 2, 1954. According to a historical account by Serge Keleher, Ivancho was forced to resign once it was revealed that he had secretly married after his priestly ordination. He died in retirement in Florida in 1972.