I’m New
Welcome! We recently moved to our new location at 543 W Funderburg Rd in Fairborn Ohio. Please join us for Divine Liturgy at 10 AM on Sundays with a social meal following!
What should I expect when I enter?
What will I see? When you enter the church the first distinctive thing you'll notice is the iconostasis, or icon screen. Currently our icon screen consists of four large icon stands with, from left to right, icons of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Mary with the child Jesus, Jesus, and our patron St Barbara the Great Martyr. Between Jesus and Mary are the Royal Doors, which share an icon of the Annunciation. The two smaller doors have icons of St. Stephen the Protomartyr and St. Michael the Archangel. In front of the iconostasis, you will see a table, called a tetrapod, which has an icon on it, usually of St. Barbara.
What do I do when I enter? Do as you are most comfortable with. When Byzantine Catholics enter, the first thing we usually do is bow at the waist and make the sign of the cross, which is called a metany. Before going to a seat it is customary to venerate the icons, which we do by going to the icon, bowing, making a sign of the cross, and kissing the icon. In our parish we go to venerate the icon on the tetrapod. After venerating the icon, we proceed to our seat or go light a candle representing the prayers we say as we light the candle.
How do I participate during the Divine Liturgy?
We suggest that the first time you join us you participate by taking in all that is happening rather than trying to follow the liturgy with the teal book. We have some visitor books that you're welcome to take which will be easier to follow along with. Our liturgy connects to our whole body through all our senses, so we get the most out of liturgy when we're mentally present to all that is happening. The first time you come to a Divine Liturgy you may be a little overwhelmed trying to follow along using the teal book. You are also welcome to ask to pair with a parishioner if you want help following along in the teal book.
There is a lot of bowing and making the sign of the cross. We bow before icons, when we're blessed with incense, before the gospel book, and before the Eucharistic gifts to name a few. We make the sign of the cross particularly whenever we invoke the Trinity.
How to receive the Eucharist: If you are Catholic and are in a position to consume the Body and Blood of Jesus in the Eucharist, you may get in line to receive the Eucharist. The priest serves the commingled Eucharist out of the chalice with a spoon. When you get to the priest, say your name, cross your chest with your arms, lean your head back, and open your mouth. The priest will say a prayer for you with your name and serve the Eucharist to you with the spoon. If you are not Catholic or are not in a state to receive the Eucharist, you are welcome to come up, put a finger in front of your mouth to indicate you are not receiving the Eucharist, and the priest will bless you with the chalice.
What is Byzantine Catholicism?
The Catholic Church is made up of 24 particular Churches in communion with the Pope of Rome with 6 unique rites. While the Roman Catholic Church is a Western Christian Church using the Latin rite, the other 23 Catholic Churches are from Eastern Christian Traditions which use one of the five other rites. The Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church, or the Byzantine Catholic Church as it's known in the United States, is one of those Eastern Catholic churches. The Byzantine Catholic Church is a self-governing Church, or a Church sui iuris.
Our traditions come from the Church in Constantinople. Our Church uses the Byzantine rite, which is occasionally known as the Greek rite or the Constantinopolitan rite. The weekly liturgy we use is most commonly the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.
History of the Parish
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
I'll need to find information about the parish. Perhaps we can interview some of the parishioners about it?
In June of 2019 we received Fr. Robert Jager as our new pastoral administrator.
In March 2021 we moved from St. Stephen's Catholic Church building in downtown Dayton to the St. John Bosco Chapel at Wright State University.
On July 3, 2022 we received Fr. Milan Kasperek into our community as our new pastor.
On March 26, 2023 we received Fr. Frantisek Fedorisin into our community as our new pastor.
Bishop Robert Pipta signed the documents for a new building (543 Funderberg Rd, Fairborn, OH) for the St. Barbara community in late February 2026, receiving the key on March 4, 2026. Not long after, the community began refurbishing the building for our worship. The first Divine Liturgy took place on May 3, 2026.