under construction
Timeline of St. Michael’s History
Milestones
1877 - Eastern Europeans began to arrive in the Passaic, New Jersey area
1880 - (through out) Fr. Alexander Dzubay tends to the spiritual needs of the Faithful in Passaic
1890 - (Nov 14) St. Michael’s Parish is incorporated under laws of New Jersey by Fr. Dzubay
1890 - (December 25) – Fr. Dzubay performs first Baptism (Mary Hrinya)
1891 - (January 1) Fr. Dzubay performs first Wedding (John Ferinko and Suzanna Chromoho)
1891 - (June 16) – Fr. Dzubay performs first Funeral (Michael Mascary)
1891 - Fr. Nicephor Chanath purchases Evangelical Mission Chapel (corner of First & Bergen) and
becomes St. Michaels first resident Pastor
1893 - First Church enlarged to accommodate 300 people; first Rectory built
1894 - (December 20th) Fr. Eugene Szatala appointed St. Michael’s second resident Pastor
1902 - (March) Fr. Nicholas Molscanyi appointed St. Michael’s third resident Pastor
1902 - Fr. Molscanyi begins construction of present brick church
1905 - Construction of present church completed
1906 - (February) Fr. Irenaeus Janotzky appointed St. Michael’s fourth resident Pastor
1909 - (October) Rosary Society organized by Fr. Janotzky
1915 - (September) Fr. Valentine Balogh appointed St. Michael’s fifth resident Pastor
1917 - Property purchased for later use as a cemetery
1918 - (March 3rd) Fr. Jackovics appointed St. Michael’s sixth resident Pastor
1922 - Classrooms established in old Auditorium for Evening School
1935 - (February 3) Fr. Jackovics organizes Mother’s Club (29 Charter Members)
1935 - (November 24) St. Michael’s celebrates its Golden Jubilee
1941 - St. Michael’s receives its first Assistant Pastor (Fr. John Macko)
1949 - (November 7) St. Michael’s burns Mortgage
1949 - (December 7) Fr. Jackovics dies
1950 - Fr. John Stim appointed seventh resident Pastor of St. Michael’s
1953 - (April 27) Fr. Stim organized Ladies Guild (18 Charter Members)
1953 - (September 9) Classes begin at St. Michael’s School (formally Passaic School No. 2)
1955 - Fr. Stim organized Holy Name Society
1963 - (July 31) St. Michael’s Parish designated the Cathedral of the newly established Diocese of
Passaic; Most Rev. Stephen Kocisko, D.D. appointed first Bishop
1964 - Msgr. George Durisin appointed eighth resident Pastor of St. Michael’s
1965 - (October 31) St. Michael’s celebrates its Diamond Jubilee
1966 - Establishment of a parochial Religious Education Program (CCD)
1968 - Most Rev. Michael Dudick, D.D. appointed second Bishop of Passaic
1979 - Byzantine Service Group organized under pastorate of Msgr. Durisin
1985 - (April 28) Construction begins for a Chapel and Social Center in West Paterson
1987 - (May 31) St. Michael’s Chapel in West Paterson is solemnly dedicated
1988 - (August) Fr. Eugene Fulton appointed ninth resident Pastor of St. Michael’s
1988 - (October) Fr. Nicholas Alishofski appointed tenth resident Pastor of St. Michael’s
1989 - (February 6) Fr. Marcel Szabo appointed eleventh resident Pastor of St. Michael’s
1989 - (November 12) St. Michael’s Day begins a year long Centennial Celebration
1990 - (October 21) St. Michael’s observes it’s Centennial Jubilee
2005 – St. Michael’s website was first launched
2005-2006 – Construction of a Shrine in honor of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary
2008 - (January 29) Enthronement of the most Rev. William C. Skurla, D.D. as the Fourth Bishop of Passaic
2013 - (December 4) Bp Kurt Burnett was consecrated Fifth Bishop of Passaic
2014 - (October 5) Sister Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, baptized in St. John Byzantine Catholic Church, Bayonne, was solemnly Beatified in the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark, the first American to be Beatified in the United States
2014 - (Nov 9) – 124thAnniversary of St. Michael the Archangel Cathedral
2015 - (December 13) - Doors of Mercy opened at the Cathedral
2016 - Fr. Jack Custer appointed 12th Rector of St. Michael's Cathedral
2016 - St. Michael’s appeared on Facebook
2016 - (January 7) Bp Kurt Burnett and Fr. Jack Custer bless the Passaic River for the first time
2017 - 2018 - Renovation of the interior of the Cathedral with Holy icons by Petro Dzyuba
2020 - (July 24th) Knights of Columbus organize Pilgrim Icon Program
2022 - (April 30) St. Michael's School Reuninon
2023 - (January 29) St Michael's 121 year old edifice became completely accessible to persons with disabilities or mobility issues
2023 - (December 17) - Eparchy Anniversary
2024 - (June 28) - Fr. Jack Custer leaves the Cathedral as Rector
2024 - (July 14) - Fr. Marek Višnovsky appointed 13th Rector of Cathedral
2024 - 100th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Byzantine Catholic Church in America.
2024 - (July) - The Our Lady of Perpetual Help Prayer Group is born
2025 - (January 19th) Bp. Kurt Burnett opens of the Jubilee Year of Hope
2025 - (November 1 and 2) Celebration of 135th Anniversary of Cathedral
2025- Good Fellas to God’s Fellas men's group is born
2025 - Eastern Theology on Tap is started
2025 - Pilgrim Vocation Icon Program