From the beautiful shores of the Mediterranean, from an area now known as Lebanon (earlier a section of Syria), our forefathers came to the New World to find more opportunities in the "Land of Plenty". Syriac-Maronite Christians came from towns and villages such as Abdilly, Beirut, Saida, Iddee, Batroun, and others. Most of the immigrants spoke little or no English when they arrived at the shores of the United States in the late Nineteenth Century.

Founded by Henry Beeson in 1796, the city of Uniontown, and seat of Fayette County, is located at the foot of Chestnut Ridge of the Allegheny Mountains approximately fifty miles south of Pittsburgh.

The area immediately surrounding Uniontown varies from mountainous to gentle rolling valleys, rich in historical tradition and early American heritage. It still retains the hardy spirit of the pioneers who blazed the trails and settled here.

The early Maronites of Uniontown found the terrain very similar to their native land. They cherished their traditions and most precious to them were their religious beliefs. They worshipped at St. John the Evangelist Church and St. John Byzantine Church in the area until 1922. Because of their love for their Maronite background, they yearned for a church of their own. It was then that Father Paul Abi-Rizk, a Maronite priest from Lebanon, founded the first place of worship in a home at 10 Wilson Avenue in Uniontown. There, for several years, a handful of Maronite families gathered in prayer. Father Abi-Rizk was assisted periodically by Fathers Peter (Eid) Elian and Gabriel (Nader) Koury.

In 1927, a group of thirteen parishioners petitioned Bishop Hugh C. Boyle, Ordinary of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, to grant permission to establish a formal parish consisting of 110 parish families. Bishop Boyle assigned Father Elias Basil, a Maronite priest from Lebanon, to assist in founding the parish and serve the Maronites of Uniontown and the surrounding area. Father Basil had previously served twenty-one years as a priest in Paris, France. He came to America in 1925 to attend the Eucharistic Congress in Chicago, Illinois, and settled in the United States.

Through his zealous efforts and supervision, joined with the cooperation of the faithful, the first St. George Church was underway. A lot 50 x 150, at a cost of $3,000, was purchased at 124 Lincoln Street and construction began. The building was to be a temporary church, with plans to convert it to a school later and a bigger church was to be constructed toward the front of the land; however, this never materialized. The building was complete and dedicated 25 March 1928, and in July of that year, Father Basil was assigned to new duties in Pittsburgh.

He was succeeded by Father Nahamtallah Hayek, a Maronite Priest from Bijji, Lebanon. Under his guidance, the parish prospered and grew. Throughout the early years leading into World War II the parish worked and prayed together and formally burned the original mortgage in 1942.

Father Hayek (then Monsignor) retired in 1947 and returned to his native Lebanon. The parish needs were placed under the spiritual ministry of Father Harold Phillips, O. S. B. of St. Vincent Archabbey, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, with Father Thomas J. Dunn, then pastor of St. John R. C. Church, Uniontown, as financial administrator. Father Harold, as he was affectionately called, would travel to Uniontown each weekend to celebrate Liturgy and it was during his tenure, that the rectory was purchased in 1949, and the first May Crowning was held at St. George.  

It was not until March 1950, that Fr. Elias G. Nader, one of two priestly vocations from St. George, returned to his home area to become pastor. He previously had been pastor of St. John the Baptist Church, New Castle, PA for thirteen years. Many changes and developments took place almost immediately upon his arrival – the Young Ladies Sodality was officially organized; the Men’s Holy Name Society was reactivated; a Building Fund for the church in Abdilly was established; altar boys were regrouped; religious instruction for the children was placed under the guidance of the Sisters of St. Joseph, then teachers at St. John Grade and High Schools; a new organ was purchased; a new bell installed; a fund for an addition to the parish rectory began; a new tabernacle was placed and an extensive remodeling program was finalized and new windows installed. St. George Church in Abdilly was sponsored and completed through the efforts of a handful of our local parishioners. The church still stands and is utilized presently by residents of Abdilly and surrounding area. In 1952, additional property was purchased adjacent to the parish rectory on Lincoln Street. All parish organizations were actively functioning – the Church Committee, Ladies Guild, Holy Name Society, Sodality and Altar Boys. An informal building fund began in 1953 and each family was assessed $25.00 per year with a goal at that time of $25,000.00. 

During the early 1950’s, Msgr. Paul Abi-Rizk returned to the parish and Bishop Lamb of the Diocese of Greensburg also visited. The loss of former parish priests saddened all – Msgr. Abi-Rizk, a year following his visit, and Msgr. Basil in August 1957.

 

St. George Maronite Church has been blessed with the spiritual guidance of many leaders who have made tremendous impacts on our parish family and our lives. Those priests called to serve the altar of St. George have included: 

 

1922-1927        Rt. Rev. Chorbishop Paul Abi-Rizk

1927-1928        Rt. Rev. Chorbishop Elias Basil

1928-1947        Rt. Rev. Chorbishop Nahamtallah Hayek

1947-1950        Pastoral Services Rendered by the Latin Diocese

1950-1969        Rev. Fr. Elias G. Nader

1967-1969        Rev. Fr. Joseph Shaheen – Parochial Vicar

1969-1983        Rev. Fr. Peter J. Mahfoud

1983-1994        Rev. Fr. Gregory John Mansour

1994-1998        Rev. Fr. Christopher Henderson

1998-2009       Rev. Fr. Joseph R. David

 

2009-2010       Rev. Fr. Tony K. Akoury

 

2010-2013       Rev. Fr. Nadim Helou, MLM

 

2013-2016       Rev. Fr. Sami Chaaya, MLM

 

2016-2019       Rev. Fr. El-Badaoui Habib, MLM

2019-2020       Rev. Fr. Elias Khalil

 

2020-Present   Rev. Fr. Aaron Joseph Sandbothe