Sisters of St. Basil the Great in Uniontown Celebrate 100 Years

The Sisters of St. Basil the Great in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, are celebrating their 100th Anniversary this year. This particular community of nuns were very influential in the Eparchy of Parma by teaching in our schools and they were originally founded at our church, Holy Ghost, on Kenilworth Avenue in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio.

In 1918, because of the influenza epidemic, many children were left orphans. To provide for them, an Orphange was opened, under the care of two Sisters and three postulants. Later in 1920, these Sisters and postulants were replaced by Rev. Mother Macrina, O.S.B.M., with two other Sisters and six candidates. These Basilian Sisters, under the superiorship of Mother Macrina, began a Motherhouse as a new branch of the Sisters of St. Basil the Great for the "Uhro-Rusins" or "Carpatho-Rusins". On June 19, 1921, the six candidates received their veils. In June 1923, all the Sisters were transferred to the St. Nicholas Orphanage of the Greek Catholic Union in Elmhurst, Pennsylvania, and later after a time in Factoryville, Pennsylvania, they established their Motherhouse at Uniontown, Pennsylvania. - Excerpt from the Golden Jubilee Commemorative Book for Holy Ghost, Cleveland, Ohio, 1959.