The parish of St. Andrew was formed in 1954 and draws people of the Orthodox faith, both of Ukrainian and non-Ukrainian heritage. Worshippers give glory to the One God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The faithful of the parish seek a close and personal relationship with Jesus Christ through prayer, divine services, reading of Sacred Scripture, reception of the sacraments, fasting and acts of charity. It is the intention of its parishioners to remain faithful to the Sacred Traditions of the Holy Orthodox Church as well as to the customs of the Ukrainian Church. As Christians, church members adhere to the commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ to "teach all nations". Therefore, it is within this spirit that the Parish welcomes everyone to pray together.
Announcements Upcoming Schedule (now following the revised Julian calendar) Sunday, September 22, 2024 – 13th Sunday after Pentecost 10 A.M. Divine Liturgy Sunday, September 29, 2024 – 14th Sunday after Pentecost 10 A.M. Divine Liturgy His Eminence Metropolitan Antony Visits St. Andrew’s of Boston
On Sunday, December 10, 2023 His Eminence Metropolitan Antony, accompanied by Deacon Pavlo Vysotskyi and seminarians Andrii Akulenko, Yurii Izhyk, Marian Koval and Bohdan Bodnar visited St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Boston. The occasion was the 65th Anniversary of the church edifice and the 45th anniversary of the ordination of its pastor, Very Reverend Roman Tarnavsky. His Eminence was greeted with flowers at the church door by Fr. Roman’s granddaughters Anna and Solimaya and then welcomed into the church by parish president, Jane Yavarow. In her greeting she stressed that since Vladyka’s last visit to the parish in 2018, that the time that has past had been, to paraphrase Dickens, the worst of times and the best of times. She stated, “Who would have predicted that in March of 2020, Covid 19 would bring us the worst of times, but we had 20 dedicated parishioners who kept this church alive until we could resume a new normal. They preserved for us the best of times. Then in February of 2022, who would have predicted that the worst of times would be laid at our doorstep with the senseless invasion of Ukraine by an evil empire. Our dedicated parishioners raised over $100,000 for humanitarian aid and shipped countless tons of medical supplies to Ukraine. Now we offer aid to refugees and especially to children coming to Boston hospitals for prosthetic limbs. That dedication to helping others has shown us in the best of times. Today you also see us in the best of times, a religious community, a spiritual community dedicated to preserving this church for the best of best times ahead.” Fr. Roman, along with visiting clergy Fr. Borislav Kroner from Woonsocket, RI, ushered His Eminence to the tetrapod where the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy began. St. Andrew’s choir, under the direction of Jane Yavarow offered the responses. At the end of the Liturgy, His Eminence thanked the choir for the beautiful responses they rendered and the faithful for their presence, then he gathered everyone together for a group photo. After the Liturgy everyone moved to the church hall where they dined on a meal featuring lobster bisque, caesar salad and baked sole prepared by Chef Michael, a long-time friend of St. Andrew’s, and his sous chef Dan Smith. Along with celebrating the 65th anniversary of the church, the parishioners honored their pastor, Right Rev. Roman Tarnavsky, on the 45th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. Fr. Roman attended the Odessa Theological Seminary. On September 27, 1978, on the feast day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, he was ordained a priest. He came to the United States in 1997 and has served the parish for the past 20 years. As was noted in a little trivia contest about Fr. Roman’s life during the program, he has a passion for beekeeping, but he commented that his parish is his most important apiary. He has shown this by being devoted to the church and his parishioners, by demonstrating his steadfast faith during soviet persecution in Ukraine and by being a worthy example of sincere service to the Church here, as well. On behalf of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, Vsevolod Petriv, president of the Boston branch, congratulated Fr. Roman for his long-standing support and participation in community events, noting his dedicated patriotic stance. The day’s festivities concluded with a concert in Fr. Roman’s honor, performed by Michael Muzyka, Oksana Oliynyk, Tetyana Portyankina, Halyna Pysak, Yulia Samokhvalova and Yulia Shcherbakova, talented members of the parish. Their vocal and instrumental numbers captured the audience. Since the painful topic of Russian aggression has become an integral part of the everyday life of the Ukrainian community here, the program consisted exclusively of works by Ukrainian artists - vocal, instrumental and poetic compositions that reflected the deepest characteristics of the Ukrainian soul: love for the native land, fortitude, faith, and hope. It was a perfect way to end such a wonderful day! SAINT ANDREW THE FIRST CALLED APOSTLE UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF BOSTON 24 ORCHARDHILL ROAD, JAMAICA PLAIN, MA 02130 Fr. Roman Tarnavsky, Pastor _________________________________________________________________How Can I Help Ukraine?Join the St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church community in prayer.Visit UkrainianOrthodox.org for a current schedule of services and other events. All visitors are welcome! Our services are conducted in a mix of English and Ukrainian. To learn more about the Orthodox faith, worship, and other topics, visit the About Orthodoxy page on our website. Donate to humanitarian aid efforts.At this time, monetary donations are most effective. Funds reach people in need more quickly than supplies. With guidance from our parish board and community leaders, St. Andrew UOC identifies trustworthy, impactful non-profit organizations. Based on the rapidly changing circumstances and needs in Ukraine, we disburse donations to these organizations.
To contribute, you can:
Some of the organizations raising funds for humanitarian aid in Ukraine include Sunflower of Peace, International Orthodox Christian Charities, Razom for Ukraine, and the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America, among others. Share verified information and raise awareness.Disinformation and rumors are a real concern in the age of social media. We recommend visiting war.ukraine.ua for reliable updates in English from the Ukrainian government. You can also learn more about humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine at help.gov.ua.
We also encourage you to learn more about Ukrainian history and culture beyond current events. These Ukrainian-American organizations (to name just a few) are a great start:
SAINT ANDREW THE FIRST CALLED APOSTLE UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF BOSTON 24 ORCHARDHILL ROAD, JAMAICA PLAIN, MA 02130 Fr. Roman Tarnavsky, Pastor ____________________________________________________________________ In-Kind DonationsMonetary donations and advocacy are most needed.For the average individual, monetary donations and advocacy are the most direct, efficient, and impactful ways to help Ukraine and Ukrainians.
Funding will reach aid groups more quickly than supplies. It saves valuable time and money that volunteers must otherwise spend sorting, packaging, and shipping items from Boston, to transport hubs in New Jersey, to humanitarian centers in Poland and Western Ukraine. For a list of verified organizations to support, visit How to Help Ukraine.
If you are unable to contribute financially, asking the US government to support Ukraine can make a real difference. Razom for Ukraine has information on contacting your elected officials. Before collecting and dropping off supplies, contact local organizations.Several local organizations are gathering and distributing urgently needed items for humanitarian aid. These efforts are subject to change based on conditions on the ground in Ukraine. Before collecting supplies, please check with the organizations listed to make sure that information is up-to-date.
In general, clothing (used or new), food, and personal hygiene items (such as soap, toothbrushes, and other toiletries) are currently low priority. These needs are being met by the organizations already operating on the ground in Ukraine and neighboring countries.
Also, please keep in mind that these volunteer organizations have limited time, personnel, and capacity. Your flexibility and understanding are greatly appreciated.
Ukraine Forward Medical, tactical, and technological items from the high priority shopping list can be dropped off at Christ the King Ukrainian Catholic Church, 146 Forest Hills St, Jamaica Plain, MA. Contact hello@ukraineforward.org with any questions.
Medications for Ukraine Any medical and first aid supplies included on this wishlist can be dropped off at Coldwell Banker, 1498 Highland Ave, Needham, MA between 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on weekdays. For questions, contact Yana Brodskiy at yna@comcast.net or call the office at (781) 444-7400.
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