Proto-Cathedral of St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church

The Proto-Cathedral of St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church is a parish church and proto-cathedral of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix, serving the Ruthenian Eastern Catholic population of Los Angeles, California, United States. It was the first Byzantine church in California. It is located on Sepulveda Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California. It is the only Byzantine Ruthenian Church in the territory of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

The Byzantine Rite originated at Constantinople during the fourth and fifth centuries. A schism occurred in 1054 separating East and West, but the Byzantine Rite was reunified with Rome in 1646. By the 19th century, Rusyn immigrants brought the Byzantine Rite to America and many parishes were established in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio and the Northeast.

In 1956, the bishop of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh granted permission for a priest to minister in Los Angeles. In 1957, the parish purchased land on Sepulveda Boulevard, and the new church was dedicated in 1961.

Stained glass window at Cathedral of St. Mary

In 1976, the third pastor, Father Eugene Linowski, re-ordered the liturgical services to conform with the authentic traditions of the Byzantine Church (according to the Recenssion as prescribed by Rome). An icon screen was installed two years later. The screen maintains a traditional aura of mystery that separates the sanctuary from the rest of the church. At St. Mary's the screen is a wrought iron grill with icons painted by local artist Mila Mina. Fr. Eugene Linowski became the first Rector of the Cathedral, from March to June of 1982.

The Eparchy of Van Nuys was established in 1982 with Most Reverend Thomas Dolinay as the first bishop. Father Michael Moran was named the second rector of the cathedral, served as chancellor, and was later named monsignor. Msgr. Moran was the head of the parish for 22 years. In 2004 Father Melvin Rybarczyk was named rector.

In 2010, with the relocation of the eparchial see to Phoenix, Arizona, the Cathedral of St. Mary was assigned the title of Proto-Cathedral.^[1]

See also

• Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix
• Byzantine Rite
• Ruthenian Catholic Church
• Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh
• San Fernando Pastoral Region

References

External links

• "Cathedral of St. Mary (Byzantine-Ruthenian Church)" by Hermine Lees, Tidings, January 14, 2005
• The Byzantine Church in the West: The Eparchy of Van Nuys, A Historical Outline
• Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Van Nuys

Archdiocese of Los Angeles Ordinaries of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Bishop of Two Californias Francisco García Diego y Moreno Bishop of Monterey Joseph Sadoc Alemany Bishops of Monterey-Los Angeles Thaddeus Amat y Brusi Francisco Mora y Borrell George Thomas Montgomery Thomas James Conaty John Joseph Cantwell Bishop of Los Angeles-San Diego John Joseph Cantwell Archbishops of Los Angeles John Joseph Cantwell James Francis Cardinal McIntyre Timothy Cardinal Manning Roger Cardinal Mahony José Horacio Gómez Auxiliary bishops, current Thomas John Curry Gerald Eugene Wilkerson Edward W. Clark Oscar Azarcon Solis Alexander Salazar Joseph Brennan David O'Connell Robert Barron Auxiliary bishops, former Juan Alfredo Arzube Alden John Bell Stephen Blaire Joseph Patrick Dougherty Carl Anthony Fisher William Robert Johnson William Levada Joseph Thomas McGucken Donald William Montrose Manuel Duran Moreno Armando Xavier Ochoa Sylvester Donovan Ryan Joseph Martin Sartoris Thaddeus Anthony Shubsda John J. Ward Gabino Zavala George Patrick Ziemann Priests who became bishops Justin F. Rigali Churches in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Archdiocese Cathedral Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral, former Cathedral of Saint Vibiana Our Lady of the Angels Pastoral Region Deanery 13 (Westside) Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Pacific Palisades St. Monica Catholic Church, Santa Monica St. Augustine Catholic Church, Culver City St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, Brentwood St. Timothy Catholic Church, Los Angeles Church of the Good Shepherd, Beverly Hills St. Ambrose Church, West Hollywood Saint Victor Catholic Church, West Hollywood Deanery 14 (Central LA/Hollywood) Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, Hollywood Cathedral Chapel, Los Angeles Christ the King Catholic Church, Los Angeles St. Basil Catholic Church, Wilshire St. Brendan Catholic Church, Los Angeles Deanery 15 (Downtown/South) Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles Precious Blood Catholic Church,Los Angeles St. Cecilia Catholic Church, Los Angeles St. Patrick Catholic Church, Los Angeles St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, Los Angeles St. Vincent de Paul Church, Los Angeles Deanery 16 (South LA/Inglewood): Ascension Catholic Church, Los Angeles Spanish Mission La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles Note: This is not a Spanish Mission, but rather, a parish church. San Fernando Pastoral Region Deanery 5 (West San Fernando Valley) St. Cyril of Jerusalem Church and School, Encino Deanery 6 (Crescenta Valley, Glendale and Eagle Rock) Holy Family Catholic Church, Glendale Incarnation Catholic Church and School, Glendale Deanery 7 (Central San Fernando Valley and Burbank) Cathedral of St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church, Sherman Oaks St. Charles Borromeo Church, North Hollywood St. Finbar Catholic Church and School, Burbank St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church, Burbank Deanery 8 (Santa Clarita Valley and Lancaster/Palmdale): Blessed Junipero Serra Catholic Church, Lancaster San Gabriel Pastoral Region Deanery 9 (East LA, Boyle Heights, City Terrace): All Saints Catholic Church, Los Angeles Assumption Catholic Church, Los Angeles Deanery 10 (Pasadena, Altadena, San Gabriel, Monterey Park, Montebello, Alhambra) All Souls Catholic Church, Alhambra Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, Pasadena St. Andrew's Catholic Church, Pasadena Mission San Gabriel Parish, San Gabriel Deanery 11 (Arcadia, Covina, Glendora, Monrovia, La Puente): Annunciation Catholic Church, Arcadia Deanery 12 (San Dimas, Claremont, Pomona, Diamond Bar, La Puente, Valinda, Walnut): San Pedro Pastoral Region Deanery 17 (Downey, Compton, Huntington Park, Lynwood): Deanery 18 (Whittier, La Mirada, Pico Rivera, Norwalk): Beatitudes of Our Lord Catholic Church, La Mirada Deanery 19 (South Bay and San Pedro) American Martyrs Catholic Church, Manhattan Beach SS. Peter and Paul's Church, Wilmington Deanery 20 (Long Beach): Santa Barbara Pastoral Region Deanery 1 (Lompoc, Solvang, Santa Maria) La Purisima Mission, Lompoc Mission Santa Inés, Solvang Deanery 2 (Santa Barbara) Santa Barbara Mission, Santa Barbara Deanery 3 (Oxnard, Ventura, Ojai, Fillmore, Santa Paula) Mission San Buenaventura, Ventura Deanery 4 (Simi Valley, Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Camarillo): Blessed Junipero Serra Catholic Church, Camarillo Education in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Archdiocese Seminaries St. John's Seminary Our Lady of the Angels Pastoral Region Universities and Colleges Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles Mount St. Mary's College, Los Angeles High schools Bishop Conaty-Our Lady of Loretto High School, Harvard Heights Cathedral High School, Los Angeles (Boys) Immaculate Heart High School, Los Feliz (Girls) Loyola High School, Harvard Heights (Boys) Marymount High School, Bel Air (Girls) Notre Dame Academy, Los Angeles (Girls) St. Bernard High School, Playa del Rey St. Mary's Academy, Inglewood (Girls) St. Monica Catholic High School, Santa Monica Verbum Dei High School, Watts (Boys) High schools, closed Daniel Murphy High School, Los Angeles San Fernando Pastoral Region Universities and Colleges: High schools Bellarmine-Jefferson High School, Burbank Bishop Alemany High School, Mission Hills Chaminade High School, West Hills Crespi Carmelite High School, Encino Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, La Cañada Flintridge Holy Family High School, Glendale Louisville High School, Woodland Hills Notre Dame High School, Sherman Oaks Paraclete High School, Lancaster Providence High School, Burbank St. Francis High School, La Cañada Flintridge St. Genevieve High School, Panorama City San Gabriel Pastoral Region Universities and Colleges: High schools Ramona Convent Secondary School, Alhambra St. Lucy's Priory High School, Glendora Bishop Amat Memorial High School, La Puente Damien High School, La Verne Salesian High School, Los Angeles Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary High School, Montebello La Salle High School, Pasadena Mayfield Senior School, Pasadena St. Monica Academy, Pasadena Pomona Catholic High School, Pomona San Gabriel Mission High School, San Gabriel Alverno High School, Sierra Madre San Pedro Pastoral Region Universities and Colleges Marymount College, Palos Verdes High schools St. John Bosco High School, Bellflower Queen of Angels Academy, Compton St. Pius X / St. Matthias Academy, Downey Junipero Serra High School, Gardena St. Joseph High School, Lakewood St. Anthony High School, Long Beach Don Bosco High School, Rosemead Mary Star of the Sea High School, San Pedro St. Paul High School, Santa Fe Springs Bishop Montgomery High School, Torrance Santa Barbara Pastoral Region Universities and Colleges St. John's Seminary, Camarillo Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula High schools Bishop Garcia Diego High School, Santa Barbara La Reina High School, Thousand Oaks St. Bonaventure High School, Ventura St. Joseph High School, Santa Maria Santa Clara High School, Oxnard Villanova Preparatory School, Ojai Hospitals and Cemeteries in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Our Lady of the Angels Pastoral Region Hospitals Saint John's Health Center, Santa Monica Cemeteries Crypt Mausoleum of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, Los Angeles Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City San Fernando Pastoral Region Hospitals Northridge Hospital Medical Center, Northridge Providence Holy Cross Medical Center, Mission Hills Cemeteries San Fernando Mission Cemetery, San Fernando San Gabriel Pastoral Region Hospitals: Cemeteries Calvary Cemetery, East Los Angeles San Pedro Pastoral Region Hospitals: Cemeteries: Santa Barbara Pastoral Region Hospitals: Cemeteries: Catholicism Portal