Historic Church of Saint Peter invites the community to celebrate it’s 180th birthday

By Melissa Williams Brown
Contributing Writer

BROWNSVILLE – Parishioners, visitors and partner parishioners of St. Cecilia will celebrate a weekend rich in history, faith and community as they mark the 180th birthday of the Historic Church of Saint Peter in Brownsville, Fayette County.

The homecoming weekend starts with a fish fry on Friday, April 4, tours of the iconic church on Saturday, April 5, and a special Mass marking the building’s anniversary on Sunday, April 6.

Visitors attending the faith-filled celebration will travel up the steep, cobblestone lane that leads to the Historic Church of Saint Peter, a stone gothic revival structure nestled on a bluff high above the surrounding town, the Monongahela River, the historic National Road (Route 40) and Washington County on the western horizon.

The church, which was dedicated in 1845 and predates the Diocese of Greensburg, is fittingly listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The Diocese of Greensburg was canonically erected by Pope Pius XII in 1951.

A plaque documenting that honor is the first thing one sees before walking in the side entrance of the church.

It is the first Catholic parish in Fayette County and the oldest continuously operating parish in Western Pennsylvania.

The church’s site is believed to have been the spot where the first religious service of any kind was offered in this area.

In July 1754, French forces and their Indian allies celebrated Mass on the church’s site as they traveled from Fort Duquesne at present-day Pittsburgh to confront and defeat George Washington at Fort Necessity in Fayette County.

The French attack came in response to the famous skirmish between forces commanded by Washington and French troops at Jumonville in present-day North Union Township, a confrontation that led to the start of the French and Indian War.

Early on, there was talk that because of Brownsville’s growth, the Historic Church of Saint Peter would be a cathedral, according to published reports.

The cathedral was eventually built in Pittsburgh not Brownsville.

An aquamarine steeple, which matches the church’s massive gabled roof, soars into a clear blue sky, barely seen until reaching the area.

The church is surrounded by a beautifully maintained cemetery, surrounded by a low stone wall, the resting place of parishioners and priests who served the church over the years.

According to historic records, the cemetery is believed to be the only one to have had heated graves in the 1920s.

Inscriptions on the headstones in the cemetery and heated graves have been featured on Ripley’s Believe It Or Not.

As the church’s history goes, the boiler that heated the church was located in a separate building across the street. Pipes running under the cemetery to the church created enough heat to melt snow on several grave sites.

While the church has deep historical roots, it is alive and vibrant in its service of present-day parishioners.

In addition to its weekly Mass schedule, there is a new social hall that is busy during fish fry Fridays in Lent and is transformed into a pickle ball and volleyball court certain times of the day.

Larry Franks, a parishioner who grew up attending the Historic Church of Saint Peter, said the anniversary is a social event to remember past and present friends and relatives who have an opportunity to take part in the annual fish fry.

“It’s more about the camaraderie and recalling former pastors who have served the parish well over the years,” Franks said. “For the parish’s 180th anniversary, organizers hope to fill the church and plan to celebrate all weekend long,” Franks added.

IF YOU PLAN TO GO:
If you are going to the Historic Church of Saint Peter for the 180th anniversary, golf carts will be available to transport visitors from the parking area to the church due to the nature of the property’s layout. The address for the church is 300 Shaffner Avenue, Brownsville, PA 15417 and the social hall is located at118 Church St., Brownsville, PA 15417

The fish fry will be held Friday, April 4, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and all Fridays in the social hall during Lent, except for Good Friday.

Tours of the Historic Church of Saint Peter will be offered after the 4 p.m. Mass on Saturday, April 5.

Monsignor Raymond E. Riffle, Vicar General of the Diocese of Greensburg and the Father Efren Ambre, pastor, will concelebrate the 180th anniversary Mass on Sunday, April 6, at 11 a.m.