|
St Michael's Longest Serving Priest Very Rev Fr Peter Pritza 1966-1994 |
V. Rev. Fr. Peter Pritza was
born on June 1, 1937, in Canton, Ohio, and graduated from Canton McKinley
High School. He attended Kent State University, where he received his B.A.
degree in the College of Arts and sciences in Dec. 1961. He attended Vladimir's Theological Seminary in Crestwood, N.Y., and graduated in 1966. He was ordained a deacon on Aug. 28, 1966, at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Milwaukee, Wis. On Sept. 18, 1966, Fr. Peter was ordained into the Priesthood in his home parish of St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in Canton. His Grace Bishop Firmilian ordained Fr. Peter into the Deaconate and the Priesthood, and on Oct. 16, 1966, he was appointed as the parish priest at St. Michael's in Hibbing. |
Under Fr. Peter's religious
guidance and leadership, the new St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox
Church was established with ground breaking taking place May 25, 1969, and
consecration of the church on June 9 through 11, 1972. Within five years, on
June 11 and 12, 1977, the burning of the church mortgage took place. On June 12, 1983, Fr. Peter was elevated to the rank of archpriest (protojerej). He was active in SNF Lodge 230, Mala Srbija in Hibbing, and Hibbing Rotary club, a board member of the Range Center in Chisholm, and Hope ARC. He was named as one of two SNF Persons of the Year for 1987. Together with four northern Minnesota churches and SNF lodges, he promoted a combined and unified effort for the St. Sava Church of Vracar, Belgrade, the biggest Orthodox Church building in the world, joining in the fundraising event for this church. After a long illness, the Very Rev. Fr. Peter Pritza died on January 28. 1994 in Hibbing. |
|
Home | Contact the St Michael Church. | Last modified: 11/21/2006 |
||