The way to their own sacred place was not easy for the Belarusian immigration after the WWII. Those who found themselves in the USA after 1944 need some time to become independent, provide for their families, and ensure the future of their children, especially as the first immigrants got to the “New World” in the majority of cases alone without their families. Only in some time they managed to unite with the rest of the family that was waiting in Europe. At the end of the forties American Belarusians start to found first organizations, buy properties and think about a sacred place.

One of the oldest representatives of the Belarusian Diaspora in the USA 92-year-old Anton Shukeloits remembers that the first divine service took place several years before the church was purchased in so-called “Belarusian Hatka” in Brooklyn. It was a rented warehouse. For a long time Belarusian services
were held in Manhattan in a Ukrainian church.

A. Shukeloits: Their bishop was a friend of Father Vasil, he often attended our celebrations. We already started to collect means to buy our own church back then. The Belarusian-American Association and Kastus Miarliak the head of it engaged in the collecting. We found a building that belonged to American Protestants but it was completely empty. Then Miarliak contacted congressman Dorn as the land was in his jurisdiction. Though there were a lot of owners of that building the affair was settled in no time. As soon as we bought the building we passed it to Belarusian Autocephalous Orthodox Church as churches in the USA have many privileges. We paid no tax on that purchase. The grand opening of the church was possible in a couple of months. Belarusians from different states came to NYC. The first divine service was officiated by Father Vasil (Tamashchik), Father Sciapan Voichanka and Father Fyodor Daniluk.

B. Daniluk: My father was the first dean. He studied in Zhirovichi Monastery. Then he was a clerk, taught in church schools. When the war started he joined the army. Then he found himself in Goradnia, served in Kouna.  After the Treaty of Riga father returned to his hometown of Volkovysk. When my sister and my mother-in-law died father said that God wants him to serve Him and my father became a priest.

Father Fyodor Daniluk officiated from 1950 until 1960.

Since then many priests changed, a new Belarusian generation was brought up. Several years ago unpleasant occurrence took place. Some people took off white-red-white flag and coart of arms “Pahonia” and began anti Belarusian activities. ”Belarusian Side” won and after that a lot of changed, repairs started, the life of the community revived, new active people appeared.

The 50th anniversary will be celebrated in almost renovated cathedral. All the works are done voluntarily by the Belarusians themselves. We called
the treasurer Mikola Saganovich when he was helping in repairing the storehouse. By the way Mr. Saganovich worked more than 45 days.

M. Saganovich: The cathedral was in a neglected condition, everything was crumbling. There was no central heating, it was freezing in winter. A good
Belarusian did everything at his own expense. It’s $74.000 sharp! The church premises were repaired. In fact the cathedral is still under the repair. We are
still working in the basement transforming it into Belarusian Museum, where personal exhibition of Alexander Grigoriev will be opened on Sunday. Our
church revived as well as our Diaspora. I think our Belarusian life will revive too. Many of those who bought this building died and nobody thanked them. I
thank God that we have our Motherland Belarus.

St. Cyril of Turau Cathedral is a Belarusian religious, cultural and social center. Lately life of the Belarusian Diaspora became more active due to the
Belarusian Youth Organization of America.

Kiryl: More interesting arrangements and steps are held, interesting active young people appeared. Unfortunately not many people attend church services.
Unfortunately our people do not realize how essential for the Belarusian Revival Autocephalous Orthodox Church is and how important it is to revitalize the
church in Belarus. This can be changed and we are doing our best. Belarusian Museum was opened. Personal exhibition of Alexander Grigoriev (opens November 25) will be the forth. The collection of the museum is growing fast, artists donate their works. We have so many plans, lots of offers from Belarusian artists. We revived a tradition from the sixties when exhibitions were held in the building of the church. I think such a religious and social center can unite our Diaspora.

It is a pity that church services are officiated not by Belarusian. On November 25 the divine service will be officiated by five Ukrainian priests. It is
probably the biggest problems of St. Cyril of Turau Cathedral.

We would like to remind that Belarusian Autocephalous Orthodox Church has its sacred places also in Canada, Australia and England.

Dzmitry Gurnevich