Mission, History & About Our Patron Saint

CROATIAN IMMIGRATION TO PITTSBURGH ESTABLISHES THE FIRST CROATIAN PARISH IN AMERICA 1894

As Croatian immigrants arrived in Pittsburgh for steel and mining jobs, St. Nicholas Croatian Parish Northside (Allegheny) was established in 1894. Masses were celebrated in an old, closed Elks club but as Croatian immigrant numbers grew, the need for a second parish became clear. Given the concentration of the newest immigrants in Etna, Millvale, & Lawrenceville, Bennet Hill in Millvale was selected. The land on Bennet Hill was purchased in October 1899 from William J. Mellon for $7,500.

ONE CROATIAN PARISH BECOMES TWO ESTABLISHED CHURCHES 1890

Bennet Hill had an existing farmhouse that was repurposed as a rectory while the first Mass was celebrated on March 4, 1890, in a remodeled barn. Following careful evaluation, the decision was made to construct the church on the site of the rectory (previously a farmhouse). The house was relocated at a cost of $1,035, thereby clearing the area for the church to be built atop the hill as initially intended. Through much discussion and changing plans, on June 3, 1890, the contract was signed to build the church.  The church structure was designed by Pittsburgh architect Frederick C. Sauer in the Romanesque Revival style, with the Murphy Brothers as contractors. The church cost approximately $34,000 to construct with an additional $2,360 for the pews and the bells.

DEDICATION AND BLESSING OF ST. NICHOLAS CHURCH MILLVALE 1900

The cornerstone of the church was dedicated on May 15, 1900 and construction began.  On November 25,  1900, assembled on “the hill” to celebrate its first Holy Mass, the Croatian immigrants were finally able to see their dreams realized. The community was finally able gather and celebrate in the Romanesque style splendor of their church, enhanced by the gift of a $2,000 organ from industrialist Andrew Carnegie.  Subsequently, St. Nicholas Northside church also got their church with the cornerstone being dedicated in 1901.

ST. NICHOLAS CEMETARY IS ESTABLISHED 1915

The Millvale parish negotiated with the diocese to receive permission to buy land on of the highest point in Troy Hill to be used as a burial plot.   The blessing of the land took place on December 16, 1915, with many Croatian and Slovenian organizations taking part in the parade to celebrate.

THE CHURCH IS DESTROYED BY FIRE 1921

On March 26, 1921, at 2:00am, a fire destroyed the church in Millvale. Everything was burned, including the donated organ by Andrew Carnegie, except a statue of the Virgin Mary, which remained standing at the altar. Following the fire, the Parish built a provisory altar in the church hall and held services there until the church could be rebuilt.

OUT OF THE ASHES A NEW CHURCH IS BUILT 1922

With insurance money from the fire, plans to build a new church were drawn up almost immediately. Again, architect Frederick C. Sauer created the plans and construction began.  Many parishioners were employed in trades and helped to rebuild the church. The dedication of the new structure took place on Memorial Day, May 30, 1922

THE HOLY ROSARY SOCIETY  ESTABLISHED IN 1924

In the 1920’s, the world was still suffering from the aftermath of World War I and a fragile state of peace was on everyone’s mind.  Based on the Blessed Mother appearance to St. Bernadette at Lourdes, asking for prayer for peace, this plea for prayer inspired a group of women in 1922 to meet regularly to say the rosary.  From this initial group, the Holy Rosary Society was officially formed in 1924.  It has served as a bulwark of prayer, May Crowning  and fundraising for the church for more than 100 years and still remains active today.

FATHER ZAGAR APPOINTED PASTOR  AND SAVES THE CHURCH FROM A SHERIFF’S SALE 1931

In 1931, Father Albert Zagar, was  assigned to St. Nicholas parish.  He was born in Slovenia in 1893 and came to America in 1926. He spoke nine languages and was known for having  “his own brand of English.”   A principled man with a sense of justice who refused to preach Fascism as a young priest in Italy, resulting in his deportation, he embodied  the spirit of the Croatian people, hardworking, honest, strong and reliable. By 1930, the church was in serious debt and in danger of closing.  Father Zagar went to work and engaged the Holy Rosary Society for assistance in relieving this debt. Under Father Zagar the Holy Rosary Society membership grew to 250 and members sought contributions from businesses, organizations, and private citizens.  Father Zagar credited the Holy Rosary Society members with playing a significant role in lowering the church’s debt.  With Father Zagar’s  energetic and business-like efficiency, combined with his love for his people and zeal for God’s work, he was able to save the parish from a sheriff’s sale.

ST. NICHOLAS CEMETERY EXPANDS 1945

Father Zagar’s careful management allowed the joyous burning of the mortgage in front of the entire parish in 1945, marking freedom from debt.  This allowed the Parish to expand St. Nicholas cemetery an additional 14 acres by purchasing the adjacent land to the original cemetery.

FATHER ZAGAR INVITES CROATIAN ARTIST MAXO VANKA TO CREATE MURALS 1937-1941

Following the fire, and quelling the church’s debt, Father Zagar wanted to address the white walls of the church that had remained so for approximately 15 years.  Father Zagar, a Franciscan priest of artistic taste and progressive politics, put the word out in the Croatian immigrant community to find someone to create murals for the church. This resulted in  Louis Adamic, a prominent Slovenian-American author, journalist, and editor known for chronicling the immigrant experience, living in New York at that time, receiving a letter from Father Zagar. The letter asked Mr. Adamic to see if he knew how to reach Croatian artist, Maksimilijan "Maxo" Vanka, whose work he had seen in Vanko’s solo exhibition in Pittsburgh in December 1934.  Father Zagar was credited with saying about Vanka, “ When I heard of Maxo Vanka the artist – one of our people, a Croatian living in New York – I immediately sent him a wire: Come Friday! Come Sunday!” and he came right away. In Vanka’s visit to Millvale, he was impressed with Father Zagar as a smart, simple, and direct person.   Adamic remembered Vanka’s reaction, stating Father Zagar was a “true follower of Saint Francis of Assisi.”  Remarkable for church art at that time, Vanka was assured by Father Zagar that he would have complete artistic freedom, “so long as, at least, some of the pictures were to be of religious nature.”

Upon Vanka’s arrival to Millvale, Father Zagar told reporters, “We want murals that would tell the story of this parish, of the people.”  Thus, in two campaigns in 1937-38 and 1941, Vanka created murals of biblical themes and commemorated the contributions of Croatian immigrants to American industry & society while also depicting satirical attacks on capitalists who fell from favor in the society conscious climate of the 1930s. He returned a final time in 1951 to complete  painting on the front of the organ loft.

No better tribute can be given to Father Zagar than when Vanka said, “Fr. Zagar was one priest in one hundred thousand courageous enough to break with tradition, to have his church decorated with paintings of modern, social meaning”. Vanka’s admiration resulted in Father Zagar being painted into a mural behind the altar entitled, “Immigrant Workers presenting St. Nicholas Church to the Virgin.”

To summarize the murals in their entirety, Maxo Vanka once described them as, “Divinity became human so that humanity might become divine.”

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MURALS Learn More Father Zagar & the  Role he Played in the Murals

ST. NICHOLAS GOLDEN JUBILEE 1950

The Golden Jubilee of St. Nicolas was commemorated with a Pontifical Mass on November 5, 1950, presided over by Coadjutor Bishop John Dearden. Msgr. Ivan Stipanovich of Youngstown, Ohio, who delivered the sermon in Croatian. The evening concluded with a banquet at the church hall featuring music performed by the Duquesne Tamburitzans. The program ended with remarks from Fr. Albert Zagar, the incumbent pastor.

LOCAL AND NATIONAL HISTORICAL LANDMARK RECOGNITION 1980

St. Nicholas is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and recognized by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission via the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation. Notably for the first time, the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation created a special category in order to recognize and protect the Vanka church murals.

THE CREATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE MURALS OF ST. NICHOLAS MILLVALE (SPMMMV) 1990

In 1990, St. Nicholas church members formed the Society for the Preservation of Murals of St. Nicholas Church, Millvale Maxo Vanka (SPMMMV) to ensure that the murals remain a lasting tribute to the man who painted them and to the people who inspired them. In 1991, this group was incorporated as a 501C3 and is now operated under separate management from the church.  The SPMMMV provides guided tours for groups to view and learn about each of the 25 murals. They also use grants to preserve and restore the murals.

TWO ST. NICHOLAS CHURCHES BECOME ONE PARISH AGAIN 1994

In 1994, as part of the Diocese's Reorganization program, St. Nicholas Millvale and St. Nicholas North Side reunited as one parish with two worship sites, bringing together the Croatian- American community after 94 years. In 2004 St. Nicholas Northside was officially closed and in 2013 demolished to make for Route 28 expansion. A new grotto was built with the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes with a seating area, marker, and a brass plaque where the church sanctuary once stood.

ST. NICHOLAS CELEBRATES 100 YEARS 2000

Commemorated on May 21, 2000 by Celebrant Petar Grubisic, Provincial of Croatian Province of St. Jerome, Croatia with remarks from Father Gabriel Badurina, the incumbent Pastor. The day ended with a banquet at the Fox Chapel Yacht Club and the music of the Keystone Tamburitzan Orchestra.

2019 BRINGS MORE CHURCH CONSOLIDATIONS AND THE CREATION OF THE PITTSBURGH SHRINES

Throughout the years that followed the North Side St. Nicholas Church closing, ensuing mergers with other churches took please.  In 2019, St. Nicholas Church Millvale became part of the newly formed Shrines of Pittsburgh with five other beautiful and historic churches.

2025 ST. NICHOLAS CELEBRATES 125 YEARS

Commemorated on June 1, 2025, by Celebrant Bishop David Zubik with remarks from Father Nicholas Vaskov, the incumbent pastor with Croatia Ambassador to the US, Pjer Simunovic, in attendance. A luncheon following Mass was held at the Camelot Event Center in Wexford, PA.

THE EVERLASTING LEGACY OF ST. NICHOLAS CHURCH MILLVALE

St. Nicholas Church is a small, unpretentious yellow-brick church clinging to the side of the hill in Millvale.  The church's deep ties to Croatian immigrants and their faith are honored through the Vanka murals, creating a legacy that, with continued grace, is expected to endure for another hundred years.