A Brief History of the Parish

It is not known exactly when the first Ukrainians arrived in Fall River, Massachusetts. By the early 1900s, they were there in numbers, attracted by the work in the spinning mills and factories. They left their villages in Halychyna in western Ukraine, often forever, and formed a robust community. In 1905, a small group of men founded the Brotherhood of St. John the Baptist and formed a church committee. The present church was built in 1914 on the corner of Center and South Beach Streets, in the Globe section of Fall River. Prior to that, Ukrainian Divine Liturgy was celebrated in nearby St. Stanislaus, St. Anne, and St. Mary Churches. By 1916, the parish numbered 199 souls and Father Ivan Zakharko became the first permanent pastor. The church bell, "Vasyl," was bought in 1918. The parish has founded two women's guilds: the Sisterhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1924, and the Sisterhood of St. John the Baptist in 1963. They promoted numerous social events at the parish and in the greater community. In 2014, the parish celebrated its centennial.