ABOUT SAINT HELENA BYZANTINE CHURCH

Located on West 65th Street near Detroit Avenue, St. Helena Romanian Catholic Church marks the site of Cleveland's largest Romanian enclave during the early 20th century. St. Helena's was built under the guidance of Father Epaminonda S. Lucaci, the first Romanian priest to serve in the United States. Responding to requests from Cleveland's growing immigrant population, the Romanian bishop sent Father Lucaciu with instructions to organize a parish and construct a church - plans of which had been discussed within Cleveland's Romanian community since as early as 1902. With about 5,000 Romanian immigrants, Cleveland was home to one of the largest immigrant Romanian communities in the United States during the early years of the 20th century.