About Us

 In 1963, the 1100th anniversary of Saints Cyril and Methodius was celebrated by many national groups across the United States. At that time, each group organized its own events independently.

Rev. Dmytro Blazejowskyi, a historian, recognized the need for a unified celebration rather than separate, fragmented observances. He developed a plan and presented it to the leaders of his Ukrainian parish, who embraced the idea.

Rev. Blazejowskyi then reached out to the Polish community affiliated with the Polish Home and to Maurice Hafernik of the Czech group. Together, the three groups organized the first joint celebration, deciding to hold the event on the Knights of Columbus property.

From the very beginning, the Mass at the Festival reflected the community’s diversity, incorporating all three languages. Bishop John Morkovsky was invited to deliver the sermon in Czech and participate in the celebration. From that point forward, Bishop Morkovsky attended every Slavic Festival, walking from booth to booth and engaging with everyone.

As time went on, the original three groups were joined by the Croatians and Slovaks, transforming the event into a cherished tradition that continues to this day.

Bishop Morkovsky was a man of compassion, humility, and humor. Gracious and kind, he had an innate ability to connect with people from all walks of life — social, economic, and religious.

He enjoyed the simple pleasures of life — fishing, golfing, hunting, gardening, and traveling. He especially loved social gatherings, whether they were community events or family reunions, where he often sang and played his harmonica. Known for his lighthearted humor, when asked if he followed a special diet, his witty reply was always:

“Oh yes, I can only eat food.”
 

Bishop Morkovsky, born August 16, 1909, in Praha, Texas, was the seventh of ten children. Proud of his Czech heritage, he spoke Czech, Spanish, Italian, and Latin, and also had reading knowledge of German, French, Portuguese, and Polish. He passed away on March 24, 1990.

Rev. Dmytro Blazejowskyi was born in Ukraine on August 21, 1910. He was ordained into the priesthood in Rome on April 2, 1939, earning a Ph.D. in Theology (1942) and a Ph.D. in Church History (1946). Fluent in English, Ukrainian, Polish, Latin, and Italian, he was a gifted communicator.

Arriving in the United States in 1946, Rev. Blazejowskyi organized Ukrainian Catholic Churches across the Western states. In 1957, he became the pastor of St. Pius X Ukrainian Catholic Church in Houston, serving there until 1973, when he was transferred to the Vatican as a Church Historian. Over his lifetime, he authored numerous books and scholarly articles. The Houston parish he once led is now known as Pokrova (Protection of the Mother of God).

During his years in Houston, Rev. Blazejowskyi became well known to the broader Slavic community. When Christ the King Catholic Church lacked a Polish-speaking priest, he graciously stepped in to hear confessions in Polish and even visited parishioners’ homes to administer the sacrament of Extreme Unction to the gravely ill.

Rev. Blazejowskyi passed away in Rome on April 23, 2011, and was laid to rest in Ukraine.