Ss. Peter & Paul (Ukrainian)

Ukrainian Catholics arrived in Auburn during the late 1800s and initially attended St. Alphonsus church. Because many struggled with English, Ukrainian mission priests periodically visited to celebrate liturgies in their native language. Around 1900, approximately 14 Ukrainians began gathering for worship at a house on 14 Clark St., a number that grew to about 75. In October 1900, the group unanimously voted to incorporate as the "Greek Catholic Church of Ss. Peter & Paul."

Fundraising efforts yielded $160, enabling the community to purchase land for their own church. On Oct. 10, 1901, they moved into a newly built church at 128 Washington St. Additional lots for the present-day church were acquired in 1905 and 1906.

Internal conflict disrupted the young community when a dispute emerged between members from East Galicia and those from Hungary. Legal proceedings forced the church to close for seven months. The East Galician faction ultimately won the case; they had been worshipping temporarily at St. Alphonsus and subsequently returned to their church. The Hungarian contingent departed to establish their own separate parish.

Bp. Soter Stephen Ortynsky dedicated the current church on Sep. 5, 1910. The original church building was later repurposed as the parish school. A rectory was constructed in 1914, and the school opened in 1941.

The post-World War II period brought a wave of Ukrainian immigration to the United States as Communism spread across Eastern Europe, with many newcomers joining Ss. Peter & Paul. The growing congregation built a convent at 105 Cottage St. on Dec. 10, 1961.

Under Fr. Mihai Dubovici's direction, extensive renovations were completed in the late 1990s, addressing the roof, flooring, carpets, and painting at a total cost of $100,000. By the early 2000s, membership stood at approximately 250 families. The parish marked its centennial on Sep. 30, 2001 with a Divine Liturgy concelebrated by Bp. Basil H. Losten, head of the Eparchy of Stamford, and Bp. Matthew Clark of the Diocese of Rochester.

The parish school closed on April 23, 2013. Bp. Paul P. Chomnycky made this decision due to declining enrollment and the school's unsustainable financial situation with too few students. Some families opposed the closure and sought to establish an independent Catholic school.

Ss. Peter and Paul remains the spiritual home of Auburn's Ukrainian Catholic community, currently under the pastoral care of Fr. Vasyl Colopelnic at its well-maintained church at 134 Washington St.