St. George

St. George Church was established in 1907 as Rochester's Lithuanian national parish, serving immigrants from Lithuania who had settled in the northeast section of the city. Like other ethnic parishes of the era, St. George allowed Lithuanian Catholics to worship in their native language and preserve their cultural heritage in a new land.

Father Juozas Kasakaitis served as the founding pastor, leading the community for twenty years from 1910 until his death in 1930. Under his guidance, the parish became the spiritual and cultural center for Rochester's Lithuanian community. Father Jonas Baksys continued this legacy with a 26-year pastorate from 1930 to 1956.

The present church building on Hudson Avenue was constructed in 1935, providing the growing congregation with a permanent home during the difficult Depression years. The church served as a gathering place not only for worship but for Lithuanian cultural events, language classes, and community celebrations that kept traditions alive across generations.

As the Lithuanian-American community dispersed to the suburbs and immigration slowed, St. George faced declining membership. The parish closed on June 20, 2010, after more than a century of service. Though the church building closed, the Lithuanian Catholic community continues to worship at Our Lady of Lourdes in Brighton, maintaining the faith their immigrant ancestors brought to Rochester.