October 3, 1986

The Reverend Father Editors
Korrespondenz Blatt
Pontificium Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum
Via Di San Nicola da Tolentino, 13
1-00187, Roma, Italia

Laudetur Jesus Christus!

Reverend and Dear Father Editors:

It is with a profound and deep sadness that I must inform you of the entry into eternity to be, with God for all time, the Very Reverend Canon Julius Kricsfalvy Marina, J.U.D. The date of Father Marina's passing into eternity was Wednesday, July 20, 1983.

By way of a short biographical sketch of the Very Reverend Canon Julius Kricsfalvy Marina, may I place before you the following information.

Through the imposition of the hands of the Most Reverend Bishop Peter GEBEJ, and the Grace of the Holy Spirit, the Deacon Julius was raised to the dignity of the Priesthood of Jesus Christ on the Feast of Saint Nicholas, December 19, 1926 (according to the Julian Calendar) in the Cathedral Church of Holy Cross in Uzhorod, Carpatho-Ruthenia. As a newly ordained priest, Father Julius was sent to Rome, while he pursued his graduate studies at your noble institution of higher learning. It was in a relatively short period of-time that Father Marina completed his studies and earned a Doctorate in Canon Law.

Upon his return to the city of Uzhorod, the talented Father Marina was appointed the Vice-Rector and a Professor of Canon Law and History at the Theological Seminary in Uzhorod. Unkown to Father Marina at that time, but two of his students would one day reach the fullness of the priesthood by being consecrated to the Office of Bishop for the Byzantine (Greek rite) faithful in the United States of America. The first of his students to receive the Office of Bishop was the Most Reverend Daniel Ivancho, who at first was the Auxilliary Bishop to the then Eparchial Bishop, the Most Reverend Basil Takach, D.D. Upon the death of Bishop Takach, two years after his episcopal consecration, Bishop Ivancho was the Ordinary from 1948-1955. He was then succeeded by Father Marina's student who received episcopal consecration, the Most Reverend Nicholas T. Elko, D.D. who was the Ordinary of the Pittsburgh Eparchy from 1955-1968.

Father Marina had a difficult task before him as Vice-Rector since it involved the economic conditions of the seminary in post-war times. He handled this assignment with great skill and at the same time proved himself to be a true friend to all priests, and seminarians.

Bishop Alexander Stojka named Father Marina a member of the Chapter of Canons of the Mukachevo Diocese on June 6, 1939. He was one of seven Canons, the closest advisors to the Bishop. The Very Reverend Canon Julius Marina was the last surviving member of these Eparchial Canons.

With the changing political scene in Carpatho-Ruthenia, the civil government turned to Father Marina for his assistance. He was named by the government as the Governor of Carpatho-Ruthenia and later in 1941, was also the head of public education.

Because of the ever changing political scene, it was necessary for Father Marina to leave the area, at the request of Bishop Theodore Romzha, so that Father Marina would one day relate to the Free World the tragedies that befell the Byzantine (Greek rite) Catholic Church in the Carpathian Lands.

Having been given the privilege of bi-ritual faculties, Father Marina slowly made his way through Hungary by serving the People of God in Zalaudvarnok and Balaton Szentgyorgy, both in the Trans-Danubian territory of Hungary. By 1948 Father Marina was now in Austria and then to Rome. By-the Grace of God Father Marina arrived safely in the United States on June 12, 1949.

His first assignment by the late Bishop Daniel Ivancho was to assist the Sisters of Saint Basil-the Great at their Motherhouse in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Here Father Marina would be actively involved in the spiritual lives of the Reverend Sisters and the Sisters, in turn, would assist Father in learning the English language.

After a short stay, at the request of Bishop Ivancho, Father Marina assumed the pastorate of Saints Peter and Paul Hungarian Byzantine Catholic Church on the Southside of Chicago. The church was founded in March, 1925; the church built in 1927 and dedicated in 1928. It was Father Marina's task to then build a parish home for the priest after his arrival. This he accomplished in a short time and was the first resident pastor ministering to approximately 165 souls.

On January 6, 1952 Father Marina was appointed Pastor of-Saint John’s Hungarian Byzantine Catholic Church, Cleveland, Ohio. The parish of 1,400 souls lost their priest through his death and now Father Marina was given a new challenge: "BUILD A PAROCHIAL SCHOOL". Organized in 1893, the parish was in need of a day school to be administered by the Sisters. Father Marina acquired the necessary land for the school but did not see the actual-building of that school. For personal reasons Father Marina asked his bishop for permission to enter a Cistercian Order. There, in that "spiritual oasis" Father Marina became renewed in spirit and in a short time returned to active parochial ministry. His bishop appointed him pastor of Saint Mary's Hungarian Church, organized in 1917 and populated with 575 souls. His pastorate was successful and he even found the time in this city of Manville, New Jersey, at St. Mary's to have had the time to redecorate the church and enlarge the parish home. With all in order, and Father Marina's life totally in God's Hands, he was again transferred by his new superior, the Most Reverend Nicholas T. Elko, D.D. to the pastorate of the Holy Transfiguration Hungarian Church, McKeesport, Pennsylvania, organized in 1913 and with a population of 400 souls. Shortly thereafter, at the request of the bishop, Father Marina accepted the pastorate of the Holy Cross Church, New York, New York, organized in 1938 and populated by 225 souls.

During this last assignment, Father Marina was able to take on additional duties as a Professor of Languages in the Piarist Fathers' High School in Buffalo, New York. Eventually, Father resided on campus.

Answering the call of his bishop for parochial ministry, Father Marina once again assumed the pastorate in Perryopolis, Pennsylvania at the Church of Saint Nicholas, organized in 1911 and populated with 375 souls. It was at Saint Nicholas that Father remodeled the church with the help of the well-known artist Stephen Juharosz, noted for the enormous mural which graces the church's ceiling to this day. A new parish home was constructed and the parochial cemetery was renovated.

While involved in these Perryopolis parochial duties, Father Julius Marina found the time to accept additional Eparchial duties serving on the Matrimonial Tribunal and as Professor of Languages, Liturgy and Counseling at the Archeparchial Seminary of Saint Cyril and Methodius in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was a professor ‘par excellence’ to his students and he gained the loving and tender respect of student and fellow professor as well. The students especially awaited his arrival at the seminary on Sunday afternoons, for they knew that "their spiritual Father" was there to listen, to help, to pray with them. As a loving father to his sons, Father Marina always instilled in the.seminarians the role of priestly piety, love of God, love of each other, respect for one another.

There was also another side to Father Marina's stay at the seminary. He never arrived with empty hands, that is, he always came to the seminary laden with arms full of treats for the boys, be it a fresh ham or a baked chicken and with the necessary trimmings. Many times after evening prayers, seminarians would gather in Father's quarters, and with the blessing of the seminary superiors, and there sit, on the floor, on the chairs --- wherever possible, nibble on some treat and listen to the wisdom and the wit of Father Marina. Many times these sessions surpassed the knowledge of the regular classroom setting. For Father Marina's true priestly example, many priests serving in the Metropolitan Province of Pittsburgh and even outside that Province are lovingly grateful to Father Marina.

On the Feast of Pcrkrov-Protection of the Mother of God, the Very Reverend Canon Julius K. Marina, J.U.D served his final Divine Liturgy as Pastor of Saint Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church, Perryopolis, Pennsylvania and began a life of semi-retirement. This was this date of October 1, 1971.

Father Marina had the foresight to provide for his retirement by building his own retirement home. It was as warm, cozy, and open to all people as were the rectories in which Father resided. In retirement as well as in active ministry, Father Marina received his brother priests with a dignity and graciousness that Father Marina brought with him from his native land.

His was a home filled with the spirit of nobility and elegance; he was a true gentleman-priest in all respects.

During these early retirement years Father Marina was able to assist any priest who called upon him for priestly ministry. On many occasions, he was asked to assist in the Cathedral Church for the Cathedral Rector and also assisted the Most Reverend Archbishop-Metropolitan Stephen J. Kocisko, D.D., Father Marina's last superior. Serving three Bishops in the United States during his priestly life, he exemplified the virtue of true obedience to all three bishops by accepting the challenges and assignments given to him.

His priestly life was centered around the Sacramental Mysteries and he would offer the Divine Liturgy with priestly dignity and character. He was truly a man of prayer and he daily prayed in his Office in both the Byzantine and Latin rite prayer books.

Towards the end of his active ministry, Father Marina began to write his MEMOIRS. These appeared in serial form, in the English language, in the Archeparchial newspaper, The Byzantine Catholic World. In 1977, these memoirs were translated into Hungarian and published by the Patria Publishing Company, Limited, 6 Alcina Avenue, Toronto Ontario, Canada M6G 2E8 under the title: MARINA GYULA RUTÉNSORS KÁRPÁTALJA VÉGZETE.

While in retirement, Father Marina was also privileged to travel to Rome where he spent some time visiting his alma mater and doing research work.

Father Marina's health began to fail towards the final days of earthly sojourn and he was hospitalized a number of times. Each time, his inner strength rallied him and he returned home from the hospital, where he tended to his home, his flower garden and spent many happy hours with his friends.

On July 20, 1983, at approximately 5:45 p.m. Father Julius Marina raised his hand in a final priestly blessing to those who were in his hospital room and peacefully closed his eyes to this world and opening them once again in eternity.

His Priestly funeral was held in the church of his last pastorate, Saint Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church, Perryopolis, Pennsylvania. The priestly services were-conducted by the Dean Monsignor Andrew Parvensky, the following evening by the Most Reverend John M. Bilock, Auxilliary Bishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Pittsburgh and visiting clergy. The day of the funeral, the Most Reverend Metropolitan Archbishop Stephen J. Kocisko was the main celebrant of the Divine Liturgy and the con-celebrants.of the Divine Liturgy included Father Marina's Altar Brothers, his former students, his Professor Associates. Approximately fifty-five brother priests were present on the day of the funeral.

The earthly remains of Father Julius Marina, last surviving Canon of the Mukachevo Diocese-Eparchy were laid to rest in the Calvary Cemetery of the Sisters of Saint Basil the Great, Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Here it was that Father Marina was first assigned to pray with the Sisters and here it was that the Sisters were to help Father Marina master the English language and here it was that Father Marina was laid to rest amid the place of prayer of the Sisters of Saint Basil the Great!

There is a monument on the grave of Father Marina. It bears the face of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus and surrounding the face of Jesus is an outline of the Cross. Below it is the inscription-- bearing the name and the dates important to Father Marina; his birth into this world and his birth into eternity to be with God for all times. Here also is etched the Cross of Saint Stephen of Hungary, a Cross that brought Father Marina to this "New World".

And finally, on the back of this monument is the inscription given by Father Marina's loved ones:

"HIS LIFE WAS ONE CONTINUOUS MIRACLE".

Vi?naja jemu pamjat — Eternal Memory — Legyen ?r?k Emléke