Text credits: Fr. Jack Custer and Anonymous

St. Michael the Archangel Byzantine Catholic Church was built in 1902, in a Baroque style, reminiscent of important urban churches in the European homeland of the Rusyn and Slovak emigrants from the Austro-Hungarian Empire who built this church. Of the three original tall and slender towers, one was removed and two were lowered because of structural concerns.

St. Michael’s Cathedral has five bells (the largest is six feet in diameter and weighs nearly two tons) which can be heard around the city. They were cast and installed by McShane Bell Foundty, and were eventually electrified on the occasion of the centennial anniversary of St. Michael's. They were rung in unison for the first time in many years on January 28, 1990, giving expression to the songs that were in the faithfuls' harts in gratitude for all the Lord's blessings. These same bells ring in unison almost every morning before services.  As is our tradition, they are named after saints: Andrew, Nicholas, Michael, Nikifor, and Daniel.

After it was announced in the summer of 1963, that the church of St. Michael would be the Cathedral of the newly established “Diocese of Passaic,” the then pastor, Msgr. Stim, initiated a process of renovation and remodeling of the church interior and exterior. He had the massive towers and dome (which had been weakened by storms over the years) replaced with new ones.

The floorplan of the church is based on that of the Temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings, 6-8), which itself is based on the portable Tabernacle (Exodus, 25-26) where Israel worshipped for forty years during the desert wanderings as they were led by Moses to the Promised Land. This also corresponds to what St. John saw and described in the Book of Revelation.

The interior of the church is divided into a vestibule or outer court, the nave or inner court, and the Holy of Holies or sanctuary. This Old Testament pattern has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the True Temple (Jn 2:21), Who reveals the Invisible God (John 1:18) and Whose perfect sacrifice on the Cross atones for all human sin and for all (Hebrews 9:11-12).

The earliest existing Christian worship spaces were decorated with images of biblical events and even of Jesus and Mary. The Church recognizes that the commandment against “graven images” (Exodus 20:6) is not broken by our holy icons because: 1) Jesus Christ is the “image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15), Whose human nature can indeed be depicted; and 2) the holy icons merely express in form and color what the Holy Scriptures express in verbal images. We do not worship these images but give honor to the divine and holy persons they depict. Our Byzantine tradition further avoids the semblance of idolatry by excluding statues.

Vestibule/Outer court:

As the faithful enter the church, they find themselves in the vestibule. Flanked on each side by stain glass windows depicting St. Nicholas of Myra (on the left) and St. Joseph (on the right), is an icon of “Our Lady of Passaic,” commissioned for the Cathedral’s hundredth anniversary (1990).

On the north wall of the vestibule (on the left side entering the church), an icon of Jesus’ Crucifixion commemorates the faithful departed. Here are enshrined the parish’s Hramoty, lists of departed family and friends who are remembered by name on the five annual “All Souls’ Saturdays.” In this room faithful can light candles as physical reminders of their prayers.

A plaque in the vestibule honors all who contributed to the renovation and beautification of the interior of the Cathedral in 2017-2018.

Nave/Inner court:

Leaving the vestibule and the outer world behind, the faithful enter the nave and penetrate into the Mystery. They find themselves surrounded by icons and stained glass windows depicting Old Testament prophets, New Testament apostles, and more recent Ruthenian saints. With Christ, the Cornerstone, the prophets, apostles, and saints are the foundation on which the Church is built (Ephesians 2:20): alive and active in the Church, they cheer us on as we persevere to the end.

Taking a close look at the beautiful icons on the north and south walls, we see that most depict the prophets who, inspired by God, were His mouthpieces, speaking His word, calling to repentance, and announcing what was to come hundreds of years before it actually happened. Each prophet is portrayed holding a scroll containing the gist of his prophecy.

On the south (left to right or east to west) are: Ezekiel, Jonah, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Zechariah, Malachi, and Daniel.

Two more icons complete the south wall. One portrays Moses and Aaron, who led the Israelites out of slavery from Egypt and through whom God gave the Law of the Old Testament, and the other portrays the three Holy Youths, described in the Book of Daniel, who blessed the Lord while in the fiery furnace and were saved.

Ruthenian Saints are depicted in roundels flanking the stained glass windows above the prophets: Bishop Theodore Romža and Josaphat Kuncevič on the south, flank the window depicting Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Bishops Gojdič and Romža were both victims of the Communist persecution of our Church in Slovakia and Ukraine respectively.

On the north (right to left or east to west) the prophets depicted are: Isaiah, Hosea, Amos, Micah, Joel, Elijah, Jeremiah.

Just like on the south wall, the north wall has two more icons: one portrays Melchizedek, the priest of Salem described in Genesis 14:18-20, who offered bread and wine as a thanksgiving sacrifice for Abraham’s victory in battle; and the other portrays Kings David and Solomon, who were a prefigurement of Jesus, and from whose line came Jesus Christ, our King and God.

Just like on the south wall, on the north wall Ruthenian Saints are depicted in roundels flanking the stained glass window above the prophets depicting the Descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost: Bishop Paul Gojdič and Bayonne native Sr. Miriam Teresa Demjanovič.

A series of stained glass windows around the nave depicts the twelve Apostles. On the south wall are (from left to right or east to west): Peter, James and John, Simon the Zealot and Philip, and Jude Thaddeus. Two additional stained glass windows depict the Resurrection of Christ and His Ascension.

The stained glass windows on the north wall depict (from right to left or east to west): Paul (not one of the twelve, but an apostle who gave his life in the spreading of the Gospel), Bartholomew/Nathaniel and Matthias, Thomas and James, and Andrew.  Two additional glass windows depict the Assumption of the Mother of God into Heaven and the Annunciation. 

The placement of these images of prophets, apostles, and saints recalls how the Church is built on the foundation of the Apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20), and how we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1).

Stained glass windows adorn the choir loft as well. In the very center top we find St. Michael, the patron of this church, watching over us all. Below him, we have the Three Holy Hierarchs, Sts. Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom, the authors of our Liturgies and leading bishops of the fourth and fifth centuries. Flanking the three Holy Hierarchs and St. Michael are the other two Archangels, St. Gabriel (left or south wall) and St. Raphael (right or north wall).

The original interior dome has been covered by the current ceiling depicting the vision of the Virgin Mary as the “woman clothed with the sun” (Revelation, 12).

The space before the iconostasis, outside the Sanctuary, is called the solea, and extends out in a semicircle towards the nave. Its shape represents the stone in front of the tomb of Christ that was rolled away at His resurrection, not so that Jesus could come out, but so that the myrrh-bearing women, the disciples, and all could recognize that He had risen!

Placed outside and down the steps from the Sanctuary, is located the Tetrapod, a table that replaces the table of showbread. On it a holy icon relevant to the day or the season on the Church calendar is always displayed. It is customary to make deep bows and kiss this icon upon entering and leaving the church.

In the Old Testament, the Holy of Holies was set off from the inner court by a curtain (Ex 26:31-33). This has been replaced by the iconostasis or icon screen. The iconostasis is not a wall of division, does not hide things, like the temple curtain that divided the Holy of Holies from the people. Rather, since the temple curtain was torn from top to bottom by Christ's death, the iconostasis speaks about God. It reveals us more of Him.

The two main icons on it represent Christ Pantocrator on the south, and the Hodegetria (Our Lady of the Way) on the north. The icon of Christ Pantocrator shows Christ as God and Man, but focuses more on Him as God and Ruler of the Universe. The icon of the Hodegetria shows the Theotokos holding Christ in her arms and focuses more on Him as a Man. Together, they show us the fullness of Christ's identity: fully God and fully Man.

The icon screen is pierced by three doors. The central Royal Doors, which is placed between the two icons just described, hence in the fullness of Christ's identity, is reserved for Christ Himself, present in the Holy Eucharist and the Holy Gospels (Ezekiel 44:1-3). Only bishops, priests, and deacons ever go through these doors. The Royal Doors are adorned with the icons of the four Evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, who reveal Christ through their writings and through whose Gospels we have access to the words and deeds of Jesus Christ. From these doors the deacon, priest or bishop proclaims the Gospel during the Liturgy.

Above the Royal Doors, the icon of the Mystical Supper reminds us that we celebrate the Liturgy as Jesus commanded on the night before His Passion (Luke 22:19). 

Flanking the icons of the Pantocrator and the Hodegetria, are two more doors: the Deacons' Doors, used by deacons (but also priests and altar servers) to go in and out from the sanctuary to the nave during services. The south door (right), is used as the entrance to the sanctuary, and is decorated with the icon of St. Stephen (Acts, 6-7), while the north door is used as the exit from the sanctuary, and is decorated with the icon of St. Lawrence. Processions through the church will always (except on Good and Holy Friday) start from the north door, going counterclockwise to symbolize that in Heaven there is no time.

St. Michael’s was raised to the status of a Cathedral when the Eparchy of Passaic was created in 1963. The Bishop’s throne is located in the front right corner, just outside the iconostasis and in front of the icon of St. Michael the Archangel. The Bishop’s place is also marked by his pastoral staff and a rug depicting an eagle.

On the north east wall, a large icon depicts Jesus’ miracle at the Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-12). On the opposite wall is the icon of the Holy Trinity (after Andrei Rublëv’s based on Genesis, 18). Together with the icon of the Mystical Supper above the Royal Doors, these icons show us how Jesus is God with us inviting us to participate more and more in His banquet until we will be one in the Trinity at the Eternal Banquet.

Sanctuary/Holy of Holies:

The arrangements inside the Sanctuary mirror the Jerusalem Temple (Hebrews 9:1-5). The Holy Table, where the Liturgy is celebrated, replaces the Ark of the Covenant. The book of the Gospels replaces the tablets of the Law. The Cross of Christ replaces the rod of Aaron, and the tabernacle containing the Holy Eucharist replaces the jar of manna.  

The external lamp (Exodus 27:20-21) hangs above the Royal Doors indicating God’s presence in His Temple. Behind the Holy Table, the golden fans, called “Ripidia,” with images of the six winged Seraphim and the inscription “Holy, Holy, Holy,” replace the Cherubim of Glory (Exodus 25:18; Isaiah 6). The Mercy Seat, an empty space above the Ark of the Covenant where the blood sacrifice was offered on the Day of Atonement, is filled (and fulfilled!) by the Cross of Christ.

On the wall of the apse behind the Holy Table is an image of Christ Pantocrator (Revelation 1:8; 22:13). The baldacchino or canopy over the Holy Table is typical of Baroque architecture and recalls the original tent in which Israel worshipped. On the inside of the dome of the baldacchino an image of a dove is depicted, a representation of the Holy Spirit coming upon the priest and the power of the Most High overshadowing him during the epiclesis of the anaphora as the Son of God becomes incarnate making His dwelling among us for our salvation (Luke 1:34-35; Exodus 40:35).

Still inside the Sanctuary, the icon at the Proskomidija (where leavened bread and wine are prepared for the celebration of the Eucharist) is Christ’s agony in the garden. The icon at the Diakonnik (where various items needed for worship are stored) depicts the near-sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham (Genesis, 22), foreshadowing the willing sacrifice of God’s own Beloved Son.

Two small windows above them depict the Nativity of Christ and the Crucifixion of Christ respectively.

As one leaves the vestibule into the church towards the sanctuary, one leaves behind the outer world and is drawn closer and closer to Heaven and to God, the final destination.

We hope you appreciated this brief virtual tour of our Cathedral and hope you will be able to come and visit in person and join us in praising our God and find His presence and Peace.

Glory to Jesus Christ!