Holy Transfiguration parish is part of the Melkite Greek- Catholic Church which is the Church of Antioch in communion with the Church of Rome. The Church is universal and its universality is reflected in the membership of our Parish today. We reach out to all. To all we offer the Light. "Let Your Eternal Light shine upon us sinners ... O Giver of Light, Glory to You!"

Diverse as we are among ourselves, those of Middle Eastern heritage as well as those of other ethnic backgrounds, we honor and cherish the traditions of those who established the parish. This is because they preserved the greater Tradition, that of the Church, to which we all cleave most closely.

Melkite Greek-Catholics, of the Middle East first began living in and around the nation's capital during the early years of this century. Their numbers remained too few for the establishment of a parish and that was the case for many years. During that period, some found a spiritual home at St. George Syrian Orthodox church when it was founded. Others worshipped with the local Maronite community and the majority affiliated with the Roman Catholic parishes of the area. From time to time, Melkite Greek-catholic priests were brought into the area by particular families to perform weddings and baptisms.

A key development in the formation of a Melkite Greek- Catholic parish in Washington, our parish, was the establishment of the St. Paul center Byzantine Information Bureau in 1965. The Center's purpose was to make the Eastern Christian heritage better known to Christians of the West.

Director of the St. Paul Center was the Reverend Armand J. Jacopin. Inspired by declarations of Vatican Council II that encouraged Roman Catholics to become better acquainted with the practices of their Eastern brethren, Fr. Jacopin launched an ambitious program of lectures, exhibitions, publishing and other public relations work in various media.

In 1967 the Melkite Greek-Catholic Exarch, Bishop Justin A- Najmy, honored the Washington Melkite Greek-Catholic community with a visit. On this occasion, Bishop Najmy called on Fr Jacopin to begin to maintain records of the community's baptisms, marriages and funerals and, still more importantly, to gather the community for worship. We began by holding services on special occasions, the first being the Feast of the Theophany, January 6, 1968. The same year we celebrated Easter services together, both services being held at the chapel of Providence Hospital. Thus was laid the foundation for our parish.

Bishop Najmy asked that the chapel under construction at the St. Paul Center be made available to the community for regular services. In June of 1968, Bishop Najmy and Patriarch Maximos V Hakim visited the construction site, made several suggestions, and planned to formally dedicate the chapel early in July. Later in June, Bishop Najmy died suddenly in Manchester, N. H. and the Patriarch, knowing Bishop Najmys' intentions, proceeded with the solemn dedication of the new Chapel of the Holy Cross at the St. Paul Center on July 17, 1968. The Patriarch was accompanied by his Patriarchal Vicar, Archbishop Joseph Tawil.

In his remarks at the dedication, the Patriarch voiced his confidence that Washington's Melkite Greek-Catholics would gather around their priest, Fr Jacopin, and he expressed the hope that soon their number would make the size of the chapel inadequate. His Beatitude, Patriarch Maximos, elevated Fr. Jacopin to the dignity of Very Reverend Protopresbyter (Archpriest) of the Great Church of Antioch in appreciation of his labors for the Patriarchate and the Washington community. The community had a home now for regular Sunday worship, but the canonical erection of a parish still had to await the election of a new exarch. Before then, an election of officers for the Melkite Greek-Catholic Association of St. Paul Center was held in October 1969. The Association would be transformed into a parish council once the new mission was founded. The original officers were Dr George Hajjar, president; A. Jerome Farrah, vice-president; Joseph Gholl, financial officer; and Mrs. Mabel Farrah, secretary.

The announcement of the election of Archbishop Joseph Tawil as the new Exarch for the United States came in November, 1969. One of Archbishop Tawil's first acts after his enthronement in March of 1970 was to commission a census of the future parish. It revealed over 100 Melkite Greek-Catholic families living in the greater Washington area. In August, heads of 50 of these families formally petitioned Archbishop Tawil to found a parish for them. In September, the community selected the Holy Transfiguration as the patronal feast of the parish.

In October, a new schedule of Sunday services was begun. One Divine Liturgy was conducted at the Holy Cross Chapel and another at the Ursuline Academy in Maryland Services were being attended by 90 -100 people on most Sundays and 150 or more present at the great feasts of Pascha and the Nativity of the Lord. Under Daniel Keller, a rudimentary religious education program for children, young people and adults was launched. The life of the parish was quickening.

Its actual birth was January 10, 1971 when Archbishop Tawil presided over a solemn Divine Liturgy at the Ursuline Academy. A gala banquet attended by 230 people had been held the evening before and on January 11th Patrick Cardinal O'Boyle greeted Archbishop Tawil and Father Jacopin on behalf of the Archdiocese of Washington encouraging the new parish.

Six months later in June of 1971, Holy Transfiguration parish was host to the 12th annual Melkite Greek-Catholic Convention. It was a joyful occasion, testimony to the vigor of the young parish. On December 10, 1971, the community was stunned by the death of Fr. Jacopin.

Before he died, Fr. Jacopin had found a new home for the parish, one that could accommodate its growing numbers. This was the former church of the Andrew Chapel Methodist Church on Leesburg Pike in Vienna, Virginia. The church had been used as a hospital during the Civil War and was now abandoned as a church and possibly destined for secular use or total abandonment. Holy Transfiguration parish bought the church for $27,500 and the work of restoration was begun before Fr. Jacopin's death.

Reverend Joseph Francavilla, assistant at Annunciation Melkite Greek-Catholic cathedral in Boston, had been charged by Archbishop Tawil to arrange Fr. Jacopin's funeral. He remained with the community and in February, 1972 was named pastor. Father Joseph remembers that at his first Holy Transfiguration liturgy there were no more than twenty members of the community present. Their shepherd had been stricken, the flock scattered. Perhaps the Christmas Eve 1971 Divine Liturgy can serve to symbolize the low, even desperate state of the parish in the first weeks and months after Fr. Jacopin's death. There was not even a place to serve it. Fortunately the Methodists of Andrew Chapel were willing to lend their church. Father Joseph, driving from point to point throughout the greater Washington area, was able to borrow the necessary icons, vestments, and liturgical vessels for the Divine Liturgy. With these borrowed things, he and members of the community were able to celebrate the Liturgy in a borrowed church.

The situation of those days did not long endure. The families of the Holy Transfiguration community putting their absolute trust in God's grace persisted in the face of all obstacles; the Parish rallied against every adversity.

On Great Thursday, 1972, the first Divine Liturgy was served in the Leesburg Pike church. That church would be our parish home until September 1979. The years spent there marked the consolidation and first great expansion of the parish. Such was the expansion that during 1977 it became evident that soon the church would no longer be able to contain all the families that wished to worship at Holy Transfiguration. After prayerful consideration, the parish council decided to consult with the parish at large as to the advisability of finding property and building a new church. The 1980 census showed 210 families, more than four times the number that had petitioned the Archbishop for the foundation of a parish.

Simple numbers are far from being the only index for assessing the health of a parish and the success of its mission. The number of vocations to the priesthood and the diaconate as well as the number of tonsured readers from Holy Transfiguration is a testament to the deep spiritual and liturgical life of the parish. Father Joseph has said that "the parish has as its objective to live the fullness of Orthodoxy in its liturgical life, spirituality and theology." We maintain a complete schedule of liturgical services throughout the year.

Bishop Thomas J. Welsh of the Arlington Catholic Diocese made property in McLean available to us at very generous terms and arranged for us to be able to draw on the expertise of his diocesan consultants. In February of 1980 we had the groundbreaking ceremonies at the new property. We held our services in the Spring Hill Elementary School as well as in the basement of the rectory in Vienna. During Great Week of that year, the chapel at St. James parish in Falls Church was made available to us so that we could have the full services of Great Week and Holy Pascha.

Through it all, the life of the parish has continued: births, baptisms, reception of new members into the parish, weddings, social events and fund-raising events, and sadly, the repose of many members of our community. The life of the parish is expressed in other ways as well. Our religious education program then directed by John and Anne Gallagher began with about thirteen students. In 1980 there were eighty-five students and today in 1995 we are again outgrowing our facilities. Since the dedication of the new church in 1980 more growth (spiritual as well as numerical) occurred. Father Joseph became Archimandrite Joseph, Paul Weyrich became Deacon Paul, Richard Odermatt became Reader Romanos, David Baroody became Reader David. We hosted the annual Melkite Convention in 1994. The directorship of religious education moved from the Gallaghers through Joyce Weyrich then Marianne Murad and now rests in the capable hands of Georgianna Kostak. One of Georgianna's first accomplishments was the formation of a Parent's Guild. This group is very active in planning and conducting activities throughout the year both for the children's enjoyment as well as for fund-raising for religious education.

The Youth Group which was begun under the capable leadership of Deacon Malachy (Eternal Memory) and involved our youth in working with the elderly and poor with the Little Sisters of the Poor was given into the care of Georgianna Kostak upon the death of our beloved Deacon Malachy. A young adult group, the Ambassadors, formed in the 80's sponsors a Lenten Luncheon for the benefit of the seminarians of St. Gregory Seminary. They also sponsor donut sales every Sunday and can be called upon for assistance in others events. A new group, which bridges the gap between the Youth Group and the Ambassadors, was formed in 1994 and is called M.A.Y.A. It is just getting started.

The Ladies' Guild continues to be active in feeding our bodies with their food and our souls with their love and prayer. They have been a major part in our growth. Again, some of our youngsters (now grown) are active in this group as well as workers in baking, dinners, food festivals, etc. However, the "youngsters" would not be able to do what they do without the leadership and guidance of the "oldtimers".

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