A small group of Ukrainian immigrants of the Orthodox faith held an organizational church meeting and established St. Mary Protectress Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. The first Holy Liturgy was celebrated by Rev Wasyl Umanetz in a small rented building on Sellinger Street. The first Sisterhood was established in 1952.

In 1954 the parish purchased its own church building on Clinton Avenue.
The new pastor was
Rev. Mykola Czerniawskyj.

In 1955, the parish organized the first Ukrainian Studies Saturday School in Rochester. Many children, including non-parishioners attended classes from kindergarten through eighth grade. Several hundred children attended the school until 1983.

Having outgrown its church facilities on Clinton Avenue, the parish purchased a five acre parcel of land at 3176 St. Paul Boulevard in 1970. In the Fall of 1975, the parish embarked on the great task of constructing the new parish center with a large and small hall, five classrooms, office and kitchen. The church hall was completed in 1976. The hall was used extensively for fund raising efforts such as weddings, banquets, church and community events.

In 1977, the parish sold the property
on Clinton Avenue and held church services in the small hall until 1982.
In 1978, His Beautitude Metropolitan Mstyslav, blessed the future site of
the new church. September 11, 1977
the parish priest's residence was dedicated and blessed by Archbishop Constantine. The new pastor was
Rev. Anatole Sytnyk.

During 1981 the Sisterhood organized the new Sisterhood Bingo to help raise funds for the new church construction project (construction pic1, 20k) (construction pic2, 26k). Over the years, the Wednesday night Sisterhood Bingo raised over $400,000 in proceeds. In 1991, the Parish and Sisterhood Bingo groups jointly reached a milestone-
One Million Dollars in proceeds.
Their combined efforts helped payoff
the church mortgage by the parish's
40th anniversary.

Nineteen Eighty-two was a year of celebrations. Sunday, October 17, 1982 the Sisterhood celebrated its 30th Anniversary. With the blessings of His Beautitude Metroplitan Mstyslav, the new St. Mary Protectress Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church was dedicated and consecrated by Archbishop Marko. The Holy Liturgy was concelebrated by the new pastor, the Very Rev. Mitred Fedir Kovalenko. The new church iconostas was blessed by Archbishop Marko in 1983.