History & Heritage
The Saint Nicholas Chapel
The Saint Nicholas Chapel, located adjacent to the GCU home office in Beaver, Pennsylvania, is a new-world homage to the old-world faith of GCU's Rusyn immigrant founders.
Inspired by History.
The chapel mirrors churches built long ago in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains in Eastern Europe (present-day Slovakia) and Western Ukraine. Saint Nicholas, patron of GCU and the Byzantine Catholic Church in America, lived in the fourth century in Asia Minor. He was a model of faith and an example of virtue. His most notable attribute was his charity to fellow humans.
A Modern Sanctuary.
The Eastern Christian heritage of GCU's founders is reflected in the tranquil, prayerful interior of the chapel. Constructed of various hardwoods, the chapel is a celebration of “God With Us,” a theme echoed in the liturgical services of the Eastern Christian Churches. Featured at the chapel are ten scenes from the life of Saint Nicholas. Each has a message and a teaching purpose, now recorded on the walls of the chapel for future generations.
A museum combining GCU, Greek Catholic, and Carpatho-Rusyn histories is located on the lower level of the chapel. Many one-of-a-kind artifacts are included in the collection.
Visit the Chapel.
We invite you to visit the Saint Nicholas Chapel, which is open and free of charge to the public. Reservations are required and may be made by calling GCU at 1-800-722-4428.