When the Churches of Rome and Constantinople lost communion with one another, attempts to reunite proved unsuccessful for various reasons, but there was a desire to regain unity. The Transcarpathian region of central Europe stands at the border of East and West and in 1646, Orthodox Christians in the Austro-Hungarian Empire re-established communion with Rome.

The Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix serves the western United States with the mission of passing on our Eastern Christian faith and the Byzantine Tradition lived in full communion with the Church of Rome.

Founded by immigrants from the Transcarpathian region whose ancestors received the Gospel message in their native tongue, our Church following this legacy began celebrating the liturgical services in English, opening the doors to anyone drawn to Byzantine liturgy, theology and spirituality. As a result, the 19 parishes and multiple missions from Anchorage to San Diego along the Coast, stretching as far east as Denver and everywhere in between are today comprised of faithful, some are descendants of those original immigrants and many are pilgrims to the Byzantine Catholic Church. They may be from a Roman Catholic background, or converts from Protestantism or have no previous religious affiliation at all, but that which unites them is a love for the Byzantine Catholic faith handed down from the Apostles to Saints Cyril and Methodius and to our Bishops today. We, the spiritual descendants of the missionary efforts of Saints Cyril and Methodius, the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix, strive to again and again turn our hearts and the hearts of our neighbors in the Western us to Christ our God who enlightens, saves and renews the whole world.

In 1966, ten years of praying and letter-writing resulted in the foundation of a mission in Phoenix, Arizona. Priests would come from California to serve the fledgling community. In 1968 the congregation purchased a former Antiochian Orthodox Church and established Saint Stephen's Church in honor of Bishop Stephen Kocisko. Father Paul Bovankovich was assigned as pastor. HIs parents Father John and Pani Cecelia moved to Arizona; they were one of the last married priestly couples. Father John would not only serve as pastor for a time, but he and his wife would travel to New Mexico and southern Arizona as missionaries. Their efforts combined with the dedicated laity to lay the foundations for the parishes in Albuquerque and Tucson.

The Northridge earthquake struck the San Fernando Valley of metropolitan Los Angeles early on January 17th, 1994, while most people were still at home. It was one of the more violent quakes to hit Los Angeles. At least 60 people were killed, and the quake had the highest ground acceleration ever recorded in a North American city. California State University at Northridge was directly across from the bishop's residence, and parts of the collapsed parking garage landed in Bishop Kuzma's driveway. Damage was extensive for the eparchy: the earthquake wrecked the Van Nuys pastoral center, and damaged buildings at the cathedral complex, including the church itself. Files and religious items could only be removed from the pastoral center in brief visits supervised by safety officials, and the building was a total loss.

Ironically, Bishop George had been pondering a move out of Van Nuys to a city that would provide better air connections for the clergy and better facilities for the eparchy. As he remarked, instead of God giving him a nudge in the right direction, "He used a sledgehammer to get our attention." Kuzma and the consultors met to consider moving to either to Las Vegas or Phoenix. Phoenix was chosen because of the size of available buildings at the complex at the parish that would provide immediate office and living space, and the availability of convenient air travel for the clergy of the far-flung eparchy. Saint Mary's church in Van Nuys became the proto-cathedral, and Saint Stephen's Church would eventually be elevated to cathedral status.