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The beginnings of the [[cathedral]] dates back to the 1878 with the arrival of Carpatho-Russian immigrants from the western part of Galicia, known as Lemkovstchina. These early settlers possessed deep religious feelings and desired to [[worship]] in their own church. As a result, they began holding services in the Stec home, located directly behind the present church. Shortly thereafter, they rented an inactive [[Baptist]] church and immediately converted the interior to resemble an Orthodox church.
In 1888, the Brotherhood of Saint [[John the Baptist]] was organized. With an inordinate amount of support and encouragement from the growing [[congregation]], plans were implemented to build a new church. This initial building was a wooden frame structure and was constructed in 1891. This church was located on the corner of Hill and Maple Streets in the geographic center of town at the cost of $6,500. The original name given was the Russian Greek Catholic Church of Saint John the Baptist.
The early immigrants in Mayfield were a very enterprising people. As a result, by 1896, the faithful had built a parish home and school building, which also contained a social center for church affairs. The people totally supported a priest and a choir-master, the latter of which also taught religious classes. The peoples' foresight and energy are exemplified by such accomplishments as the establishment of a food co-operative store, the parish drum and bugle corp, boy scout troop #85, a library, the Russian Hose Co. (present day Mayfield Hose Co.), and many other organizations.