MILLVALE — Nuns from a Pittsburgh-area convent will merge with the New York group from which they spun off nearly 140 years ago.

The Sisters of St. Francis in Millvale are merging with the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities, based in Syracuse, N.Y.

The Millvale group was founded in 1868 by two nuns who were sent from the Syracuse chapter to the Pittsburgh area to beg for contributions.

About 147 Pittsburgh-area nuns will be affected by the merger, which will result in a congregation of 564 sisters across the world.

The merger will be celebrated in New York on Aug. 26 and then again Sept. 30 in Millvale.