Are there Orthodox churches in America? Orthodox America through the eyes of a Russian student. Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France
Somewhere far, far away, in other countries, beyond the seas and oceans, people unknown to us, just like us, visit the temple, take their children to Sunday school, pray in the mornings and evenings, and make pilgrimages. But it seems that all this is happening a little differently, because both our language and traditions are different... Starting from this issue, we will talk about the peculiarities of the life of Orthodox Christians in other countries of the world. Today we bring to our readers notes from Ekaterina Chernova, a student from Russia who is currently studying in the USA.
The very word “Orthodoxy” sounds unusual in America to Russian ears—Orthodox. Therefore, the Orthodox Church here is called the Orthodox Christian Church, and Orthodox Christians are called Orthodox Christians.
According to the American magazine Washington Profile, among US residents, 56% are Protestants, 28% are Catholics, 2% are Jews, 1% are Muslims, 3% are adherents of other religions, and 10% are non-believers. Orthodox Christians in this country, as “adherents of other religions,” make up less than 2% of the population. I was surprised that on the American continent, like in no other part of the world, there are so many Orthodox jurisdictions. There are parishes of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Russian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Cypriot, Georgian, Hellenic, Albanian, Polish, Czechoslovak, American, Japanese, and Chinese Orthodox Churches.
The Orthodox American Church received autocephaly from the Russian Mother Church relatively recently, in 1970. Historical fact: the emergence of the Orthodox Church in America is connected with the missionary activity of the Russian Church. At the end of the 18th century, Russian missionaries - monks of the Valaam and Konevsky monasteries - came to preach the word of God to Russian America, the most remote region of their Fatherland at that time. Anyone who is at least a little familiar with the history of the Russian state will immediately understand that Alaska is the only state in which there are more Orthodox Christians than representatives of any other religion. So it is, because until 1867 the peninsula belonged to the great Russian Empire.
As for the Russian Orthodox Church in the USA itself, today it includes four deaneries: the Atlantic, Eastern, Western and Central states. There are also Patriarchal parishes in New York. The jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate includes the St. Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral and the Monastery of St. Mary of Egypt with the House of Mercy.
St. Nicholas Cathedral is the first Orthodox church I visited in New York. This is not just the main temple of the Russian Church on the American continent - the cathedral is a decoration of the city and has the status of an architectural monument. Here, in the summer of 2005, a memorial service was celebrated for General A. Denikin - before his ashes were taken to his homeland.
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The life stories of Orthodox priests and laity in the United States are often surprising. Most likely, this is due to the fact that most Christians are emigrants from different countries of the world. Many of them converted to Orthodoxy while already in America. They say that it was here that they understood the futility of human efforts, acutely felt spiritual loneliness, and learned to entrust themselves to the will of God. For some reason, people approach God only when faced with serious problems, having experienced personal tragedy. How nice it would be if this happened after some joy!
My acquaintances, graduate students from Akron, Ohio, told me that in Russia they did not think much about issues of faith and rarely went to the temple that was nearby. In America, mental hunger is so strong that the nearest Orthodox church, a hundred kilometers from home, is considered happiness...
In correspondence between English-speaking Orthodox Christians (not only when addressing a clergyman), it is customary to begin and end letters by glorifying the name of God. The phrases "Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!" (“Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!”) at the beginning of the letter and “With Christ’s love...” (“With the love of Christ...”) at the end are common for Americans who profess Orthodoxy. They believe that in this way they remind themselves and to its addressee about the meaning of earthly existence.
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In the town of Fair Lawn (New York metropolitan area), where I lived for several months, there is no Orthodox parish. But within a 50-mile (90-kilometer) radius there are about 70 temples. These are Greek, Russian, Antiochian, Romanian and American Orthodox parishes. However, in the city itself, for a population of 50 thousand, there are several Protestant and Catholic churches, a mosque and 11 synagogues! Therefore, Fire Lawn Orthodox, like other residents of the capital province, go to New York or the neighboring small cities of Paramus or Passaic for church services. In local churches, where the parish is formed by people of different nationalities, services are usually conducted in both Church Slavonic and English. In two languages, priests read the Holy Gospel and deliver sermons. Sometimes “Cherubimskaya” or “Holy God…” is sung in English. And in the churches of the Greek and Antiochian Churches the ancient tradition of shaking hands after the service has been preserved. All parishioners, acquaintances and strangers, shake hands with the words: “Forgive me!” This is reminiscent of Forgiveness Resurrection, but for Russians it is a little unusual.
Passaic is home to the beautiful Peter and Paul Cathedral, which celebrated its centenary in 2002. Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II, as well as the presidents of Russia and the United States, personally congratulated the parishioners of the church on this date. The congregation of this parish consists mainly of grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the “first wave” emigrants who left Russia after the October Revolution of 1917. They practically no longer speak Russian, but have not yet lost their natural nobility and very strictly adhere to the traditions of Orthodoxy.
The rector of the Peter and Paul Cathedral, priest Andrei Kovalev, decided in his youth that he would certainly become a monk. But his confessor saw that the child was destined for a different path, and blessed the future priest to start a family. Now the father has a growing son. Life in the USA was not a happy place for him and Mother Natalia. To make ends meet, the two of them worked hard, even loading ice-cold trays of frozen food. But one day everything changed - by God's providence they received a residence permit, then a parish and a good house. Help them, Lord!
In addition, the Church of the Holy Chief Apostles operates a dating service. Here, Orthodox Christians are helped to find a life partner who is a fellow believer, because in America it is difficult to do this on your own. Membership and events are paid, admission costs $100 - this is the whole pragmatism of America.
According to my observations, in America the relationship between the priest and the flock is of a slightly different nature than in Russia. Communication here is more intimate and accessible. For parishioners of the church, it is in the order of things to stay after the service for tea and visit the priest at home, having called in advance. On parish websites, in addition to information about the order and time of services, contact numbers of the priest, deacon, churchwarden, regent, you can read the instructions and congratulations of the rector to his flock.
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I celebrated the year 2005 with an American Greek Orthodox family in the temple of the Greek Orthodox Church in the city of Paramus. A beautiful New Year's custom has been preserved here since ancient times. Due to the fact that many Greek Orthodox attend Russian and American Orthodox churches, this tradition is maintained there as well.
So, for many centuries in a row, on the eve of the New Year, Orthodox Greeks bake very large bread, kneading a coin into the dough. On January 1, on the day of remembrance of St. Basil the Great, ready-made bread, which is called “St. Basil’s bread,” is brought to the temple for consecration. During the service, the bread is in the altar. After the service, the priest divides it into small parts so that each parishioner gets a piece. The first part is intended for Jesus Christ, the second - for the Most Holy Theotokos, the third - for the Church, the fourth - for the rector of the temple, the fifth - for mother... And so on until all parishioners receive their share. A person whose piece of bread contains a coin receives a blessing from the priest for the coming year. And the one who received such a coin last time shares with those present the joys and sorrows of the past year.
Then I got the St. Basil coin, so I had to answer what the year 2005 from the Nativity of Christ meant for me. She told the parishioners of the temple in Paramus how she used the talents given by God - whether she multiplied them or indifferently “buried them in the ground.”
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A three-hour drive from New York is the Greek Orthodox monastery of St. Nektarios, the Wonderworker of Aegina. It is located in a picturesque location, among beautiful green hills and many saucer-shaped lakes filled with clear spring water. The address of the monastery is: 100 Lakes Anawanda Rd. Roscoe. Here nature itself sings a hymn to Divine love...
The monastery was founded 7 years ago by the Athonite ascetic Archimandrite Ephraim (Moraitis). The abbot of the monastery, Father Joseph, once warmly received and listened to me, provided me with a letter of recommendation and blessed my stay in the USA.
For some time, the monastery entrusted to Father Joseph was the metochion of the monastery of St. Anthony in Arizona. It is currently undergoing construction. The monastery of St. Nektarios owns 180 acres of land (73 hectares), on which a chapel, monastic cells, a refectory, and a comfortable hotel for pilgrims, which has male and female buildings, were erected. Several more buildings are being reconstructed. As in Russian monasteries, church services here are strict and lengthy, with Matins beginning at four in the morning. The wonderful chants are reminiscent of the chants of our northern Athos - Valaam. The brethren of the monastery are mostly Greeks. Their natural temperament is expressed in some expression of the external image of prayer - in certain parts of the service they lower their whole body onto the monastery floor, and so, prostrate, they pray, thereby showing complete submission to the will of God.
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According to the director of a private American public school in New Jersey, Mr. Andrew Kourkoumelis, in fact, 95% of Orthodox Christians in America marry representatives of other religions. He believes that this is why children in such families grow up without any religion at all. Historically, many Russians in the United States connect their lives with Russian Jews, so a significant part of schoolchildren are children who are faced with a choice of religion. They are often baptized, which means they formally belong to the Russian Orthodox Church. But we have to admit that very few of them regularly attend church services, and some know nothing at all about their religion. In order to somehow improve the situation, Mr. Kourkoumelis conducts optional Orthodox lessons at school.
Children here learn to make the sign of the cross, venerate icons, and the meaning and rules of priestly blessing are explained to them. Together with their director, they go to church on the twelfth and great holidays. This also applies to children from non-Orthodox families, as well as Jews, if they express a desire to attend the Divine Liturgy. Mr. Kourkoumelis prays and believes that one day they will receive the Sacrament of Baptism and become Orthodox Christians.
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More than ten Orthodox Theological Seminaries have been opened in the United States, the largest on the east coast are in Jordanville (belongs to the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia) and in Crestwood, near New York (belongs to the American Orthodox Church). Most students and seminaries were former Protestants or Catholics, but then converted to Orthodoxy.
According to Orthodox Americans, the Church on the continent survives only because thousands of their fellow citizens have accepted the Orthodox faith. Therefore, today in the USA there are many Anglo-Saxons, German and Italian Americans, Jews, Spaniards, for whom Orthodoxy has become the only life-giving religion, and the Orthodox Church - the only grace-filled Church. I think it will not be an exaggeration to say that Orthodoxy in America sanctifies the American people and the American continent.
Of course, in Christ there is neither an American nor a Russian - we are all one in Him. No matter what continent we are on, no matter what language we speak, no matter how outwardly our national and cultural traditions may differ, there is the Sacrament of Communion that unites everyone. The heart of an Orthodox Christian vividly responds to the tender wave of grace during the Divine Liturgy, wherever it is celebrated - in the majestic patriarchal cathedral in America, in a Greek Orthodox monastery, or in a small church lost in the vast expanses of his native Russia.
New York, USA
About what are the specific differences between Orthodoxy on American soil and what challenges it is now facing is a continuation of the conversation with Archpriest Peter Perekrestov, keymaster of the Cathedral in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” in San Francisco.
In America there is no concept of “going to a temple”
– Father Peter, what is it like to be Orthodox in America now? Has it become more difficult to profess the Orthodox faith recently, or has nothing fundamentally changed?
– Many people do not know, but Orthodoxy in America today is on the rise. Many Americans are converting to Orthodoxy. Let me give you at least this example: in the southern United States there was a very revered American bishop of the Orthodox Church in America, Archbishop Demetrius (Royster), who over the course of 30 years opened about 60 completely new Orthodox American parishes in the southern states. Bishop Demetrius is indeed considered the “apostle” of the southern states of the USA.
The southern states - Mississippi, Utah, Alabama, Louisiana, South Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina and Oklahoma - are not Hollywood or big-city America. They form the so-called "Bible Belt", which is mainly made up of Baptists. Baptists, as a rule, are people who sincerely love (even if in their own way and outside the true Church) Christ and the Holy Scriptures, and in this “Bible Belt” there is enormous potential for Orthodoxy. When these Baptists convert to Orthodoxy, they retain the same love for Christ, the same knowledge of the Holy Scriptures that was before, but they now acquire the true Church, conciliar and apostolic, the fullness of the Church is revealed to them, including the world of the Holy Fathers . These Baptist converts actively preach Orthodoxy, talk about the faith to their friends and colleagues at work, and neighbors. Plus, if previously they gave tithes to Baptists, they will definitely give a tenth of their income to their new Orthodox parish. This material support allows the missionary work to grow.
Another example. In San Francisco, the director of the Slavic choir at the early Liturgy is not a native of Russia and not a descendant of old emigrants, but a purebred American, John. He himself studied the Church Slavonic language and church rules and now runs a church choir that sings in Church Slavonic. For 6-7 years of leading the choir, he never missed the Liturgy (except when he was on vacation) and was not late for it. He is married to an Orthodox widow, also an American, and they have three children.
In a word, in America absolutely amazing people are converting to Orthodoxy, each has a unique path, a unique story. I am surprised at how intelligent they are, as a rule, and how consciously they made the decision to convert to Orthodoxy. After all, for them Orthodoxy is not a tradition, not part of their own, American culture; they sometimes face misunderstandings from their loved ones, in their families, sometimes family members even abandon them...
In our diocese, half of the clergy are Americans
Our services in the cathedral are mostly in Church Slavonic. It would seem, why do these Orthodox Americans need such a “headache”: long services, everyone stands, the language is incomprehensible. But these Orthodox Americans have an amazing love for Russian Orthodoxy, and through Orthodoxy, for Russia! . He is a purebred American, he came to live permanently in Russia, he has eight children. He created a new amazingly interesting website in English for Americans - about Orthodoxy, the site is called “Russian Faith”.
Even 25 years ago they said that Orthodoxy in America is the biggest secret! And now in almost every more or less large city there are Orthodox churches. In our diocese, half of the clergy are Americans, people from the Catholic or Anglican Churches. Thanks in part to the Internet, many things can be easily learned and seen.
– What is the reason for the fact that so many Americans began to convert to Orthodoxy?
– Americans in general are religious people. You know, in America, for example, there is no concept of “going to a temple.” That is, a person does not come to church to light a candle or sit on a bench, but comes specifically to worship. According to official statistics, in the United States, about 40% of Americans go (not “drop in”) to worship services weekly (in England, for example, 1% of the population does this!), and are present at the service from beginning to end.
– Why do people still convert to Orthodoxy? Or, in principle, just as many convert to Catholicism?
– I want to clarify: when they say that many are converting to Orthodoxy, they mean “many” not in quantitative terms, but in percentage terms.
I am friends with an Orthodox priest in Salt Lake City, this year on Holy Saturday he baptized 28 people at once, all adults who had undergone catechesis. Another priest I know, from the city of Riverside (near Los Angeles), is a very brave man; he has 10 children, all of whom were educated at home, and his catechism - preparation for baptism - lasts all year round: 12 months. If someone does not want to go through the catechism, this priest does not baptize such people, he says: “Go to another church.” His catechumens must attend catechetical conversations every Wednesday throughout the year, and must come to Liturgy every Sunday. And he also baptizes adults once a year - on Holy Saturday. He didn’t have 50 more people, but 40 people in one year happened more than once. Imagine: 40 people a year - that’s 400 people in 10 years, and conscious and active believers!
People cannot remain in a church that customizes the Holy Scriptures to suit themselves, and the search for Truth leads to Orthodoxy
Why do they convert to Orthodoxy? At times, some Catholic or Protestant communities deviate from traditional principles, especially when it comes to marriage and gender issues. And for some parishioners, this is simply deadly. They can no longer remain in a church that bends the Scriptures to suit itself. And then these people begin a certain crisis and at the same time a search, as a result of which they can come to Orthodoxy.
We have an individual approach to each person who comes to church. The Orthodox Church does not make political statements or engage in moralizing. The Tradition of the Church is the teaching of Christ, and the Orthodox Church tries to be faithful to this Tradition. True, in America there are various Orthodox jurisdictions, including more liberal ones, and some representatives of these are making concessions. It is quite sad when unexpected calls are heard from the lips of Orthodox priests, which can be interpreted as concessions on issues of marriage and gender. Thus, recently Metropolitan Callistus (Ware) wrote a preface to the next issue of The Wheel magazine, in which the issue of same-sex “marriage” was discussed. It is very unfortunate that in this text he spoke rather ambiguously and seductively. Perhaps the reason is that he comes from an academic background. It is very important for people who teach in renowned educational institutions or have studied in them to be recognized in this environment. There is such pressure and pressure that it is very difficult to resist: you either have to remain silent, or if you speak out, then make compromises.
It even happens. Sometimes people come to us in San Francisco and cry, describing what is happening in their parish, who they (for example, “registered” same-sex couples) are allowed to receive Communion... These visitors are very embarrassed by this phenomenon. Thank God that this is an exception for the Orthodox so far, as I believe.
Now in any city church (and not only) parishioners’ son or daughter can declare their, as they say, “non-traditional orientation.” What if there are already several such children among the parishioners? What to do here? How not to push them away from the Church, how to act as priests, how not to compromise, how to find the right words and approach to give people the opportunity to stay in the Church and be saved?..
– So those who chose this “non-traditional orientation” for themselves, themselves left the Church! What happens when they are allowed to receive Communion?
– Alas, in some cases they already allow it. Even people who are openly cohabiting with their “partner”. This is not yet a powerful movement, but it is taking place in some liberal jurisdictions of the Local Orthodox Churches. This is such a challenge, and we must find a language to speak worthily on this topic, and at the same time find a way to the hearts of people so that they adhere to the teachings of Christ. The Lord did not come to save the righteous, but sinners; The Lord calls not to sacrifice, but to mercy. And Christ always instructs sinners: “Go and sin no more!”
What is Orthodoxy? This is the unchangeable faith of Christ in a changing world. And at every time, the Church and its representatives must find a suitable language for communicating with people, must find an approach, on the one hand, uncompromising, and on the other hand, one that touches hearts and ignites with the desire to live in the Gospel.
Marriage is not a license for sexual permissiveness
– But anyone who begins to adhere to “non-traditional orientation” is already retreating from the teachings of Christ.
- Alas, this is basically done by every person who enters into fornication or simply commits the sin of fornication. After all, fornication for a Christian is a non-traditional orientation in the Gospel, alien to us. In principle, both fornication and “non-traditional orientation” are from the same category – the category of carnal passion, although, of course, there is a difference. But is fornication a natural act for a Christian?
In my opinion, it all starts with the destruction of the institution of family, where we have a real failure. We get divorced, we don’t create a home Church, we cheat, we get addicted to pornography... It seems to me that the key point in our attitude towards the family and the gender issue is the problem of chastity. This is the main question. When we receive an answer to this very question: “What is the place of chastity in the teachings of Christ, in the life of Christians?”, everything falls into place.
It should also be taken into account that sometimes in our Orthodox families there are perversions in the intimate life of spouses. This is kept silent about, and we don’t talk about this from the pulpit, we can’t... There are perversions, after which, according to the rules of Nicodemus the Holy Mountain, you cannot receive communion for six years! And our Orthodox people don’t know about this, and maybe they don’t even suspect it! Or they say: “And I / my husband likes it!” Modern films often show this perversion. If earlier in the movies a love scene began with a kiss, now it starts with something else...
When people marry, we pray that the Lord will keep their bed undefiled. Marriage is not a license for sexual permissiveness. When we ourselves pervert this intimacy in family life, it is not surprising that the perversion penetrates further and further and leads to even greater perversions, including perversion in the “same-sex” sense.
– So the identity crisis begins with the family?
The process of feminization of men is underway: they are irresponsible and have ceased to be leaders in the family
– It amazes me how a modern person can not know who he is – a man or a woman! How did we get to this point? When I was growing up, this question was not asked at all: who am I - a man or a woman? For many years now, the process of feminization of men has been going on in the West: men are becoming irresponsible, indecisive, they have ceased to be leaders in the family. I know adults who hold high positions, receive good salaries, but play video games and watch pornography. How can you build a family and society on such a man? This is also a Russian problem, although outwardly men are “masculine,” but in terms of determination, responsibility, leadership, example in abstinence and moderation, there is a complete crisis.
And, conversely, many women have now become masculine. Not in terms of asceticism, in terms of feat, as in liturgical texts, but aggressive, they have ceased to be gentle, meek, they are getting their way, nagging their husbands, and so on. True, due to the fact that men “gave up” their positions as leaders, as examples, as guardians, women inevitably had to play the role of not only a mother, but also take on the role of a father! And so children live in a society where a weak, effeminate man, overcome by passions, and the mother makes all the decisions. Maybe she is forced to do this, but it turns out to be a mess, the structure of the family as a home Church is destroyed. And the devil takes advantage of this mess. Hence, in particular, the modern identity crisis.
In order for a person to understand his place in the world, he needs a starting point, and this point is God
Today the topic of identity is practically topic No. 1 in the West: who am I? Since man has departed from God, he seeks: who am I - a man, or a woman, or something else? where is my place in this world? A modern person, if he goes somewhere without his phone, is confused: without a navigator, he immediately loses his way, does not know where he is, where he needs to go and when he will get there. But our real “navigator” through life is, of course, the Lord God. And while the Lord God was our Navigator, people knew who they were, where they were, they knew their place, they knew where they were going and how to get there. In order for a person to fully understand his humanity and his place in this world, he needs a starting point - and that point, of course, is God. And now a considerable part of humanity has abandoned this Navigator!
– In general, in America there is no such thing yet that rejection of gay marriage and the like somehow affects the ability to adhere to one’s faith and go to church?
– There is absolutely no way to go to church. San Francisco is a fairly liberal city. I once thought: what would I answer to a person who came to us and said that you are so and so backward and your temple should be closed? What I would probably say is, “First of all, be a little more tolerant. If you say that our temple should be removed, then you have no tolerance. If you really want diversity in our city, do not close our temple, otherwise all people will be the same and the city will cease to be “tolerant.” I can also sometimes say to these people: “Be a little more broad-minded!” And this, of course, infuriates them. It seems to them that they are the most broad-minded, and we are the narrow retrogrades.
In the Russian Church Abroad, our Orthodox clergy, as a rule, always walk down the street in cassocks. I can’t talk about all of America, only about California, but the attitude towards me as a priest is very friendly. True, in San Francisco I am sometimes perceived as... an old hippie. I am “cool” because I have long hair and this “robe” is also interesting. We love interesting, diverse and colorful people.
The Lord put us in this situation, and we must find a way out
– But this is diversity within strictly established limits, and this tolerance, it seems to me, has its own clear boundaries, beyond which it turns into its opposite - into intolerance to what lies beyond them. That is, this is a very cunning ideology: diversity without real diversity.
– Yes, but the Lord put us in this situation, and we must somehow find a way out. We have no choice. There is more choice in Russia. If you take Moscow, it has thousands of churches and a great variety. There are very different priests, sometimes with completely polar views.
I myself ended up in San Francisco not thanks to a conscious choice, but by the will of fate. And since the Lord put me here, then I must accomplish my salvation in these conditions and, if possible, help other people in this. Among those who come to our cathedral (including guests from Russia) there are also people with “non-traditional orientation”. We must listen to them and determine whether they have a desire to live in purity and follow the Word of God, whether there is repentance and a thirst for new life, and if so, then help them along this path. However, did you know that before his conversion to Orthodoxy, Eugene Rose - the future Hieromonk Seraphim - suffered and succumbed to “unconventional” addictions?
- No, I didn’t know.
– He writes about this in his letters, which are published. However, when Eugene Rose converted to Orthodoxy, he, naturally, completely abandoned these addictions and remained in purity. Whether or not he continued to have an internal struggle with this passion and sinful thoughts is questionable, it’s not for me to know. But even about many of the saints whom we see on the walls of the temple, we do not know what their main passion was, what they struggled with. Father Seraphim overcame his passions, renounced the “old man” and became a faithful zealot for Orthodoxy and a missionary, reaching real heights of spiritual life.
Of course, today society, especially in large cities, is pushing people towards this lifestyle. It is fashionable among girls to have “that” male friend because he is not a threat to them. Plus, he reveals to girls the secrets of the male world, which is especially interesting for girls. But if we can tell young people who succumbed to this attraction, this passion, that such a zealot of piety as Father Seraphim (Rose) also suffered from this in his youth, that he, like you, also had similar temptations, but he withheld them overcome with God's help, this will be a great help for young people and will give hope. Such people also need heroes who have overcome their passions.
Many Americans feel internally that their country is radically changing and sometimes has already changed, that something bad is happening, and they are trying to resist this bad thing.
The word "education" comes from the word "image". The closer we are to the image of God, the more EDUCATED we are
– And are you able to resist these harmful changes? How?
– For example, in America there is now a very powerful movement for homeschooling children. Officially, more than 2 million children are educated at home. This indicates that the level of education is falling, and sometimes training turns into indoctrination. It also speaks about the desire of parents to take the formation and upbringing of children into their own hands, and not blindly trust the system. For us Christians, the word “education” comes from the word “image.” The closer we are to the image of God, the more EDUCATED we are.
We have a parish in the Western American Diocese that consists mainly of former Protestants. The parish opened a full-fledged private parish school (something like Orthodox gymnasiums in Russia) in its region, and there are quite a lot of agnostics and people either indifferent to religion or interested in the New Age movement. And suddenly the local population began to show active interest in this school, and there were about 30–40 children studying there at that time. The priest and the school administration had a question: should non-Orthodox children be accepted into the parish school? We decided to accept. Now there is a waiting list for this school, registration, a second building is being built, there are so many people who want to study there. And already four non-believing families who sent their children to this school have converted to Orthodoxy.
And the problem of “non-traditional orientation”, which we have talked about a lot now, is not relevant for our parish. At this stage, it is rather a problem of modern society that our families and our children have to face.
– Excuse me, I’ll ask this, perhaps not a very pleasant question: what if the situation comes to the point where you have to flee and leave America? Could it be that the pressure has reached an extreme level?
– I prefer not to think too much about the future, in advance. I prefer to act in the Gospel way: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things: its own worry is enough for each day” (Matthew 6: 33-34).
I generally don’t like to compare where it’s better and where it’s worse. After 55 years of life, it seems to me that things are getting better everywhere. For me, living today is enough; I myself need to prepare for death. I love California, I love Russia, I love the Holy Land and Athos - everywhere is good, and everywhere you can learn something. And if difficult times come (doesn’t the world constantly live in crises and difficult times?), then I will hope that the Lord God will show us what to do and what to say. But keep in mind that a military man cannot run away from his post and a family man cannot abandon his children.
The other day, an acquaintance said to me: “You have earthquakes in California. Aren't you afraid? I answered him: “I’m afraid - I’m not afraid... but if the Lord put me here, how can I throw the relics of Vladika John? Am I going to run away, and all the parishioners and spiritual children will die? This is somehow not very good for a pastor, it’s not evangelical.”
In America, Orthodoxy is as new as a baby
– What other specific features or problems are characteristic of Orthodoxy in America?
– American Orthodoxy is very diverse. In Russia, one might say, Orthodoxy is mature, historical, it is already more than a thousand years old. In Russia there are ancient monasteries, numerous relics; the Russian soil is soaked in the blood of the new martyrs - this is something amazing. But at the same time, here the Church is very strongly connected with the state. This phenomenon is inevitable; it is the norm in Orthodox countries, as, for example, in Greece or Cyprus. But in America, Orthodoxy is as new as a baby. Yes, children make a lot of mistakes, but at the same time they have some kind of spontaneity, openness and gullibility. The late Metropolitan Philip (Saliba) once said at the congress of his Antiochian American Archdiocese: “I have been to many celebrations and many solemn services, where there were thousands of believers, I was in Lebanon, in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and various places, but more dynamic I have never seen an Orthodox Church different from America.”
Each Local Orthodox Church has its own face and its own “handwriting”. Our ever-memorable Archbishop Anthony (Medvedev) loved to repeat the words of Archimandrite Cyprian (Kern) that each Local Church makes its contribution to the Ecumenical: the Greeks gave theology to universal Orthodoxy, the Russians - piety, and the Serbs are the defenders of Orthodoxy: the Serbs may not go to church , but they will lay down their lives for their Orthodox Church. And American Orthodoxy also has something to offer this universal bouquet - freshness and dynamism.
I think and believe that the growth of Orthodoxy in America will continue in the future. It’s too early to give up on America or Canada – with God’s help, everything is possible in this world.
In general, my mood is not at all pessimistic: I see a lot of positive things around me, and sometimes people really surprise me. Maybe I’m naive... But you know the words of Elder Paisius that a bee, flying over a field of manure, finds a flower, unlike a fly that finds manure among a field of flowers. So at a certain point in my life I decided that I wanted to be a bee.
The Apostle Paul says: “Rejoice with joy unspeakable,” and the Easter prokeimenon says: “This day which the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad on it.” “This” day – without reservations, whether it is good, bad, or dangerous. The Lord created this day, gave us life on this very day, and we must, in these circumstances in which we find ourselves, be saved by asking ourselves the question: “What does the Lord God want from me today?” Amen.
The emergence of the Orthodox Church in America is connected with the missionary activity of the Russian Church. At the end of the 18th century, Russian missionaries - monks of the Valaam and Konevsky monasteries - came to preach the word of God to Russian America, then a remote part of their own Fatherland. At the same time, they did not set themselves the goal of Russifying the local population - one of their first tasks was the translation of the Holy Scriptures and liturgical books into the languages of local peoples. And the seeds of the faith of Christ, sown here, bore abundant fruit, and St. Herman of Alaska and St. Innocent (Veniaminov) were glorified as saints. By the end of the 1960s, negotiations between representatives of the American Metropolis and the Russian Orthodox Church began, as a result of which in April 1970 the Orthodox Church in America was granted autocephaly.
HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
Vast areas of North America, especially its most remote northern parts, were mostly discovered and explored by intrepid Russian explorers. “Hundreds of Russian names over a vast area, from the westernmost of the Aleutian Islands almost to San Francisco Bay, from the southernmost point of Alaska to the northernmost, testify to the remarkable feat of our people.” “Back in the 18th century, exploring a region unknown to Europeans until that time, Russian people brought here the first seeds of Russian Orthodoxy. Among the Aleuts and residents of Alaska, the name of the citizen of the city of Rylsk, Kursk province, merchant Grigory Ivanovich Shelikhov (1748 -1795) - the founder of that land of the first permanent Russian settlements. Establishing peaceful trade with the local residents, teaching them crafts, literacy, numeracy, ..., preparing translators, craftsmen and sailors from the local residents, Shelikhov simultaneously sought to instill in them the basic concepts of the Orthodox faith in the Triune God, in Christ the Savior, taught them the initial prayers, sometimes baptized them, since at first there was no priest among the industrialists; in various places he installed large wooden crosses as symbols of the fact that the honor of the first visit and development of these places belongs to Russian Orthodox people" (Adamov A. Shelikhov G.I. - M., 1952. P. 3..).
According to the proposal of Grigory Ivanovich and a person close to him, also a merchant, a resident of the city of Irkutsk, Ivan Larionovich Golikov, the Holy Synod appointed in 1793 the first Orthodox mission to Alaska, composed mainly of Valaam monks led by Archimandrite Joasaph (Bolotov) . According to the “Instruction” received by the head of the mission from Metropolitan Gabriel of St. Petersburg, its main goal was to spread the light of Christ among the local American population and to create the Orthodox Church in a foreign land.
In September 1794, after a long ten-month journey, the mission arrived at its destination - on the island. Kodiak. Here the missionaries faced harsh conditions: an inhospitable climate, foreign customs and food that made the monks sick. The difficult task lay ahead of bringing people who had lived for a long time in the darkness of paganism and idolizing the forces of nature to the knowledge of the true God.
Upon arrival, the missionaries immediately built a temple, baptized and educated the natives. By the end of 1796, the number of Christians in North America reached 12 thousand. The success of the mission was greatly hampered by the cruel and unfair attitude of Russian industrialists towards the local population, about which the head of the mission, Archimandrite Joasaph, repeatedly sent reports to Russia. Having received no answer, he himself and two other monks went to Siberia in 1798 to resolve this important issue. Archimandrite is here. By decision of the Holy Synod, Joasaph was consecrated Bishop of Kodiak, vicar of the Irkutsk diocese, so that, having the authority of a bishop, he could overcome obstacles to the success of missionary work in Alaska. But on the way back, the ship on which the newly consecrated bishop was located sank, and everyone died.
Of course, this was a huge loss, but by the Providence of God the most prominent missionary became the Monk Herman of Alaska, the only monk in the mission who was not ordained. With his preaching and deeds of Christian charity and love, he attracted many natives into the fold of the Orthodox Church.
In 1811, due to an escalating conflict with the head of a company of Russian industrialists, the Holy Synod was forced to close the American diocesan see and transfer the affairs of the mission to the Irkutsk diocese.
In 1823 on the island. Priest John Veniaminov (later Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna) arrived in Unalaska. It is difficult to overestimate his contribution to the education of America. Possessing truly apostolic zeal and extensive knowledge in the field of ethnography and linguistics, Fr. John studied the language and customs of his flock well. A school for boys was opened on the island of Unalaska, where he himself taught. Father John even created a written language in the Aleuts, which they did not have before, and translated many biblical liturgical and instructive texts.
After the death of his wife, Fr. John (in 1849), with the blessing of his confessor Saint Philaret (Drozdov), took monastic tonsure with the name Innocent, and soon was consecrated Bishop of Kamchatka, Kuril and Aleutian. Arriving at the department in Novoarkhangelsk (the center of the then Russian possessions), the saint founded the All-Colonial School for the training of sailors, cartographers, doctors, etc. among the local population.
In 1867, Alaska was sold to America, and in the Russian Church there was talk about the abolition of the mission, but Bishop Innocent saw in this the Providence of God arranging everything for the good. At this time, he wrote that in order to spread the Orthodox faith throughout the United States, pastors should be specially trained so that they have a good command of the English language, and thus Orthodoxy could spread throughout America.
In 1872, the episcopal see was transferred from Novoarkhangelsk to San Francisco; At the same time, English was introduced into church services.
At the end of the 19th century, a mass of emigrants, Ukrainian landless peasants, arrived from Russia to Canada in search of a better life. Orthodox Ukrainians became one of the first bearers of the Christian faith in this country. They united into parish communities, erected churches and invited clergy.
The Carpatho-Russians of the former Austria-Hungary also left their native lands. Experiencing social need, they left their native Carpathians for America. Many of them belonged to the Uniate schism, but the Lord soon raised up from their midst good shepherds who brought many into the fold of Orthodoxy. Among these good workers in the field of Christ, Archpriest Alexy Tovt especially worked. Later (in 1916) the Pittsburgh diocese was even opened, the parishioners of which were mainly Americans of Carpathian origin. In total, in the period from 1891 to the First World War, about 120 Uniate Carpathian parishes reunited with the Russian Orthodox Church in America.
In 1905, the diocesan center of the Aleutian and North American Diocese was moved to New York due to the increase in the number of parishes in the western United States. At the request of the growing Orthodox community in New York, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church allocated 20 thousand dollars, and in 1904 a majestic temple in the name of St. Nicholas was erected. Through the efforts of Archbishop Tikhon, the missionary school that existed in Minneapolis was transformed into a seminary, a Theological School was founded in Cleveland, a male cenobitic monastery was opened in Pennsylvania, and liturgical books were also translated into English.
By 1918, the American diocese had four vicariates - Alaska, Brooklyn, Pittsburgh and Canada; consisted of three missions (Albanian, Syrian, Serbian), 271 churches, 51 chapels, 31 deaneries, 257 clergy, about 60 brotherhoods; had the St. Tikhon's Monastery in South Canaan, an orphanage at the monastery, a Theological Seminary, and church schools; numbered up to 300 thousand believers. The North American Mission also had its own printed publications, among which the official one was the American Orthodox Herald. An Orthodox folk newspaper, Svet, was also published, which aimed to maintain the spirit of the people, the memory of the fatherland, and the defense of Orthodoxy in the American flock.
The fullness of Russian Orthodox church life in America already at the beginning of the century led Russian church leaders in the United States to think about the independence of the Church. In 1906, Archbishop Tikhon, in his report to the Pre-Conciliar Commission in Russia, recommended that the American Diocese be given broad autonomy. The same was repeated in 1916 by Archbishop Evdokim (Meshchersky). However, the dream of Archbishop Tikhon and his successors was not destined to come true then.
The 1917 revolution in Russia had a very painful impact on Orthodox life in America. On the eve of the revolution, Archbishop Evdokim (Meshchersky) of North America and several priests left for the Moscow Council of 1917–1918. Because of the events that unfolded in Russia, Archbishop Evdokim was unable to return to America, and soon became a Renovationist. Regular relations between the Church in America and the Church in Russia became impossible. Moreover, all spiritual and financial support provided by the Russian Church towards the American Orthodox Church immediately ceased. The American Church found itself in a very difficult situation, which provoked the emergence of many and very critical problems.
In order to resolve these problems in the American Church, it was decided to convene a Council, the second in a row, which was carried out in 1919. It was decided to elect a new diocesan bishop. After the departure of Archbishop Evdokim, the American Church was ruled by his senior vicar, Bishop Alexander (Nemolovsky). Almost unanimously, the Second All-American Council elected him Archbishop of North America, and this election was confirmed by His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon.
But he did not hold this post for long. Having encountered the difficulties of governing under conditions of forced separation from the Mother Church, he did not want not only to remain in the department, but even to continue his stay in America. As soon as Metropolitan Platon (Rozhdestvensky) of Kherson and Odessa, who had previously occupied the North American See from 1907 to 1914, arrived in America from Russia, His Eminence Alexander transferred to him all the affairs of managing the diocese (1922), and he himself left for Europe.
Metropolitan Plato's position as the ruling bishop in America was determined at the American Council of 1922, and in 1923 official notice of his appointment to the North American See was sent to him.
Before the Russian Revolution of 1917, Orthodoxy in America was structurally unified, under the authority of the Russian bishop. But when the October Revolution took place, fragmentation occurred: the Greeks founded their own diocese, the Serbs - theirs, the Arabs - theirs, etc. Thus arose, quite contrary to the normal canonical order, the existence of parallel jurisdictions on a single territory. A big problem was also the existence of schismatics from the Living Church.
In 1924, the Fourth All-American Council, in view of the need for strong local government of the Church, proclaimed the temporary self-government of the Church in America, which should exist until such time as it would be possible to restore normal relations with the Church in Russia. The Council also reaffirmed the election of Metropolitan Plato and decided to begin developing a permanent, complete charter for the American Orthodox Church, but due to various problems and difficulties in the organization, the Church was governed by various temporary charters for the next thirty years until it finally came to the approval of a permanent one.
Metropolitan Platon died in 1934. The Council was convened again, which again struggled with the problem of different jurisdictions, with the living church problem, etc. In this regard, the temporary self-government of the American Church was once again confirmed, and Archbishop Theophilus (Pashkovsky) was elected its head. He became Metropolitan of All America and Canada.
Some church historians have a slightly different view of the causes and consequences of the American Church's transition to self-government. In particular, prof. K. E. Skurat in his book on the history of Local Churches writes: “The life of the Orthodox Church in America would undoubtedly have returned to normal if Metropolitan Plato had drawn the correct conclusions from the events that took place in Russia, and, while maintaining filial obedience to the highest church authority, would have directed all its spiritual forces to the construction of local church life. The American Church would not have experienced the severe internal crisis into which it soon found itself, especially after the arrival from Moscow of the “living churchman” - the married bishop John Kedrovsky, who managed to present himself before the American court as "true" representative of the highest church authority in Russia and take away from Metropolitan Plato the cathedral in New York with his residence. The "Foreign Synod of Bishops" in Karlovci (Yugoslavia) soon began to demand recognition of their authority over him from Metropolitan Plato. Unfortunately, , Metropolitan Plato did not draw the proper conclusion from all this: to affirm the unity of the Orthodox American flock with the Mother Church, but led it along the path of alienation. He sometimes began to use the church pulpit for political speeches directed against the Mother Church and Russia.
In the conditions of separation from the Mother Church, the Greek Catholic Church in North America appeared alone in front of well-organized and purposefully operating Catholic and Protestant missions. The leaders of the Orthodox Church in America had to not think about the spread of Orthodoxy on the American continent, which was inherent in their glorious predecessors, but were more concerned about preserving their flock. First of all, the Vatican did not fail to take advantage of the difficult situation of the diocese, which began to attract to itself, on the basis of union, Orthodox parishes that had been knocked out of their rut. Protestants also tried to keep up with him. The latter began to attract the distressed Orthodox Church to their side, providing it with material assistance. Thus, they assigned a monthly “salary” to Metropolitan Plato, and also allocated the necessary funds for the convening of the Detroit Council in 1924, which adopted the first anti-canonical resolution on the temporary autonomy of the Russian Orthodox Church in America without prior consultation and consent from the Mother Church , although he noted the need to regulate relations with the Russian Church in the future.
When His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon learned about the non-canonical activities of Metropolitan Platon, he immediately in January 1924, by a special decree, relieved him of the administration of the North American diocese. Metropolitan Platon did not accept the patriarchal decree and consistently led the American flock towards its complete separation from the Mother Church. The situation was further complicated by the fact that on April 7, 1925, Patriarch Tikhon died. After the death of His Holiness the Patriarch, internal church schisms in the Russian Orthodox Church revived and, naturally, the main attention of the highest church administration was now directed to streamlining internal life. Only in March 1933, by the decision of the Deputy Patriarchal Locum Tenens Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky) and the Holy Synod, the rector of the Three Hierarchs' Compound was sent to America to clarify the situation on the American continent, as well as to become familiar with the actual attitude of Metropolitan Plato to the Mother Church and the Motherland he left behind. in Paris, Archbishop Veniamin (Fedchenkov)."
In connection with the statement of Metropolitan Plato about the severance of canonical relations and his withdrawal from subordination to the Mother Church, by the decision of the Patriarchal Locum Tenens Metropolitan Sergius and the Holy Synod in 1933, Veniamin (Fedchenkov) was appointed ruling bishop of the North American diocese with the title of Archbishop of Aleutian and North American, in the title of Exarch of the Moscow Patriarchate. Thus, the Exarchate of the Moscow Patriarchate in North and South America was established, uniting parishes faithful to the Mother Church and existing until April 10, 1970, when, in connection with the granting of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in America, it was abolished.
In the 40s, the Church in Russia gained some freedom and the election of a patriarch took place (1943). The Church in America rejoiced at this and sought reconciliation with the Mother Church. In this regard, at the 7th All-American Council (1946) it was decided to ask the Russian Mother Church for autonomy. At that time, negotiations were unsuccessful.
At the 13th All-American Council (1967), the question was raised about officially changing the name of the Church, which then sounded: Russian Orthodox Greek-Catholic Church in America. The bishop forbade the Council to make a decision on this issue, as he considered it too premature. After a lengthy debate on the issue, the bishops still allowed an informal vote. The vote took place, and the overwhelming majority was in favor of renaming the “Orthodox Church in America.”
By the end of the 1960s, negotiations between representatives of the American Metropolis and the Russian Orthodox Church began again, as a result of which, in April 1970, the Orthodox Church in America was granted autocephaly. This new status of the Church was accepted and confirmed in October 1970 at the Fourteenth All-American Council, which became the first Council of the Local Autocephalous Orthodox Church in America. At this time, the Primate of the Church was Irenaeus, Metropolitan of All America and Canada.
Fifteenth in diptych in the great family of autocephalous Orthodox Churches, the Local Orthodox Church in America has everything necessary for its independent existence. It has 16 dioceses, has more than 500 parishes (in the USA, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Venezuela) and has about a million flock.
In 1971, the Albanian diocese in the USA was accepted into the Orthodox Church in America according to its request. In the same year, the Orthodox Church in America organized a mission in Australia, headed by an administrator with the rank of archimandrite. The mission's activities yielded positive results - in 1974, several Orthodox Russian communities of "Karlovites" received canonical status under the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church in America.
In the spring of 1972, over 20 priests and about 20 thousand laity of the Mexican National Old Catholic Church (formed in the 20s of the current century) joined the Orthodox Church in America. In this regard, the Mexican Exarchate was formed.
Even before the declaration of autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in America, part of the Orthodox Romanians along with priests - about 40 parishes in the USA and Canada, separated in 1951 from the Church in America of the Romanian Patriarchate. The latter separated the affiliated parishes into an autonomous diocese called the “Romanian Orthodox Bishopric of America” and awarded its bishop the title “Detroit and Michigan.”
Currently, the Orthodox Church in America has male and female monasteries, three Theological Seminaries and an Academy. There are also courses for training deacons. As a rule, the courses are accepted for people of mature age who already have a civilian specialty. Almost every parish has Sunday schools. Programs and materials for them are prepared and published by the Committee for Religious Education of the Church.
Publishing activities are also widespread: a church calendar is published annually, as well as many magazines and newspapers in different languages. In addition, there are other publications in both English and Russian from various organizations associated with the Church - the Federation of Russian Orthodox Clubs (which includes American-born Orthodox), the All-American Organization of Orthodox Women, mutual aid organizations, brotherhood and sisterhood and etc.
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In the 20s of the 19th century, Father John Veniaminov arrived in Alaska and began missionary preaching. Among his many accomplishments was the translation of Scripture and worship into local dialects, for which he also created an alphabet and grammar. Around 1840, Father John was elected to episcopal service and took the name Innocent. Orthodoxy is spreading among Alaska Natives, but Bishop Innocent also visits California and the Orthodox community of Fort Ross, north of San Francisco. As a result, he returns to Moscow and becomes Metropolitan of Moscow (a few years ago he was canonized).
Along with the growth of church life in Alaska, more and more immigrants are arriving in what we now call the “lower 48.” In 1860, a parish was founded in San Francisco - now it is the Holy Trinity Cathedral, and gradually parishes began to appear throughout the country. With an influx at the end of the 19th – beginning of the 20th centuries.
In 1917, a revolution broke out and communication between the North American diocese and the Russian Church was interrupted. In the early 1920s, Patriarch of Moscow Saint Tikhon, who headed the North American diocese from 1897 to 1907, issued a decree calling on dioceses remaining outside the borders of Russia (by that time the Soviet Union) to independently organize their lives until normal relations with Russian Church. Shortly thereafter, at a council of all bishops, priests and lay representatives of North America, it was decided that the North American Church could no longer maintain administrative ties with the Church of Russia, especially after the arrest of Patriarch Tikhon (who subsequently died in 1925). Accordingly, various ethnic groups that were previously part of a single diocese established separate “jurisdictions” within the “mother” Churches of their historical homeland. This has given rise to the sad modern situation of numerous jurisdictions, with overlapping interests, which are based more on ethnic identity than on the non-canonical principle of a single Church in a given territory.
In the early 1960s, the Orthodox Church of America - then called the "Metropolitanate" - entered into negotiations with the Russian Church to resume canonical communion. In 1970 it was restored, and the Metropolis was granted "autocephaly". This not only gave the Metropolis the right of self-government independent of other ecclesiastical centers, but also served to recognize the fact that, after almost 200 years, the Church in North America had become truly the local Church of all North Americans, regardless of their ethnic origin. At the Council of Hierarchs, Priests and Laity, held that same year, the Church adopted the name “Orthodox Church of America.” The Orthodox Church in America received autocephaly from the Russian Mother Church on April 10, 1970.
Canonical territory - USA; The jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church in America also extends to some parishes in Canada, Mexico and South America.
Today, the Orthodox Church of America, in addition to the parishes of the former "Metropolitanate", includes the Romanian Orthodox Diocese, the Albanian Orthodox Archdiocese, the Bulgarian Orthodox Diocese and the Mexican Exarchate. Moreover, over the past twenty years, about 250 new parishes have been created, having virtually no ethnic roots and using only English in worship.
The Orthodox Church of America is a full member of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of America (SCOBA), along with the Greek, Antiochian, Ukrainian, Carpatho-Russian and other archdioceses and dioceses. Hierarchs and priests of the Orthodox Church of America regularly concelebrate with clergy of other jurisdictions that are members of SCOBA, a visible manifestation of this unity is the annual service for the Solemnity of Orthodoxy on the first Sunday of Lent.
The Orthodox Church of America, being self-governing, has the right to elect its own First Hierarch without any external approval.
From November 12, 2008 to July 7, 2012, the Primate of the Orthodox Church in America was Metropolitan Jonah, former Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada.
By the decision of the Holy Synod of Bishops dated July 9, 2012, the senior consecrated member of the Synod, His Eminence Nathanael, Archbishop of Detroit, governing the Romanian Diocese, was appointed Locum Tenens of the Orthodox Church in America. His Eminence Michael, Bishop of New York and New Jersey, has been appointed administrator of the Orthodox Church in America.
On November 13, 2012, the XVII All-American Council, which opened in the city of Parma (Ohio), elected His Eminence Tikhon as the sixth Primate of the Orthodox Church in America.
Many people admire how beautiful and majestic ancient European churches are. However, America also has something to show. After all, just because a church is young does not mean that it is necessarily ugly. You may be surprised at the scenery that will unfold before your eyes if you decide to visit some of the most beautiful and impressive churches in the United States.
Cathedral of Saint John Divine
This cathedral is located 20 minutes from Times Square in New York, it takes up an entire block and is also incredibly tall. In fact, it is the only church in the world that is larger than St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. The limestone and granite structure is so impressive that it rivals any European church.
Washington Cathedral
There is no shortage of churches in Washington, but none is more remarkable than the Washington Cathedral. This cathedral has become the place where the funerals of all great people are held - 21 presidents and other significant figures for the country were buried here. Its appearance is also striking and can give competition to European churches. It is also worth noting a very eccentric detail - a statue of Darth Vader was recently erected on one of the towers as a modern symbol of evil.
St Mary's Cathedral
It is amazing and amazing that this cathedral still exists. It was first built in 1899 and soon became a parish school. The building was rebuilt in 1920, although there was a severe shortage of resources due to the effects of the First World War. By 1960, many residents had fled the region, and in 1988 the cathedral was prepared for demolition, but funds were allocated at the last minute for major repairs and the rescue of the 26 nine-foot angel statues.
Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis
The archbishops of St. Louis in the early twentieth century were incredibly persistent in their desire to build the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. Even a devastating tornado could not stop them from raising one million dollars to build a cathedral in the Byzantine and Romanesque styles. In 1908, the cornerstone was laid and the cathedral was dedicated to Christ and King Louis IX.
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral was built in 1907 when the local archbishop noticed a growing need for a larger place of worship for local people. The cathedral itself was created in the bozar style. In 2012, the Vatican announced that the cathedral has a "bond of spiritual affinity" with St. Peter's Basilica, meaning that if you make a spiritual pilgrimage to this cathedral, it is equivalent to a pilgrimage directly to the Vatican.
Chapel of the Crown of Thorns
This chapel is located deep in the Ozark Mountains and is built on hundreds of tons of rocks, allowing it to almost completely blend into the surrounding area. This structure is 48 feet tall and has 425 windows that offer wonderful views of the surrounding forest. Arkansas resident Jim Reed once bought this land to build his retirement home here, but instead decided to create a peaceful place where travelers could pray without interruption.
Cathedral of St Mary's High Hill
There are several brightly colored churches in this vibrant German-Czech area between Houston and San Antonio, but this one is known as the queen of them all. The church was built in 1906 and has 18 stained glass windows depicting biblical scenes. They were bought in Germany by local residents and donated to the cathedral. Inside you will also find carved statues, murals and more.
Memorial Presbyterian Church
This church is the oldest Presbyterian church in Florida. It was built by Henry Flagler in memory of his daughter, who died due to complications during childbirth. Its design is inspired by the Venetian Renaissance style (namely St. Mark's Basilica). The church has a 150-foot dome with a 20-foot Greek cross on top.
Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France
The Basilica of St. Louis, which overlooks the famous Jackson Square, is the oldest church in continuous use in the United States. The basilica was built in 1720 and dedicated to the French king Louis IX, at that time both colonists and slaves were baptized there. Unfortunately, the original church burned to the ground in 1788 and was rebuilt in 1794.
Grace Cathedral
Grace Cathedral in San Francisco was built in the image of Notre Dame Cathedral in France. The intricate stained glass windows that decorate the church were inspired by various biblical scenes. These stained glass windows were made in a medieval style, the story is told from the bottom up, as if rising to God.
Pilgrim's Chapel
The Pilgrim Chapel is located approximately 45 minutes from Los Angeles and is the perfect combination of nature and architectural genius. This chapel is also called the "glass chapel", as it is almost entirely made of glass, so that from inside there is a stunning view of the surrounding forests. It was created by Lloyd Wright, the son of the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
St. Andrew's Cathedral
This cathedral is located in Honolulu's historic district and serves as a reminder of Hawaii's long Anglican Episcopal history. This first Gothic cathedral in Hawaii was built on the initiative of the British royal family, who even donated part of their royal gardens to be placed on the cathedral grounds. Construction was completed in 1886.