Tag: AFR


The Bulgarian Monk visits San Jose


In the latest episode of my American Orthodox History podcast,  I talk about Rev. A.N. Experidon, better known as "the Bulgarian Monk." He was, without a doubt, the weirdest man in the history of American Orthodoxy. For the whole story, I'd encourage you to listen to the podcast, but below,...

The Myth of Past Unity: some clarifications


On today's episode of my American Orthodox History podcast, we're airing my talk, "The Myth of Past Unity," given at the St Vladimir's Seminary conference in June. For video of that lecture, click here. I wrote an "author's note" to go at the end of my paper. I didn't have...

The First Black Orthodox Priest in America


On today's episode of the American Orthodox History podcast, we're running a lecture I gave at the Brotherhood of St Moses the Black conference in Indianapolis at the end of May. The subject is Fr Raphael Morgan, the first black Orthodox priest in America. The text of the lecture is below....

A Letter to President McKinley


In my latest American Orthodox History podcast on Ancient Faith Radio, I spoke with Eric Peterson about Alaskan Orthodoxy in the period following the 1867 sale of Alaska by Russia to the United States. This was a tragic period, and for decades, a Presbyterian missionary named Rev. Sheldon Jackson ruled Alaska...

St. Vladimir’s lecture


The talks from the recent conference at St. Vladimir's Seminary may now be viewed online, courtesy of St. Andrew House in Detroit. You can also listen to the audio at Ancient Faith Radio. The video of my own talk, "The Myth of Past Unity," can be found here: (A direct link is...

“He kindles its very snows with his warm zeal…”


On my Ancient Faith Radio podcast, I'm in the midst of a three-part interview series with Eric Peterson on the subject of Alaskan Orthodox history. Today, AFR aired Part 2 of that series, focusing on the period from 1824 (St. Innocent) to 1867 (the sale of Alaska to the United...

Chicago, 1888


In 1888, a pan-Orthodox parish was almost established in Chicago. On my Ancient Faith Radio podcast, American Orthodox History, I devoted an episode to that story. I read from a couple of newspaper articles, the most interesting of which is below (Chicago Daily Tribune, May 14, 1888):

Matthew Namee at SVS


At the "Orthodoxy in America: Past, Present and Future" conference at St. Vladimir's Seminary in New York, SOCHA member Matthew Namee presented his paper The Myth of Past Unity, addressing the issue of the character of administrative unity prior to the establishment of the Greek Archdiocese in 1921. You can...

Live videostream of SOCHA member


At the "Orthodoxy in America: Past, Present and Future" conference at St. Vladimir's Seminary in New York, SOCHA member Matthew Namee will be presenting his paper The Myth of Past Unity, addressing the issue of the character of administrative unity prior to the establishment of the Greek Archdiocese in 1921....