Category: Firsts

A Greek priest in Arizona in the 17th century (??)

While looking for something else, I happened upon an incredible anecdote in a book called Arizona: A State Guide, by Thomas J. Tormey (Hastings House, 1940). From page 389: TACNA, 79.6 m. (340 alt., 7 pop.), began as a stage station called Antelope Hill. In the seventeenth century, a Greek...

Agapius Honcharenko: answers to some questions

Recently, Nicholas Chapman published several newly-discovered documents relating to Agapius Honcharenko here at OH.org. A reader named Reg responded with this comment: This is getting confusing. Matthew since you wrote the original story on Honcharenko, could I ask you to post a timeline on Honcharenko: Date & place of birth...

The Case Against Agapius Honcharenko

Editor's note: Over the past several weeks, we have been publishing some historical documents which Nicholas Chapman recently discovered in London. Here are the relevant links: Nicholas’ introduction to the documents A letter by St. Philaret of Moscow on Orthodoxy in America in 1865 A letter by Agapius Honcharenko in...

Agapius Honcharenko in defense of himself

Editor's note: Today, we present the second of three historical documents recently discovered by Nicholas Chapman. On August 24, we published Nicholas' introduction to the documents, and last week, we published a letter by St. Philaret of Moscow on the subject of Orthodoxy in America in 1865. Today's document is...

St. Philaret of Moscow on Orthodoxy in America in 1865

Editor's note: Last week, Nicholas Chapman introduced three documents he found in the National Archives in London, under the heading "The Russian Orthodox Church in America and Its Clergy in 1865." Today, we present the first of these documents -- a letter from His Holiness Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow, to...

The American tour of a Greek archbishop in 1893

As we've discussed several times in the past, in 1893, a Greek archbishop visited the United States. His name was Archbishop Dionysius Latas of Zante, and he came to America to attend the World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago. That's where we last saw him; today, we'll pick up Abp...

From Repki to the New World: A Belarusian Priest in America

Editor's note: For quite a while now, I have been corresponding with Ales Simakou of Gomel, Belarus. Ales describes himself as "a researcher of Belarusian-American (especially Indian) contacts," and he has been researching the life of Fr. Nikolai Grinkevich, a Belarusian priest who was ordained in San Francisco and served in...

The first biography of St. Innocent, part 3

What follows is Part 3 of Charles Hale's 1877 biography of St. Innocent. Click here to read Part 1, and click here to read Part 2. Consecrated for a great work he [Innocent] was as prompt to set about it as he was earnest in his labor. Stourdza's "Remembrancer" contains...

The first biography of St. Innocent, part 2

Editor's note: Last week, we presented the first part of the first biography of St. Innocent, written by the Episcopalian clergyman Charles R. Hale. What follows is Part 2, which details the introduction of Orthodoxy to Alaska and the priestly ministry of Fr. John Veniaminoff, the future St. Innocent. Tomorrow,...