Tag: 1900


Bogus aristocrats and Orthodox saints


At the very end of the 19th century, a fellow going by the name "Theodor O'Brien MacDonald, Baron de Stuart" appeared in New York City. His second and third names notwithstanding, the "Baron" claimed to be the son of a Russian general. He left Russia, so he said, because he...

The census record of Fr. Misael Karydis


Fr. Misael Karydis is one of many odd, mysterious figures from early American Orthodox history. We've discussed him at length in past articles. He was the longtime pastor of Holy Trinity Church in New Orleans, from 1881 until his suicide in 1901, and besides his pastoral work, he was apparently...

The Russian Diocese in the <i>San Francisco Call</i>, 1900


Editor's note: On April 22, 1900, the San Francisco Call published a full-page spread on Orthodoxy in America. The author, Sarah Comstock, visited San Francisco's Holy Trinity Cathedral and interviewed the cathedral dean, Fr. Sebastian Dabovich. The resulting article (below) was accompanied by several photos, some of which I have reproduced...

Early Orthodoxy in Alabama and Georgia


In June of 1900, an Archimandrite Dorotheo -- I don't know his last name -- came to Birmingham, Alabama. He had traveled there from Chicago, although I'm not sure which Chicago parish he was affiliated with. Borrowing a local Episcopal church -- the Church of the Advent -- he performed...

Fraudulent “Chaldean” fundraisers in America


As I've probably said a hundred times now, America is a frontier region for Orthodoxy. This was especially the case at the turn of the last century, when the chaotic nature of the American Orthodox scene provided ample opportunity for imposter priests to make a good living on unwitting Orthodox...

Fr. Jacob Korchinsky: Missionary and Martyr


Recently, on our Facebook page, someone left a comment requesting information on Fr. Jacob Korchinsky, who is apparently being considered for canonization. I was vaguely familiar with Korchinsky; I'd read his name before, but knew next to nothing about him. Obviously, I wanted to learn more. Over the past couple...

Calendar issues in early American Orthodoxy


One of the most obvious practical issues facing early Orthodox Christians in America was the difference between the Church calendar -- the "Julian" calendar -- and the civil ("Gregorian") calendar. In the 19th century, twelve days separated the two calendars; after the turn of the century, the difference was thirteen...