The Return to Orthodoxy

From 1891 to 1895, the St. Michael’s community was involved in issues and pressures affecting many other Russian-American communities around the country. Disputes arose concerning old country politics, nationality differences, and especially religious identity. The year 1891 saw the conversion to Orthodoxy of one of the first Uniate parishes in America, the Protection of the Virgin Mary Church in Minneapolis, MN through the guidance of its pastor, St. Alexis Toth. This step would begin a return to Orthodoxy movement throughout many Uniate communities in America, spearheaded by the missionary efforts of Fr. Toth. Apparently many  founding members of St. Michael’s in Old Forge in their hearts longed to return to the Holy Orthodox Faith of their ancestors.

During this time of factional tension and transition, St. Michael’s received its first resident pastor, Fr. Gregory Hrushka, who served from 1896-1901. Fr. Gregory has to be seen as a pivotal figure in St. Michael’s history. He evidently provided the impetus and inspiration for St. Michael’s coming reception into the Orthodox Church. He came to Old Forge from a Uniate parish in Jersey City, NJ and was very active in church and immigrant affairs, editing two Russian newspapers, “Svoboda”, and later “Svit” (The Light) while in Old Forge. He was well-educated and had Orthodox sympathies.

Fr. Hrushka arrived as construction of the church neared completion. The date of consecration was approaching and by this time the majority of parishioners manifested a desire to be Orthodox. Unlike the Austro-Hungarian Empire, where their true spiritual identity had been suppressed, the people realized that in America they had the freedom, even as a minority group, to worship as they pleased. At one point earlier in 1895, this commitment was expressed in one revealing episode. Troubles were such that the Uniate-minded minority called the Roman Catholic Bishop O’Hara of Scranton to intervene in Old Forge. On the day he arrived, there were no Uniates present, but faithful pro-Orthodox who told the Bishop that his presence was not requested.

It was on December 25, 1896, that Russian Orthodox Bishop Nicholas was invited to Old Forge. On this God-ordained day he accepted St. Michael’s Parish into the Holy Orthodox Church. The Uniate faction apparently, prior to this occasion, has initiated court proceedings for the possession of the Church property.  After the bishop’s visit, those proceedings were dropped and a split occurred in the mostly Carpathian Uniate group to organize St. Nicholas Greek Catholic Church down the street from St. Michael’s. In 1897, St. Michael’s became chartered as “St. Michael Russian Othodox Greek Catholic Church”.

During this period, Fr. Alexis Toth had come to Wilkes-Barre and had succeeded in bringing many area Uniate parishes into the Orthodox fold. Among these was the Holy Resurrection Church where he was pastor. This parish was originally planned to the seat of the future Uniate bishop, instead became today’s Holy Resurrection Orthodox Cathedral. Frs. Toth and Hrushka were close friends and Fr. Hrushka had undoubtedly been inspired to follow Fr. Toth into Holy Orthodoxy along with his family Old Forge faithful. In a sermon by Fr. Alexis Toth given at St. Michael’s, he proclaimed “His (Christ’s) Holy Orthodox Faith and Church is the only one that brings salvation.” Fr. Toth, now St. Alexis Toth, is called the “Father of  the Orthodox Church in America.” 

St. Michael’s received another holy visitor in 1897 when Archbishop Tikon, then bishop of North America, and later Confessor Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (He died in Soviet prison in 1925 and was canonized a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1989.) consecrated St. Michael’s first church building. The parish received a citation (hramota) signed November 29, 1897 by Metropolitan Pallady of St. Petersburg, Russia. In it is expressed praise of the St. Michael’s parishioners for their courage in accepting Orthodoxy and refusal to accept the Roman bishop requested by the opposing faction, and trust that the Parish would always remain fervently Russian Orthodox.

ST. MICHAEL’S PARISH HISTORY

A journey of faith, a labor of love – for the Glory of God

THE FIRST 100 YEARS

Our Parish Icon of St. Tikhon,

Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia,

Evangelizer and Apostle to America and

Consecrator of our blessed parish

Click here to learn more about St. Tikhon

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St. Alexis of Wilkes-Barre

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