Tragedy struck the young parish early on as the original church building was destroyed by fire in 1903. It was rebuilt the same year and is known to current members as the “old Church” which stood until 1965. This occurred under the pastorship of Fr. Elias Klopotovsky who arrived in Old Forge in 1901, following Fr. Hrushka. Of sad note is the apparent outcome for Fr. Hrushka. After serving in Old Forge, he returned to Galicia and apostasized, returning to the Unia and died in 1913 according to a previous account, as “a forgotten and disillusioned man,” with no further explanation.

Fr. Elias Klopotovsky was the first priest form the regions of Great Russia to serve in St. Michael’s. He worked faithfully and diligently until 1906. During his pastorate, one of the nineteen holy icons entitled “Zagrafskaya Ikona” was given to St. Michael’s by an unknown Russian monk of St. Panteleimon’s Russian Orthodox Monastery on Mt. Athos in Greece. These icons were sent as gifts to the first nineteen of the American parishes which were formally Uniate, but returned to Holy Orthodoxy. These icons were each blessed with water from the River Jordan and contain the holy relics of the Holy Unmercenary healers Sts. Cosmas and Damian, plus cotton soaked in the holy oil of the vigil light which burned in front of the original Theotokos icon in the Zagraf Monastery of Eastern Europe.

There is a story behind this icon which helps better understand the meaning of this gift. In Zagraf, on October 10, 1276, twenty-six Orthodox faithful were martyred, burned to death in the presence of the original “Zagrafskaya” icon. This cruel act was inflicted by Roman Catholics because these righteous ones refused to give up their Orthodox Faith by uniting with the Pope of Rome. What a precious gift and treasure we are privileged to have in this holy icon! In the old Church, it was seen above the Royal Doors of the iconastasis. In the new Church it hangs from the choir balcony above the rear glass doors of the nave. It was last venerated in Lent of 1991 at an Akathist Service to the Theotokos. (Note: There was an Akathist to the Theotokos served in commemoration of the Zagraf icon on October 10, 2008. Plans are to do this annually)

ST. MICHAEL’S PARISH HISTORY

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

THE FIRST 100 YEARS

The “Old Church”

Interior of the “Old Church”

“Zagrafskaya” Icon of the Mother of God

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©2007-2010 JS Graphic Design and St. Michael’s Orthodox Church

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