The sounds of Orthodox worship were heard for the
first time in California at Fort Ross, where there resided a fortified Russian
settlement for the purpose of trade with California Spaniards and the
protection of the Russian-American Trade Company of Alaskaıs sea hunting. In
the small bay of Bodega, fifty miles north of San Francisco, a Russian schooner
took shelter with Aleut leather kayaks. Not far from the bay on a prominence
stood Fort Ross, in which could be seen a modest chapel. There Russians,
together with Aleut and California Indian converts to Orthodoxy sang and prayed
according to the Slavonic Psalter and Book of Hours. The first Indian converts
were apparently baptized by lay people, as once were the Aleuts on Kodiak
island. But later [converts] were unquestionably baptized by priests who came
here from Sitka to conduct divine services and rites. Among those
priest-missionaries was the famous Fr. Ioann Veniaminov, who visited here from
Sitka. In 1884 the writer of this notebook observed children of Russian and
California Indian mixed marriages in the settlement of Novoarchangelsk (or
Sit-kha in the Tlingit dialect) on Baranoff Island.
Thus Russia, or more precisely the Russian-American
Company, first owned property in California back in 1808. Fort Ross was built
and consecrated in 1812. The first Orthodox community in California comprised
the major part of the population of these holdings. On feast days the entire
population gathered for common prayer in the chapel, the ruins of which can
still be seen today. The river, which flows through this region among the
straight tall redwood trunks, has preserved the name ³Russian,² as has one of
the hills in the city of San Francisco itself. In 1840 all this part of Upper
California was transferred to the Americans. And so when the American Captain
Sutter raised the American flag over the former Russian fort in Sonoma County,
the sound of those singing the Orthodox ³Lord, have mercy² was no longer heard
in the chapel. The site became desolate, and it seemed that the Orthodox
Christian faith had left this land forever.
The Era of the Establishment of the Orthodox
Community in the City of San Francisco and Visits of the Russian Fleet
After such a finale to the Russian Colony in
California, it was hard to imagine that some day Orthodoxy would once more
shine here. Divine Providence, however, was pleased to act in a totally
different way.
The discovery of gold here attracted masses of people,
not only from the distant states of America, but even from the far off
countries of Europe. Among those seeking happiness in the New World were also
Orthodox Serbs and Greeks. They started coming here at the beginning of the
1850s. In 1857 Orthodox Serbs could be found as well in San Francisco. And in
the 1850s the first Russian Government Agent, Kostromitinov also lived here.
In 1859 for the first time since the transfer of Fort
Ross, a Russian Navy ship appeared in San Francisco Bay. On this ship arrived
the Hieromonk Kirill, who was enlisted in the Second Amur Squadron. He came on
shore and the same year baptized several Russian and Serb children in Mr.
Kostromitinovıs apartment on Rincon Hill in San Francisco. This was, it seems,
the first divine service for the community in California since the closure of
the chapel at Fort Ross. Then in January of 1862 another Russian Navy ship, the
Kalevala, arrived offshore at San
Francisco. On it was a Hieromonk from the Konev Nativity Monastery, Father Vitaly.
He also performed the sacraments of Baptism and Chrismation in San Francisco.
In 1863, at the time of the American Civil War, six Russian Navy ships, under
the command of Rear Admiral Popov, were stationed in San Francisco Bay for an
entire year. Among these ships there were the corvettes Bogatyr, Riga,
and Kalevala. (They came to
protect the interests of the Federal Government.) On the flagship Bogatyr, there was a Hieromonk from the Tikhvin 1st
class Monastery, Father Kirill. In 1863 he baptized several children in San
Francisco, including the writer of this notebook.
According to the testimony of the local press, the
Confederate ship Alabama did not
risk coming to San Francisco once the presence of the Russian fleet became
known.
On Pascha night in 1864, at the invitation of the
Admiral, Divine Liturgy on board the ship was attended, along with Mr.
Kostromitinov, by the Serbs Nicholas Dabovich, Peter Radovich and Andrew
Chelovich. It is not known whose idea it was to establish the Orthodox Society
in San Francisco, but it may be surmised that the initiative was taken by
Admiral Popov, because he was present at the first meeting of the society in
one of the halls of the city. Before the opening of the meeting, a Molieben
with the blessing of water was served. Father Kirill, a middle aged man with a
pleasant appearance, conducted the service. He was wearing a Cross awarded by
the Synod, an indication of his many merits.
Toward the end of 1864 the newly established Orthodox
society in San Francisco had $424.38 in a S.F. Savings Union Bank savings
account. The following were the first members of this society: Nicholas
Dabovich, Peter Radovich, George Lazarevich, Nicholas Gregovich, Bogdan
Matkovich, Andrew Chelovich, Peter Bokanovich, Peter Zenovich, John Constantine,
Michael Cheriasis, Luka Balich, Elias Vuovich, Gabriel Kustudio, Constantine
Milinovich, and John Hertso (a Roman Catholic Slav). Each of these members made
a contribution of $20.00 in gold.
Eventually the Russian ships weighed their anchors.
And there were no more priests here. It would seem that, left without a church
or a priest, this Orthodox community should have disappeared from the face of
the earth, especially in the rush for gold, for wealth Through the mercy of
God, however, this did not happen. The Orthodox — Serbs, Greeks, and
Russians — lived at that time in concord, and supported each other in a
brotherly manner. On all major feasts, they gathered together with those who
had families, and sang religious and folk songs. In those days the wax candle
did not burn down and the bread loaf did not run out in families where they
celebrated Krestno Ime (the
Serbian custom of celebrating a familyıs Nameday. Every Serbian family and
generation commemorates the acceptance of a Christian name instead of a pagan
one.)
The modest Society had already established
correspondence with the ³old country² and contemplated the acquisition of a
³pope² [priest in Serbian]. Such was the situation until 1867 when, finally and
at no oneıs invitation, there appeared a certain Honcharenko, who pretended to
be an Orthodox priest. (Detailed information about him, based on the
correspondence of Metropolitan Philaret [Drozdov, now Saint Philaret of Moscow]
and the Ober Procurator, may be found in Moskovskie Vedomosti.) At that time the Russian Consul in San Francisco
was Martin Klinkovstrem, a Russian Finn, a pious man and a strict observer of
his duties. He, together with the majority of the Orthodox population of San
Francisco, suspected Honcharenko of fraud. They began to make inquiries, and
indeed it was discovered that Honcharenko was an imposter. This Agapius
Honcharenko was a tonsured monk from the Kiev Caves Lavra. Elevated to the rank
of a hierodeacon [monk-deacon], he was assigned to the [Russian] embassy chapel
in Athens. Eventually he was fired from that job for political crimes; but he
did not return to Russia as he had been ordered. He lived subsequently in
London and finally appeared in San Francisco, married no less. Here he managed to baptize the son of a Serb
Lazarevich before his imposture was discovered. Honcharenkoıs brother now lives
on Mount Athos. The former monk in charge of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra
refectory, Father Martirius, served with him in Athens. Hegoumen George
[Chudnovsky], who later served in the Alaskan Diocese, knew Honcharenko from
Kiev.
The arrival of Honcharenko in San Francisco induced
the local Society to consider more seriously their spiritual state. Under the
leadership of Consul Klinkovstrem the Society finally became completely
organized. Its Bylaws were drawn up in a true churchly spirit, and then in
December of 1867 the legal existence of the society was ratified at City Hall.
Among the new members were the following: John Franetta, Carl Baum,
Archimandritov, Elias Chelovich, Sabbas Martinovich, A. Chausov, George Fisher,
Lasar Jovovich, and Luke Jankovich. The Russian plenipotentiary in the transferal
of Alaska to the Federal Government, Alexis Peschurov, signed up as a member of
the Society and paid his dues for several months in advance.
At that time money was cheap in California. The
country was not yet overpopulated. Monopolies were not fully established.
Compensation for labor was generous. There were no cheap Italian, or especially
Chinese, laborers. The Society members, with few exceptions, were generous in
their support of the common cause. The Director of the Russian colonies in
America, Prince Maksutov, when he passed through San Francisco on his way to
Russia, consoled the brethren with a promise of petitioning the Russian bishop
in Sitka to send them a parish priest. At the same time he donated two hundred
dollars to the Society.
And indeed, in the following year of 1868 the Priest
Nicholas Kovrigin and the Reader Basil Shishkin arrived in San Francisco from
Sitka. Liturgy was celebrated in the house of the Serb Peter Sekulovich at 3241
Mission Street, near 28th Street. At that time this was considered
to be outside of town. I remember that first service, to which I went with my
mother. We had to walk a long way along unpaved streets. Furthermore we were
mercilessly drenched by rain. At last we reached a small house; we crossed over
a ditch (or temporarily excavated gutter) on a plank and entered the church.
The ³church² was set up in a divided room. At the end opposite the entrance the
Holy Antimension lay on a covered table. A little table in a corner served as
the table of oblation. I remember two icons on the walls: the Savior and the
Mother of God. There were approximately twenty communicants at that Liturgy. When
it was time to approach the Cup of Salvation, my older brother followed my
father and I wanted to follow my mother. But I was held back and told that ³no
little ones are allowed there.² This circumstance requires an explanation.
Western Serbs, e.g. Dalmatian and others, do not allow their small children to
receive communion of the Holy Gifts. The clergy in some places to this day have
been unable to restore the Orthodox custom of communion of children.
That same summer, the Priest N. Kovrigin returned to Sitka,
but at the beginning of the following year, 1869, he came back to us with his
whole family - to remain here as a permanent priest. The parishioners installed
him in a spacious house with excellent new furniture at 516 Greenwich Street.
In this houseıs parlor there was a temporary church without an iconostasis. I
remember this house chapel for it was here that I made my first confession and
communion. At divine services Consul Klinkovstremıs three adult daughters sang
harmoniously. They, like their mother, were Orthodox. Joachim Chuda, a Serb,
served as a reader and altar server; parishioners paid him $50 a month. Besides
providing the monthly rent for the priestıs apartment and the space for the
church, the parishioners also maintained the priest by their own means. The
Orthodox community in San Francisco lived thus until the summer of 1871. In
that year the first Bishop of the Aleutian-Alaskan Diocese relocated here with
his staff from Sitka. And so San Francisco became the cathedral city of the
Diocese of the Aleutian Islands and Alaska.
The Church in San Francisco Headed by Bishops
The Right Reverend John
In summer of 1870 San Francisco parishioners were
granted the joyous opportunity of seeing two Orthodox bishops. As far as I can
remember, it happened in September, when the newly ordained Bishop John
(Mitropolsky) arrived from Europe via New York. At the same time the Right
Reverend Paul, the last Vicar Bishop of New Archangel in the far-flung Amur
Diocese, was leaving America for Siberia from San Francisco.
In 1871 the Alaskan Spiritual Consistory, which is
still in existence, was established in San Francisco. At the same time the
bishopıs school was transferred here from Sitka. In that year the Russian
church in San Francisco occupied a more suitable space than before, at 915
Jackson Street. The bishop took up residence in the same house.
From the time of the arrival of the Right Reverend
John, priests, after his example, began to proclaim the word of truth to the
flock in San Francisco. A Saturday school for the children of parishioners was
opened where they were taught the Catechism and the Russian language. Here,
under this bishop served: Archpriest Paul Kedrolivansky, as Reader and later
Deacon and Priest, Nicholas Mitropolsky (Vladykaıs brother), Deacon Michael
Netzvetov, Deacon Basil Shishkin, Reader Moses Salamatov, Priest N. Kovrigin,
Deacon M. Salamatov, Deacon Basil Kashevarov and Reader Peter Kashevarov.
Michael Vladimirov was choir director and singing teacher. He also taught
mathematics at the school. Besides the clergymen that taught at the school,
Vladyka himself also had seven classes a week, in Holy Scripture and the
Slavonic language. A native Greek, Dimitrios Frankiades, from the University of
Athens, was teacher of the Greek and English languages.
At the time of the Right Reverend John as many as
sixteen pupils studied at the bishopıs school in San Francisco. Of that number
five are now serving in various positions of the local diocese. The Right
Reverend John loved his school, one might say, with a singular love.
The church on Jackson Street was small: it was located
in two rooms with sliding doors. It was consecrated to the Holy Orthodox Prince
Alexander Nevsky. The iconostasis for this church and the majority of vessels,
vestments, liturgical books and other items had been donated by His Imperial
Highness, the Grand Duke Constantine Nikolaevich, from one of the ships of the
Russian Navy. What was yet lacking for hierarchical services, was supplied by
the reserves of St. Michael the Archangel Cathedral in Sitka. In 1873 the
bishopıs church with all its various institutions was moved to another part of
town, to the west, and namely to the huge house of Mr. Casebolt on Pierce
Street between Vallejo and Green Streets (Green street was not yet laid out
then), near the military base and fort Presidio. Members of the clergy lived,
as usual, in private apartments, with the exception of the school
superintendent, who lived in the bishopıs house. Although it was inconvenient
and far for the parishioners to travel to church, they nevertheless attended,
approximately 40 people in number every Sunday. At that time the Saturday
school for parishionersı children was discontinued. But the location was healthy and peaceful, and quite
suitable for the diocesan school.
In 1874 the authorities established a new personnel
list of San Francisco Cathedral Clergy, i.e. 1 Cathedral Dean with a salary of
2600 rubles plus 600 rubles living expenses, 1 Priest with a salary of 2300
rubles plus 500 rubles living expenses, 1 Deacon with a salary of 1200 rubles
plus 400 rubles living expenses, 2 Subdeacons with a salary of 1000 rubles each
a year plus 300 rubles living expenses and 2 Readers with a salary of 800
rubles each a year plus 300 rubles living expenses. In the same year of 1874
the Greek, Russian, Slavonian Orthodox Eastern Church and Benevolent Society
purchased land to be used as a cemetery, which was then consecrated by
Archpriest P. Kedrolivansky. This cemetery was adjacent to the Odd Fellows
Cemetery, well known in the city.
With the arrival in San Francisco of cathedral clergy the upkeep of the
church and priest by the Society was discontinued, and the Society itself began
to tend towards disintegration.
In 1875 five singers of the famous Slavonic Choir
arrived in San Francisco. Since they were all seminary trained, they were
received into the clergy. The Bishop was very gladdened by their arrival,
because he was in great need of people. Priest N. Mitropolsky left for a
position in Sitka in 1874. In that same year Deacon V. Shishkin was appointed a
priest for Alaska. In 1875 Deacon M. Salamatov received a similar appointment
to Alaska. In 1875 a priest from Montenegro, Father Sabbas Matanovich, arrived
in San Francisco. He was received into the Bishopıs house and served two or
three Liturgies, but as he was not assigned a position, he went back home after
several months. At the present time the honorable Father Matanovich is an
archpriest in Cetinje.
In the autumn of 1876 the Right Reverend John was called
back to Russia, and the Diocese was left widowed.
The Church as a Widow from 1876 to 1879
The Orthodox Church in America became an orphan. This
sad impression was left on everything. There were no more sermons heard in the
church. The Cathedral School began to disintegrate. In 1877 the church was once
more moved to the city. It was now housed in the building belonging to the
Benevolent Society at 522 Greenwich Street. It was a wooden structure, as had
been the previous ones. And here, as in former accommodations, rent was a
comparatively greater sum than was allotted for living expenses. The clergy and
school were housed in a separate little house behind the church. Now the church
ceased to be part of a house. In its current location it could accommodate up
to 500 worshippers.
1878 was especially memorable in the life of the
Church in San Francisco. A horrible crime was committed on a priest, a man whom
it seemed difficult to hate. The president of the Alaska Spiritual Consistory,
Dean of the American Churches and Cathedral Archpriest Paul Kedrolivansky was
murdered on the night of 5-6 (18) June, 1878. The late Archpriest had served in
this diocese since 1863. Here is what V. K., who served with him for 18 years,
writes about him: ³Father Archpriest was continually occupied with keeping
peace and quiet in the community with which he was involved. He was straight
forward and even tempered, honest and not malicious. He was a benefactor to
those in need, a true friend to his friends, reliable and trustworthy in his
relations towards those with whom he served in particular and to all in
general²
³The investigation into the death of Father Archpriest
was conducted with no special zeal, and for that reason his killers were given
the opportunity to set themselves up in such a way that they went unpunished.
The jury reached the verdict ³murdered by person or persons unknown.²
In the autumn of 1878 a new archpriest, appointed by
the Holy Synod, arrived in San Francisco. This was Bachelor of Theology of the
Kazan Clergy Academy Vladimir Vechtomov, formerly superintendent of the Irkutsk
Clergy School.
In 1879, once again the Lord regarded the humility of
the Orthodox children of this Diocese and sent us a good shepherd in the person
of the Right Reverend Nestor, who arrived in San Francisco in the spring,
accompanied by the Hieromonk (and later Archimandrite) German.
As usual, the Western Churches followed closely the
activities of the Eastern Churches, and in this matter the Anglican Church reported
quite sympathetically on the Right Reverend Nestorıs assignment to America.
Here, for example, is what we read about this in the London
Journal:
³The Holy Synod of the Russian Church
has appointed to the Episcopal See of the Aleutian Islands the Archimandrite
Nestor. Father Nestor was in early life known as Baron Zass; he was an officer
in the navy, and besides his theological attainments he is well versed in
secular learning, and understands fully the English language, in which he
expresses himself fluently. He is distinguished for his lofty character, his
Christian convictions, and his thorough devotion to duty. Father Nestor will be
quite in his proper place in America, for at the time of Admiral Lesoffsky's
visit to New York, in 1863, he made himself highly esteemed by the Americans.
It is to be hoped that the Episcopate of Father Nestor may be a source of close
and intimate relations between the Orthodox Russian Church and the Church of
North America. A letter which came to the Holy Synod, not long since, from the
American bishops gives reason to hope thus. God grant that through the
cooperation of the future Bishop of the Aleutian Islands brotherly relations
may be established [between] these two great Churches.²
Also in 1879 Bishop Nestor visited Sitka. In 1880 he
traveled to Unalaska. In 1881 he made an inspection of Kodiak. Having made
Bishop Nestorıs acquaintance, Americans regarded him most highly as a man
adorned with every Christian and civic merit.
In 1881 the Cathedral Church in San Francisco was
moved to its present location. On June 30 of that year the purchase deed for a
house was signed by Gustave Niebaum for the sum of thirty-eight thousand
dollars in American gold coin. This was a duplex house at 1713 & 1715
Powell Street near the wharves in North Beach between Russian and Telegraph
Hills where Powell crosses the wide commercial thoroughfare of Montgomery Ave.
Before the purchase of this property Bishop Nestor and Father Herman lived in a
private flat. In the new house an apartment was arranged for the bishop as well
as quarters for the Ecclesiastical Administration — a school, a storage
area and an archive. The church with its new and elegant principal iconostasis,
its new holy table, its new vestment wardrobe, etc. was formed out of two rooms
(at 1713 Powell St.). In addition the large front room of the second story was
removed, so that the altar area and a part of the church had high walls —
in two worlds. The church was quite proper, and under the circumstances could
not have been better.
In the winter of 1881-82 His Grace frequently
complained of headaches and suffered from general malaise. Yet that did not
prevent him from preparing for a trip to Alaska in the spring of 1882. This
time he planned to visit the furthest reaches of the mission in Alaska and
spend the winter of 1882-83 on the shores of the Kwipach (Yukon River) in the
village of Ikogmut. In view of all this he prepared for his needs, including
even a rubber ryasa and skufya. He obtained a small but well supplied medicine
chest from one Doctor Palitsky, a San Francisco resident. His Grace left San
Francisco in the first part of May on the steamship St. Paul, belonging to the American Trading Company, taking
along one of the school boys, Ivan Shayashnikov, an unassuming young man of 17,
as his traveling companion. Several months had passed, when suddenly in the
evening of 1/13 August the St. Paul
returned with the sad news that his Grace Nestor was no longer with us. He had
drowned in the waters of the Bering Strait. It is difficult to imagine the
horror and sadness with which all were overcome.
This unfortunate incident occurred not far from shore
opposite the St. Michailıs Redoubt on the return voyage. His Grace, for some
reason having abandoned his intention of wintering there, was desirous of
returning to San Francisco, but he drowned. All the newspapers and magazines
were filled with information about the late archpastor. As a rule all were of
the opinion put forward by the main newspapers, the Evening Post, the San Francisco Chronicle and the Morning Call of 3/15 August, 1882. They wrote:
³On June
12 (n.s.) the ship left St. Michaelıs Redoubt headed for San Francisco. At a
few minutes before eight Captain Erskine stopped by his Graceıs cabin to wish
him a good morning, after which he left to fulfill his duties. A quarter hour
later another passenger, Dr. Noyes, approached the captain and asked him if he
had seen his Grace. The captain replied that he had seen him recently in his
cabin. The doctor announced that he had just now come from there and that the
bishop was nowhere to be found. Then out of concern his friends began to
investigate the reason for his disappearance. Upon examination of His Graceıs
cabin, it was noticed that His Graceıs papers and other things were carefully
folded. But the fact that he had left some of his clothing, his watch and
valuables (most likely his engolpion and pectoral cross) in the cabin gave rise
to doubt. A further inspection of the entire vessel only confirmed the
suspicion that the bishop, suffering unbearable pain as a result of his
neuralgia, had cast himself overboard into the sea. The shipıs direction was
reversed and an inspection made of the waters already traversed, but no vestige
of the missing bishop was sighted. Consequently they returned to St. Michaelıs
Redoubt and instructed a company agent to attempt in every way possible to
recover the body of the drowning victim. Last Sunday, when the St. Paul arrived in port with the sad news of Bishop Nestorıs
demise, his flock was struck with grief and sorrow.²
If the members of the Holy Synod or relatives of the
late bishop (who live in Saint Petersburg and Arkhangelsk) did not form any
conclusion about the cause of His Graceıs death from their relationship with
him, the Consul General at that time in San Francisco, A. E. Olarovsky could
not do any better. Through a notary he took the deposition of every officer on
the ship and several agents of the Alaskan Trading Company, inquiring as to
what they knew about the bishopıs death.
But as far as I know, all those documents only repeated what had been
printed in the newspapers.
And thus was our Church widowed once more.
The Widowed Church from 1882 to 1888
After the death of his Grace Nestor (and for the space
of 13 months) the Diocese of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands was governed by
the Metropolitan of Saint Petersburg, the Most Reverend Isidor and the Saint
Petersburg Ecclesiastical Consistory, through a member of the Alaskan
Ecclesiastical Administration, the Cathedral Archpriest Vladimir Vechtomov.
Father Archpriest Vladimir governed in a manner similar to that of the Right
Reverend Nestor. He economized wisely in financial matters and gradually paid
off the debts of the Diocese. Through
his efforts new parish schools were opened in the Diocese, etc.
When in the winter of 1885 the cantors of the Church
in Sitka (at that time the priestıs position was vacant) reported to Father
Archpriest that Alaskan Indians were being instructed in the teaching of the
Orthodox Church and that fifty-two of them were ready to receive Holy Baptism,
he made the journey himself in March of 1886 and baptized them all on the eve
of the Annunciation in a solemn and moving service. Archpriest V. N. Vechtomov
left San Francisco in August of 1888 for his home in Vyatka.
The Right Reverend Vladimir
The Right Reverend Vladimir [Sokolovsky-Avtonomov]
arrived in San Francisco in March of 1888. The new Archpastor had been
consecrated to the episcopacy on 16 December, 1887, and as is apparent from his
speech upon ordination, he set forth on his spiritual labors with the clear
understanding of all their difficulties and dangers and with a great love for
the vocation to which he had been called.
³Archpastors of the Orthodox Church,² said the newly
appointed bishop, ³through the election of your Holiness and the cooperation of
the most sacred anointing of God, the Lord once again calls me to missionary
service in the work of saving people living in a distant land, where there are
few Orthodox Christians, and the vast majority walk in the darkness of
religious error. I am called to service in America to preach the Gospel in the
spirit of the Orthodox Church. I go forth in the rank of bishop to difficult
labor in the struggle with evil in the world to that place where the
ever-memorable enlightener of God, Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow, undertook
his apostolic endeavors. There he and those who followed him met with
innumerable obstacles and vexations, suffering much
³And what should I, the least of all my predecessors
to the Aleutian cathedra, think and do so that Godıs vineyard should not become
empty in a land that is foreign to us, yet so friendly? The great authority of
the bishopıs office and the responsibility before God and man of a very
difficult missionary service bring fear and trouble upon my soul. I am obliged
to remember the words of the Gospel, For to whomever much is given, of him
shall be much required; and to whom men have committed much, of him they will
ask the moreı (Luke 12, 48). The
judgment of God is righteous, but deliver me, O Lord, from the detraction of
men, that I may keep Thy commandments, illumine now Thy servant²
The last words of that speech were profoundly
significant.
Twenty people arrived here with the Right Reverend
Vladimir. Among them were priests, deacons and singer-students. On the Sunday
immediately following, April 10, the bishop celebrated his first solemn
Liturgy, in which all former, as well as all visiting clergy, servers and
singers returning to San Francisco took part. This religious solemnity, not
having been seen for a long time in the city, made a strong impression on all
present, especially on those of other faiths, who attended in numbers equal to
the Orthodox.
The bishop paid special attention in the temple to
preaching the word of God in English, which was the language commonly
understood. To this end the bishop himself, although not completely familiar
with the English language, improvised talks in English, which the people
readily heard.
Soon after his arrival in San Francisco the Bishop
enlarged the house church to almost double in size. The temple became
magnificent in appearance. Much was spent on icons, vestments and other
adornments. But unfortunately this temple stood for not even a year. On May 9,
1889 on the feast of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the templeıs patron saint,
at two oıclock in the morning it caught fire. The bishop was the first wakened.
He barely managed to escape from his office through a burning corridor to the
lower floor, burned by shards of glass falling from the skylights. Hegumen
George [Chudnovsky] fell into the flames and was nearly lost. The other thirty
residents of the bishopıs house escaped through windows, down the fire escapes
and over the fences. The interior of the church was gutted; the entire vestment
closet was lost, ravaged by fire and water. The cause of the fire is not known
to this day. So the Right Reverend Vladimir was required to rebuild the church
and the house a second time. Apart from monetary subsidies received from
insurers, at this time among the first the Right Reverend Gherman, a member of
the Holy Synod, sent a thousand rubles. Parishioners in San Francisco and its
environs donated somewhere around 970 dollars. The church was now consecrated
in memory of St. Basil the Great.
While in San Francisco the Right Reverend Vladimir
undertook three journeys to the north, to Alaska. With his blessing the
publication in English in San Francisco of a local Orthodox magazine was begun,
the second in America. The first was published in the 70ıs in New York by a
priest of the Russian Church, Nikolai Bering. Unfortunately the magazine ceased
existence after six issues for lack of funds.
To the deep regret of all true children of Orthodoxy,
the bishop underwent many tribulations and moral anxieties as a result of
disgraceful intrigues against his person on the part of certain nihilists. The
labors involved in governing such a widespread diocese, demanding constant
vigilance and much work, were not sufficient. To the bishopıs cross were added
most grievous trials in the form of personal attacks stemming from the dark
malice of several fallen individuals. But by the mercy of God in the end truth
was victorious, and the bishop triumphed over his enemies.
The Right Reverend Vladimir was able to travel
throughout the United States twice and to bring the first Uniate parish into
the Orthodox Church in the city of Minneapolis.
At the request of the Holy Synod, Bishop Vladimir left
America in October, 1891 and at the present time is Bishop of Orenburg and the
Urals.
Our present hierarch, the Right Reverend Nikolai,
Bishop of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, has occupied the San Francisco
Episcopal cathedra since 29 September, 1891.
Hieromonk Sebastian
San Francisco
12 February, 1897
Amerikanskii Pravoslavnii Vestnik, Nos. 15 (1-13 April
1898, pp. 455-460), 16 (15-27 April, 1898), pp. 479-482