St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church (Juneau, Alaska) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Juneau
Location in Alaska
|
|
| Location | 326 Fifth Street, Juneau, Alaska |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1893 |
| Website | https://stnicholasjuneau.org/ |
| MPS | Russian Orthodox Church Buildings and Sites TR (AD) |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000377 |
| Added to NRHP | September 19, 1973 |
The St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church (Russian: Церковь Святого Николая) is a historic church located in Juneau, Alaska, United States. It was built in 1893 and is an important part of the city's history. In 1973, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's recognized for its special historical value. The church is part of the Diocese of Alaska, which is a branch of the Orthodox Church in America.
Contents
How the Church Began in Juneau
Even though Juneau was once a Russian colony (from 1784 to 1867), Russians didn't settle in the Juneau area. Also, the Russian Orthodox Church didn't send missionaries to Juneau when the town started as a mining settlement in 1881. Instead, the Orthodox Church became very strong here because of the local Tlingit leaders.
Tlingit Leaders Embrace Orthodoxy
In 1890, a Taku leader named Anathahash traveled to Sitka to become part of the Orthodox faith. Many Tlingit people were drawn to the Orthodox Church more than other Christian faiths. This was because the Orthodox Church had been using local languages in its worship services for a long time. For example, they used local languages in Kodiak starting around 1800 and in the Aleutian Islands by 1824.
Important religious texts, like the Holy Scriptures and much of the Divine Liturgy (which is what Orthodox Christians call their main worship service), had been translated into the Tlingit language. This was done by St. Innocent (Veniaminov). He was a priest in Sitka from 1834 to 1840 and later became the Bishop of Alaska from 1842 to 1850.
First Orthodox Priest in Juneau
After his baptism, Anathahash returned from Sitka in 1890 with Reverend Vladimir Donskoy. He was the first Russian Orthodox priest to hold services in the Juneau area. During his visit, Father Vladimir taught and baptized many local Tlingit people. That same year, Alexei Yaakwaan, the son of a Tlingit leader, converted to the Orthodox Church. He encouraged his father, Yees Gaanaalx, who was the leader of the L'eeneidí (Dog Salmon) people from Auke Bay, to be baptized too. A chief from Sitka, Khlantych, told the church that Yees Gaanaalx wanted to convert and that other Tlingit would follow his lead.
The Dream of St. Nicholas
On July 26, 1892, Bishop Nicholas (Ziorov) of the Aleutian Islands and Alaska visited Juneau. He was based in San Francisco, which was the main center for the church in America at that time. When the bishop arrived, he met with Tlingit leaders who wanted to convert.
According to stories passed down through generations, the Tlingit leaders told the bishop that they had all been having the same dream. In their dream, a short, elderly man with a white beard encouraged them to become Christian. When these leaders saw an icon (a religious image) of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, who was an archbishop from Myra, they immediately recognized him as the man from their dreams.
Three days later, a priest named Mitrofan baptized Yees Gaanaalx and his wife. They were given the Christian names Dimitri and Elizabeth. Following their example, about 700 of the 1500 Tlingit people in the area also converted to the Orthodox Church.
Building the Church
With so many Native people joining the church, the Orthodox Missionary Society in Russia decided to help. They sent architectural drawings, church furnishings, and money to build a church for the new members. The furnishings included things like candlestands, a chalice set, censers (for burning incense), banners, a full iconostasis (a screen covered with icons), and special icons for holidays.
The six large panels on the iconostasis are the original ones sent from Russia. This iconostasis is special because the doors for the deacon (a church helper) show Sts. Cyril and Methodius. Usually, these doors show archangels like Michael and Gabriel, or deacons like Stephen and Lawrence.
The newly baptized Tlingit people and Serbian gold miners, who were already Orthodox, worked together to build the church. It is a great example of the "Russian Colonial" style of architecture. In June 1894, Bishop Nicholas returned to Juneau and officially dedicated the new church in honor of St. Nicholas.
Remembering History
On June 5, 2016, Bishop David (Mahaffey) joined Alaska Governor Bill Walker and First Lady Donna Walker at the church. They unveiled a monument dedicated to the 881 Aleuts who were forced to leave their homes and were held in camps by the United States during World War II. This monument helps people remember this important part of history.
See also
