New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-02
CHURCH AND RELIGIOUS NEWS AND MOTIFS.
HEADQUARTERS OF RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
NOW ESTABLISHED IN THIS CITY.

One Of the recent effects Of the Russian
troubles has been the moving of the headquar-
tiers of the Russian Church in this country to
New York. This has come largely because Of
the greatly increased immigration OF the last
few years which gives the Russian population
of the Eastern States a preponderance over that
of the Pacific Coast. and because OF the eX-
pectation that this immigration will continue.
The headquarters of Archbishop Tykon Of the
Greek Catholic diocese of America, are now es-
tabIished at ST. Nicholas's Church. in East
97th-st. The change was ERECTED carrier III Tue
year the Archbishop being transferred from
San Francisco, where the headquarters had been
since 1861 The change was made officially
for practical reasons. to put the head OF
church in closer communication with the larger
bodies of his parishioners. Before 1895 there
were practically no members of the Greek Cath
Ole Church in the Eastern States Shortly
after that time emigration began, not immedi-
ately from Russia, but from parts of Austro-
Hungary and other countries which are large
ly Greek in religion. Since 1895. therefore, the
Archbishop has been. as he was until this year,
obliged TO spend a large part of his time at a
temporary residence here, and he soon found
that his duties on this coast were heavier than
those on the Pacific. As soon arrangements
could be made the change in official headquar-
tiers was effected. the Bishop becoming an Arch
bishop and his immediate duties in the West
being taken up by new bishop. ~s.s
The Greek Church in America now has about
sixty churches. in charge of regularly ordained
priests and about one hundred chapels, which
in immediate charge of deaccns and other
minor officers of the Church, being visited at
regular intervals by priests whose parishes each
include a number of chapels. These chapels
are largely scattered among the islands along
the coast of Alaska and in smaller cities of the
United States. 1t is thought that there are
about sixty thousand persons in the territory
of the diocese whose allegiance is naturally
to the Greek Church. but the number is con-
stantly changing, and as there are no rolls kept
in Individual churches it is not certain how
great the number is at any particular time,
nor how great the number of regular attend
ants is. .... -s.......
The Archbishop is assisted in the executive
work of the Church by the two bishops one in
Brooklyn, who has been in charge Of that do
cese for several years, and one, the Bishop of
Alaska, in San Francisco, who took charge of
the diocese when Tyllon was made Archbishop,
There are between SiXty-five and seventy priests
connected with the archiepiscopal diocese and
several hundred deacons i. z.--@.
The first Greek Church in America was, of
course at Washington, where there was a chap
lain connected with the Russian Legation. In
the purchase Of Alaska, however, the first real
diction of the government They We're at that
time in charge of a Bishop. who made his head
quarters at Sitka, but he almost Immediately
moved to San Francisco, communica ton with
the home government difficult after the
territorial official Of Russia left Sitka. 1t was
not until the late COS that the members of the
Greek Church in the Eastern States became
sufficiently numerous to be constituted diocese,
the small chapels having been directly under the
control Of the head of the Church at Constanti-
nople.
AS to the future of the Greek Church in this
country there is. of course. considerable doubt
pending the settlement of the present troubles in
Russia It is believed by prominent officials OF
will necessarily increase the amount of inmigra-
ton, and that if another revolution should begin
many of the better educated and weather. Rus-
slams would temporarily at least, expatriate
themselves. This would, of course, give a
greatly improved quality of immigration from
Russia. and might largely Increase its quantity.
immigration from the non Russian Greek Cath |
Ole countries is expected to continue at about
its present volume.
A conclusion which is drawn by Father HOto-
risky. of Archbishop Tykons assistants. |
from the present uph eaval in Russia IS of in |
terest from its bearing on general church condi-
tons in this country. Father HotOrtsky believes
that when the troubles in Russia have subsidized
many Jews already in this country will return
to take advantage of the increased freedom in
ready familiar to them and which is really their
home He expects. also. that the volume OF
Immigration of Polish and Russian Jews will |
suffer a considerable falling off when Russia |
becomes quiet.