Saints Constantine and Helen Serbian Orthodox Church
Encyclopedia
The Saints Constantine and Helen Serbian Orthodox Church is a Serbian Orthodox church located in Galveston, Texas
, USA. It is a parish
of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of New Gracanica - Midwestern America
.
of Galveston since 1861 as the parish
of Saints Constantine and Helen. By the late 1800s a group of Serbs, Greeks, and Russians appealed to the Holy Synod
of the Russian Orthodox Church
in St. Petersburg, Russia, and Tsar Nicholas II for a church. The Tsar approved the establishment of a church and in 1895 construction began. The building was finished in 1896 and consecration took place on the feast day of Saint Constantine
and Saint Helen. Tsar Nicholas II also personally donated icons for the Iconostasis
, a gospel book, and a number of sacred vessels. The first priest assigned to the new church was Archimandrite
Theoclitos (Triantafilides). Services were originally held in Greek
, Russian
and Serbian
; however, in 1933 the Greek members of the church voted create a "daughter parish" of Sts. Constantine and Helen and operate it under the Greek Orthodox Church
, naming their new church Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church.
Saints Constantine and Helen Serbian Orthodox Church was the first Serbian Orthodox church in the state and its parish is the oldest Orthodox parish in Texas. The church also holds the distinction of being the second oldest Serbian Orthodox church in the United States.
Christopher Kovacevich
of the Metropolitanate of Libertyville-Chicago, was born and raised as a member of Saints Constantine and Helen church. As an adult and Metropolitan, he would frequently return to the city and preside at church weddings and baptisms.
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, USA. It is a parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of New Gracanica - Midwestern America
Diocese of New Gracanica - Midwestern America
The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of New Gracanica - Midwestern America is a Serbian Orthodox Church diocese located in the United States. Its headquarters are in Third Lake, Illinois...
.
History
The eastern orthodox community had existed in the port cityPort of Galveston
The Port of Galveston is the port of the city of Galveston, Texas. It was established by a proclamation issued by the Congress of Mexico on October 17, 1825, while the land known today as Texas was still part of Mexico...
of Galveston since 1861 as the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Saints Constantine and Helen. By the late 1800s a group of Serbs, Greeks, and Russians appealed to the Holy Synod
Most Holy Synod
The Most Holy Governing Synod was the highest governing body of the Russian Orthodox Church between 1721 and 1918, when the Patriarchate was restored. The jurisdiction of the Most Holy Synod extended over every kind of ecclesiastical question and over some that are partly secular.The Synod was...
of the Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
in St. Petersburg, Russia, and Tsar Nicholas II for a church. The Tsar approved the establishment of a church and in 1895 construction began. The building was finished in 1896 and consecration took place on the feast day of Saint Constantine
Constantine I
Constantine the Great , also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337. Well known for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, Constantine and co-Emperor Licinius issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance of all...
and Saint Helen. Tsar Nicholas II also personally donated icons for the Iconostasis
Iconostasis
In Eastern Christianity an iconostasis is a wall of icons and religious paintings, separating the nave from the sanctuary in a church. Iconostasis also refers to a portable icon stand that can be placed anywhere within a church...
, a gospel book, and a number of sacred vessels. The first priest assigned to the new church was Archimandrite
Archimandrite
The title Archimandrite , primarily used in the Eastern Orthodox and the Eastern Catholic churches, originally referred to a superior abbot whom a bishop appointed to supervise...
Theoclitos (Triantafilides). Services were originally held in Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
, Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
and Serbian
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
; however, in 1933 the Greek members of the church voted create a "daughter parish" of Sts. Constantine and Helen and operate it under the Greek Orthodox Church
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, headquartered in New York City, is an eparchy of the Church of Constantinople. Its current primate is Archbishop Demetrios of America.-About the Archdiocese:...
, naming their new church Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church.
Saints Constantine and Helen Serbian Orthodox Church was the first Serbian Orthodox church in the state and its parish is the oldest Orthodox parish in Texas. The church also holds the distinction of being the second oldest Serbian Orthodox church in the United States.
Notable clergy
Galveston native, Metropolitan BishopMetropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
Christopher Kovacevich
Christopher Kovacevich
Christopher was metropolitan bishop of Libertyville and Chicago in the Serbian Orthodox Church . As such, he was Primate of Serbian Orthodox Christians in America...
of the Metropolitanate of Libertyville-Chicago, was born and raised as a member of Saints Constantine and Helen church. As an adult and Metropolitan, he would frequently return to the city and preside at church weddings and baptisms.
External links
- "Diocese." Diocese of New Gracanica - Midwestern AmericaDiocese of New Gracanica - Midwestern AmericaThe Serbian Orthodox Diocese of New Gracanica - Midwestern America is a Serbian Orthodox Church diocese located in the United States. Its headquarters are in Third Lake, Illinois...
.