Moscow, July 22, 2013
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On July 21, the Feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, near St Catherine Church in Moscow, the solemn opening of a memorial plaque dedicated to 220th anniversary of Orthodox presence on the American land took place. The opening of the memorial plaque is timed to coincide with the first visit to Russia of Metropolitan Tikhon, Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada (Orthodox Church in America). The Metropolitan served a Liturgy and a solemn prayer service, blessed the memorial plaque dedicated to the anniversary of establishment of Orthodoxy in the USA. The visit of the Metropolitan was blessed by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.
The author of the memorial plaque is a famous sculptor Gregory Pototsky. The unique bronze bas-relief depicts the history of the establishment of Orthodoxy in Alaska and includes bas-relief portraits of the empress Catherine, the merchant Shelikhov, depictions of monks from Valaam Monastery, and a map of the USA. The idea for an American spiritual mission was expressed by the merchant G.I. Shelikhov, who promised Catherine II to build churches and schools in the colonies and provided the funds to do so. Orthodoxy was brought to the American continent through the Aleutian islands and Alaska by the first Russian missionaries in 1794.
Eight members of the first Russian Orthodox mission arrived to America on board the ship, "Three Holy Hierarchs", which belonged to the Russian-American company. They arrived ten years after the foundation of the first Russian settlements on Alaska, to preach Orthodoxy among the native population, and to serve the spiritual needs of Russian hunters and employees of the Russian-American company.
The opening of the bronze bas-relief is a cultural-historical event, timed to coincide with the first visit of Metropolitan Tikhon to Russia. This event became possible due to support from the rector of the OCA representation church of St Catherine in Mosocw, Father Alexander, the president of the “Fort Ross” foundation N. Zhukov, representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Russian Federation V. Moshkalo (cultural attache at the embassy of the Russian Federation in the USA).
Clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church, representatives of the merchants' society, creative and political elites were present at the solemn opening of the memorial plaque.
