Protection of the Holy Virgin Mary Orthodox Church
| The Protection of the Holy Virgin Mary Orthodox Church | |
|---|---|
 | |
   | |
| 37°52′55″N 89°06′37″W / 37.881885268598715°N 89.11035301933485°W | |
| Location | 112 N. Fairdale Street, Royalton, IL |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Russian Orthodox |
| Website | https://www.phvm.org/ |
| History | |
| Founded | 1914 |
| Founder(s) | Frank Derbak,[1] John August and Paul Andrews [2] |
| Dedication | 1915 [3] |
| Past bishop(s) | Rev. Michael Vyacheslavov |
| Architecture | |
| Groundbreaking | October 14, 1914[2] |
| Construction cost | $2,200 (1914) [3] |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese |
| Clergy | |
| Rector | Rev. John Pawelchak |
The Protection of the Holy Virgin Mary Orthodox Church in Royalton, IL is one of the only remaining Russian Orthodox churches in southern Illinois.[4][5][6] The church was founded by eastern European immigrants, including Rusyns,[3][7][5][8] Ukrainians, Polish, Latvians, and Russians,[9] many of whom worked in local coal mines [10][11][12] The three principal founders were Frank Derbak,[1] John August and Paul Andrews, with supporting founders Ivan Matichin, Ivan Drozd, Ivan Shender and Ivan Lapko.[13] Ground was broken on October 14, 1914, the same day as the Feast of the Protection of the Theotokos.[3] It was built to mimic the construction of the now-closed St. Ioasaph's in Muddy.[14][15] Each parishioners family was asked to give $25 at the start of construction and was asked to give another $25 when the construction was finished.[16]
The church opened to parishioners in late 1915.[2][3]
On October 27, 1914, there was an explosion at the nearby Royalton North No. 1 Mine, killing over 100 miners.[17] Thirteen of the miners who were killed in the disaster were members of the church.[16][18] There is a memorial at the church, and many of the miners were buried in a cemetery dedicated to the disaster.[19] The mining company donated land north of Royalaton to bury the miners, and became St. Mary’s Russian Orthodox Cemetery.[5][12] Each year, on October 27 a panachida is celebrated in remembrance of the thirteen parishioners who were killed.[13]
The nearby village of Dowell also had a Russian Orthodox Church, Saints Peter and Paul, but it has since closed. A memorial to the closed Dowell church is located in at the Holy Protection church.[20][16]
Other southern Illinois villages with Orthodox churches included St. Mary's Russian Orthodox Church in Benld, Buckner, and Grand Tower.[5][21]
Style
[edit]The church is a Byzantine-style domed church with a white and gold interior.[10] The church contains traditional Orthodox iconography, some by the hand of the iconographer Alexander Sokolov, as well as a grotto with a mosaic of the Theotokos.[13]
Next to the church is located a church hall and rectory.
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Frank Derbak". Find A Grave.
- ^ a b c "Parish History".
- ^ a b c d e "Bishop Paul presides at 100th Anniversary of Protection Church, Royalton, IL".
- ^ "Royalton Churches". Archived from the original on March 22, 2020.
- ^ a b c d ""Shadows of the Motherland"". Archived from the original on February 26, 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2010.
- ^ Terry Alliband (1980). Expressions: Folkways in Southern Illinois. Southern Illinois University Carbondale. p. 11.
- ^ Paul Robert Magocsi (July 30, 2005). Our People: Carpatho-Rusyns and Their Descendants in North America. Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers. p. 18. ISBN 978-0865166110.
- ^ >Smith, David (July 1978). The Russians of Buckner (Master of Arts thesis). Southern Illinois University. OCLC 8044617.
- ^ Fredman, Alan (22 Jun 1980). "American Russians Seldom Go Back". Southern Illinoisan.
- ^ a b Mary Pat Flaherty (April 25, 1976). "Russian Orthodox Easter is Today". Southern Illinoisan. p. 4.
- ^ Barb Leebens (December 22, 1974). "Christmas on December 25th?". Southern Illinoisan. p. 2.
- ^ a b Allen, John (Jul 30, 1964). "The Longest Way Around". Alton Evening Telegraph. p. 8.
- ^ a b c "Protection of the Holy Virgin Mary Church". Archived from the original on March 24, 2016.
- ^ Frances Van Cleve (August 7, 1959). "Russian Orthodox Church Unique In Area". Southern Illinoisan. p. 5.
- ^ "The last of a bye gone era, Muddy Russian Orthodox Church is no more". Southern Illinois Unearthed.
- ^ a b c Malkovich, Becky. "Royalton church an edifice to Christ, sacrifice". Retrieved Oct 25, 2009.
- ^ "Franklin Coal and Coke Company Royalton North No. 1 Mine Explosion".
- ^ "Royalton Church Observes 101 Years Since Fatal Mine Disaster". Southern Illinoisan.
- ^ Hale, Caleb. "Royalton church remembers those lost in 1914 mine explosion". Retrieved Oct 27, 2009.
- ^ "The Small Neighbor". Southern Illinoisan. January 11, 1990.
- ^ Brian Duneal. "Muddy's Russian Orthodox Church may soon be a memory" (PDF).