St George the Great Martyr in Michigan City, Indiana celebrated their 115 th anniversary of the laying of the corner stone which took place on August 15/28 1911. Saint Raphael Hawaweeny, Bishop of Brooklyn of the Russian Orthodox Church under Saint Archbishop Tikhon, gave his blessing to build and expand the community in Michigan City sending Archpriest Basil Kerbawy from St Nicholas Cathedral New York City, and Archpriest Philip Abou-Assaley of Grand Rapids, Michigan to lay the foundation stone for the new Church of St George. Originally the make up of the parish were Lebanese-Syrians who started coming to Michigan City in 1900. The first resident priest was one of their own Tanous (Fr Antonios) Abu-Allam Farah from Fourzol, my great-grandfather, in present day Lebanon or Greater Syria. Ordained in January of 1912 by St Raphael in New York. Christians started leaving those areas as early as 1880 fleeing from the Turkish Ottoman rule. We have the only original church that was consecrated by Saint Raphael in 1914 , 6 months before his untimely death in 1915.

Our celebration culminated with a Hierarchical Liturgy led by our New Vladyka His Grace, Spyridon, Bishop of the Chicago and Mid-America Diocese.

Following the dismissal of the Liturgy, the intoning of "Many Years" for the Hierarchy, the clergy, the parishioners, and all benefactors of the holy church. Gramota’s were distributed to: Sub-Deacon Alexander & Juliana Baskin, Reader Roman & Anna Sydoruk, Reader Michael Lilley, Reader Thomas Tadros, and Reader Eleazar Byrom who was not present, for their beneficial spiritual and material support to the parish of St George.

Vladyka Spyridon was gifted a relic of St Spyridon from the parish, that is to be included with a hand painted icon of St Spyridon which was not ready.

After the conclusion of the divine service, the clergy, parishioners, and numerous guests gathered for a festive banquet at a restaurant in town.

Those that came to celebrate with us were:

Archpriest Gregory Joyce, St Vladimir’s Ann Arbor Michigan

Archpriest John Schmidt, Romanian OCA retired

Archpriest Daniel Marshall, St George Cincinati, Ohio

Archpriest Michael Volzhanski, Dormition Cathedral Ferndale, Michigan

Hieromonk Raphael Tadros, Rector, St George Michigan City

Priest Robert Bower, attached St George Michigan City

Priest Colin Bower, St Vladimir’s Ann Arbor, Michigan

Protodeacon Alexander Kichakov, Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral DesPlaines, IL

Protodeacon Joseph Appling, cleric of the Serbian Church

Priest Michael Moibenko, prayed in the Altar

A host of Altar servers that came to help during the service. Beautiful responses during Liturgy were given by Olena Fritza and family.

"The Burning Bush - St Raphael in the Midwest"  - Interview with Hieromonk Raphael Tadros

https://youtu.be/nEWIVOdEAsQ?is=peZAw8BSU7w59NMn