Saint Alexis Toth

Saint Alexis Toth (Saint Alexis of Wilkes-Barre) (1853-1909)

Alexis may be spelt Alexei, Aleksis, Aleksei, Aleksey, Alexios.

Toth may be spelt Toft (as in Cyrillic on the tomb at Saint Tikhon’s Monastery).

Early life of Alexis Georgievich Toth

Alexis Georgievich Toth was born to the Priest George Toth and his wife Cecilia on 14 March, 1853, near Eperjes (now Prešov) in Šariš Zepes (now Szepes) county in the Kingdom of Hungary. This region is now in Slovakia. This was during the reign of Franz-Joseph Hapsburg, Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary (the Austro-Hungarian Empire).

Many of the people of the region were Eastern Catholics, whose ancestors were previously Orthodox Christians. The family of Alexis G Toth was no exception. Therefore, Alexis Georgievich Toth was raised in the bosom of the “Greek-Byzyantine Catholic Church”.

Alexis followed in the steps of his father, who was dean of a United Greek Catholic Church in the county. He was first educated in the local preparatory schools. His father and brother were priests, and his uncle Nikolai was a Greek Catholic bishop in the Presov Eparchy (1876-1882).

It was the generally the case that people who belonged to the Eastern Catholic Church (particularly in this region) kept a memory through oral tradition about the fact that they had previously been Orthodox Christians, and that their present condition had been imposed upon them in the past by mostly political circumstances.

Higher education

Alexis went on to study in the Roman Catholic seminary for a year.

Afterwards, he went to the Uniate (Greek Catholic) Seminary in Ungvar (Uzhhorod), where he continued his studies for 3 years. Having completed his studies, Alexis continued on to study in the University of Prague, where he graduated with a degree in theology : a Doctorate in Canon Law.

In the course of his studies, besides the Carpatho-Russian language, he became able to speak the Hungarian, Russian and German languages. He was competent in the use of written and spoken Latin, and in written Greek.

Marriage, 1878

In 1878, he married Rosalie Mihaluk, the daughter of a priest.

Marriage was usual for Ukrainian Catholic clergy in this area, just as it is for Orthodox Christian clergy everywhere.

Ordinations, 1878

Soon after his marriage in 1878, Alexis was ordained to the Holy Diaconate in 1878.

On 18 April, 1878, the Deacon Alexis Toth was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by his uncle, Bishop Nicholas Toth, the Uniat Greek Catholic Bishop of Prešov.

Pastoral service

The Priest Alexis Toth was assigned to serve as second priest in the Homrogd parish (now in Hungary).

Bereavement

Within a couple of years after the ordination and assignment of Father Alexis, his wife Rosalie fell asleep in the Lord.

Soon after this, their only child fell asleep in the Lord.

Continuing pastoral service

In May, 1879, Bishop Nicholas Toth assigned Father Alexis to serve as the chancellor (secretary to the bishop) in his diocesan offices in Prešov. His responsibilities included serving as the director of an orphanage.

In 1881, Bishop Nicholas appointed him to be the director of the United Greek Catholic Seminary of Prešov, and Professor of Canon Law and Church History.

On 21 May, 1882, Bishop Nicholas Toth unexpectedly fell asleep in the Lord in Prešov.

Father Alexis continued in these positions under Bishop Nicholas Toth’s successor, Bishop John Vályi.

Then, late in the 1880s, Father Alexander Dzubay, who had studied with Father Alexis in the seminary, wrote a petition from the USA to Bishop John Vályi, in which he asked that Father Alexis be sent to America. The bishop agreed to the request, and in late 1889, he sent Father Alexis there as a “missioner”.

Transfer to the USA, 1889

Father Alexis arrived in the USA on 15 November, 1889, and he immediately took an appointment for the purpose of presenting his credentials to the local ruling Roman Catholic bishop. Father Alexis understood this necessity, which is precisely the same in the Orthodox Church upon a transfer.

Difficulties begin immediately

The local Roman Catholic bishop in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was Archbishop John Ireland of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, in the city of Saint Paul.

Archbishop John Ireland was a strong advocate of the “Americanisation” movement within the Roman Catholic Church in the USA ; thus, he was a strong proponent of the Americanisation of the Roman Catholic immigrants. The aim was to use the English language for everything except liturgical worship. Worship remained in the Latin language. In this regard, Archbishop Ireland looked upon Father Alexis and his flock as an alien sect that did not have the capacity or desire to fit into his plans for Americanisation.

Therefore, when Father Alexis presented his credentials to Archbishop Ireland on 19 December, 1889, the archbishop immediately rejected him, and he would not recognise him as being a Roman Catholic. He would not recognise the Greek Rite, nor Father Alexis as a priest, nor even his bishop. Archbishop John Ireland directed that all Roman Catholic priests and their flocks not have any relations with Father Alexis and his people.

A Roman Catholic article reported the conversation between Father Alexis and Archbishop John Ireland from the recollection of Father Alexis :

 [N]o sooner did he read that I was an ‘Uniate’ than his hands began to shake. [...] 
 ‘Have you a wife ?’ 
 ‘No’. 
 ‘But you had one ?’ 
 ‘Yes, I am a widower’.  
 At this he threw the paper on the table and loudly exclaimed, ‘I have already written to Rome protesting 
 against this kind of priest being sent to me !’
 ‘What kind of priest do you mean ?’ 
 ‘Your kind’.  
 ‘I am a Catholic priest in the Greek Rite, I am an Uniate.  I was ordained by a lawful Catholic bishop’.  
 ‘I do not consider you or this bishop of yours Catholic’.  

The article indicates that after this, Archbishop Ireland directed a local Polish Latin Rite priest to “denounce Toth from the pulpit” and he published a decree summoning all Catholics to renounce Father Toth. Archbishop Ireland was not acting alone. In fact, there were many other bishops in America who shared his interest in expurgating Greek Catholics, and their married priests, from the USA.

The article cites the studies of Bodhan Procko with regard to the arrival of Greek Catholic priests from Eastern Europe. They came with the blessing of their bishops in order to care for the many people who were emigrating to the USA. However, when they arrived, it was not necessarily known by the local bishop that they were active on their territory.

In fact, the “Byzantine Rite” had no status in North America, and there was no organisation. The local bishops were generally ignorant of the Greek Catholics, and they were suspicious. As a consequence, they reacted by putting pressure on Rome, which then decreed that Byzantine Rite priests who arrived in America must report to the Roman Catholic bishops and fulfil their pastoral activities under their supervision ; and more significantly, they were required to be celibate. In addition, those priests who were married were required to return to Europe along with their families. Even so, the Latin bishops seem not to have been willing to bless any eastern-rite services, but only those of the Latin rite.

Nevertheless, because Father Alexis Toth knew from his studies what was correct under the Union of Brest, he conducted his first services on Thanksgiving Day, 27 November, in the new Saint Mary's Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was the first resident priest officially to serve in this Temple, which had been constructed in 1888. However, the church edifice was still incomplete : there were no furnishings, and no vestments ; there was a debt. Over the next year, Father Alexis worked with his community by preaching, by asking for donations, by acquiring furnishings and vestments, and by bringing the parish to the condition of being an organised, stable congregation. He did this without receiving any salary.

Father Alexis sent reports to his bishop in what is now Slovakia about his negative reception by Archbishop Ireland, but he received nothing in return. Other Uniat priests in the USA sent letters to Father Alexis, and they reported that they had had similar confrontations. The troubles for the Uniat priests reached a crisis-point after they met to discuss their situation. They had learnt that they were all to be recalled, and returned to Europe. The Greek Catholic bishops in Europe were unable or unwilling to act in favour of the missionary priests in the USA.

This situation later led to the return of very many “Byzantine” Catholics to the Orthodox Christian Faith of their ancestors. Father Alexis wrote :

 I made up my mind to do something which I carried in my heart for a long time, for which my soul longed :
 that is, to become Orthodox.  But how was it to be done ?  I had to be very cautious.  The unfortunate 
 Union, the source of our decline and all our ills, had been part of our people too long.  We had already 
 borne that yoke on our shoulders for 250 years.  I fervently prayed God to grant me the power to make all 
 this clear to my unenlightened parishioners.

In October, 1890, there was a meeting in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, of the 10 Uniat priests who were serving in the USA. The meeting was chaired by Father Alexis.

Meeting in 1890 (Father Alexis seated third from left)

All these clergy expected to be deported. Upon return to Minneapolis, Father Alexis proposed to his parishioners that he simply return to Europe. This proposal was rejected by them. Rather, they proposed that he and they write to the Russian bishop in order to see what might be possible to be done.

Saint Mary’s Minneapolis, first Temple

Move to the Orthodox Church, 1891

The confrontations with the Roman Catholic hierarchy and the concern of the parishioners brought Father Alexis to a course of action about which he had given some consideration before, and that was to return to the Orthodox Christian Church. Therefore, on 8 December, 1890, the parishioners of Saint Mary’s wrote to the Russian Consul in San Francisco, California, in order to obtain information about a Russian Orthodox bishop. They followed this letter by sending a parishioner (Ivan Milnyar) to San Francisco, so as have an initial conversation with Bishop Vladimir (Sokolovsky-Avtonomov) of San Francisco.

In February, 1891, Father Alexis travelled with a group of parishioners, led by the church warden, Paul Podnany, to meet with Bishop Vladimir. At this time, Father Alexis was received into the Orthodox Christian Church. The parish choir director of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Paul Zaichenko, wrote :

 In the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of San Francisco, Bishop Vladimir is serving the Divine Liturgy.  The 
 choir, under my direction, is singing splendidly.  In the centre of the church stands a stranger.  He is 
 clean shaven, with a short military haircut.  He wears a cassock, fastened with a row of buttons, and 
 around his waist is tied a wide purple sash. [...] All eyes are on him, but no one knows who the stranger 
 is.  Bishop Vladimir, in all his vestments, comes forward from the altar, holding the Gospel and the 
 Cross.  According to the Church ritual, the stranger is accepted into the Orthodox Faith.  In a loud 
 voice, he renounces papism and enters the fold of the Holy Orthodox Church.  At that moment his face 
 lights up with an internal light.  This new convert was Father Alexis Toth, young, handsome, and 
 energetic [...].  

Bishop Vladimir, hearing later that Father Alexis was not receiving any pay, established a stipend to help him.

Then Father Alexis was accused of selling out his own Carpatho-Russian people and his religion to the “Muscovites” for financial gain. He was further accused of stealing orphans’ money in Hungary before fleeing to America. None of this was true. In fact, the move to the Orthodox Church was undertaken not on his initiative, but on the initiative of the parishioners of his parish, and of their own free choice.

In reality, he did not receive any financial support for a long time, for his parish was very poor. Until his priestly salary began to arrive from Russia, the righteous priest was obliged to work in a bakery in order to support himself. Even though his funds were meagre, he did not neglect giving alms to the poor and needy. He shared his money with other clergy worse off than himself, and he contributed to the building of Temples, and to the education of seminarians in Minneapolis.

On 25 March, 1891, Bishop Vladimir (Sokolovsky-Avtonomov) visited the Saint Mary’s parish in Minneapolis, and he formally accepted the community of 361 Greek Catholic immigrants into the Russian Orthodox Diocese of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. Although this was the official title of the diocese, the whole missionary project had already gained the nickname “The Russian Mission“.

The missionary enterprise was not specifically Russian, but rather it was intended to embrace all Orthodox Christians on the continent in one spiritual family. It was “Russian” in that the Russian Orthodox Church had undertaken this missionary work a century earlier, but it was far from being directed primarily, much less only, at Russian people as such. It was an inclusive mission, not an exclusive mission. Moreover, as is evident even now in Africa, Orthodox Christian mission is not a “free-for-all” undertaking, but rather the responsibility of the original mission into which the others add their contributions and personnel.

On 14 July, 1892, the Ruling All-Russian Holy Synod (which until then had been unaware of the presence of Greek Catholics in the USA) officially approved and blessed this action. The people received the news with great joy, and they glorified God.

Very soon after this visit, Bishop Vladimir was recalled to Russia. Then Bishop Nicholas (Ziorov) arrived in the USA in 1891, in order to build upon the work of Bishop Vladimir. He likewise supported the work of welcoming Greek Catholics into their ancestral spiritual home in the Orthodox Church.

Father Alexis blessing Pascha baskets in Minneapolis

Pastoral and missionary service in the Orthodox Christian Church

By this action, Father Alexis Toth gained the distinction of being the first Uniat Greek Rite Catholic priest in North America to lead his people in reunion with the Orthodox Christian Church. Having been sent originally to America to be a missionary to the immigrants, Father Alexis, in his new role, was to fulfil his destiny by becoming the missionary who would lead his people back “home” to the Orthodox Church. During his preaching and teaching, Father Alexis pointed out clearly the errors of non-Orthodox entities, but he was very careful to warn the faithful people against intolerance. He encouraged them to respect others, and not to attack their faith. Reminding them of the Gospel, he encouraged them to address others in Christian love, and not to repay in kind the threats and disinformation levelled against them.

The strong comments in his correspondence with Roman Catholic administrators were mild in comparison with what he received, and he was always ready to forgive. This is exemplified in the sharp differences that he had had with an old and dear friend, a Roman Catholic cleric. Before that person’s repose, Father Alexis clearly forgave.

At the cost of great toil, Father Alexis wrote and published articles about the Orthodox Christian Faith and pastoral teachings for the newly-converted. He did this in quantity in order to help to foster the Orthodox Christian Faith in his parishioners and in others. He gave practical advice on how to live an Orthodox Christian life.

He visited many Uniat parishes, and there he explained the differences between the Orthodox Christian Faith and Roman Catholicism, Uniatism, and Protestantism. He invited them to return “home”.

In December, 1892, he evangelised the immigrants in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, as he preached and enlightened them about their social and religious future in America.

In December, 1898, Bishop Tikhon (Belavin) arrived in New York City in order to continue the work of Bishop Nicholas (Ziorov), who had been recalled to Russia. He continued to support the evangelical work of Father Alexis, and also of others who, following the example of Father Alexis, had begun to do similar work.

In 1902, with the blessing of Bishop Tikhon, Father Alexis received the parish of Saint John the Baptist in Mayfield, Pennsylvania, into the Orthodox fold. When he was in Old Forge, he narrowly escaped serious injury or death when a rock was thrown at his head through the rectory window.

Then, when he returned to Minneapolis, he found himself rejected by the parishioners. It is not clear why this occurred (unless they resented his absence on his missionary travels), but as he wrote to Bishop Nicholas (Ziorov) :

 these same people, for whom I sacrificed everything and who, during the attacks of the Papists, stood as 
 strong as a wall, and whom I had been protecting and saving, became so ungrateful. [...] It was told to 
 my face that ‘we do not want the “Hungarian” as a priest anymore – we need a Russian priest !’ [...] So I 
 left Minneapolis and moved to Wilkes-Barre. 

He later wrote about himself,

 I lived through very difficult days.  But regardless of the difficult situation and privations, I did not 
 rescind from my temporary thorny road.  The Lord gave me strength to overcome the difficulties of being 
 scorned and disdained as a slave of my past connections. All this trouble with its many uncalled-for 
 offences against me, I was able with the help of God to overcome.  Glory to God for His great mercy.  

Regardless of such things, over the ensuing years until his repose, Father Alexis was in the forefront of receiving parishes from the Unia into Orthodoxy. In all, Father Alexis was instrumental in the return of 17 parishes to the Orthodox Christian Faith. Through his efforts, and the work of others, more than 20,000 Carpatho-Rusyn and Galician Uniats were re-united with the Orthodox Church. There were, indirectly, similar events occurring in Western Canada at about the same time.

The reception of the many formerly Greek Catholic parishes into the Orthodox Church, and their participation in the Russian missionary diocese significantly increased the number and visibility of Orthodox Christian Temples in the main part of the USA, and also in Canada. Previously, the great majority of the parishes of the diocese had been in Alaska.

After his move to Wilkes-Barre, Father Alexis participated in the foundation of the “Russian Orthodox Mutual Aid Society”. In order to educate those whom he hoped to reunite with the Orthodox Christian Church, he wrote a basic catechism of the Orthodox Christian Faith, entitled “Where to Seek the Truth”.

Holy Resurrection Church, Wilkes-Barre, before 1900 (exterior, interior)

Holy Resurrection Cathedral, 2017

The Archpriest Alexis Toth was then elevated to the dignity of protopresbyter.

In 1907, it was proposed that Father Alexis Toth be ordained to the Holy Episcopate. Father Alexis declined. He said that such a responsibility should be given to a younger and healthier man.

In 1907, Archbishop Platon (Rozhdestvensky) arrived in North America as successor to Archbishop Tikhon (Belavin), who had been recalled to Russia. Responding to the needs of the diocese, Vladyka Platon welcomed many more Carpatho-Rusyn Uniats back into the Orthodox Faith, thus supplementing the multitude already received through the work of the Protopresbyter Alexis Toth and of others. A similar work was undertaken in Canada by Archimandrite Arseny (Chahovtsov), both as an archimandrite and as a bishop.

In late 1908, the health of Father Alexis began to decline as a consequence of complications from an illness. He went to the seaside in southern New Jersey in order to try to recover ; however, he soon returned to Wilkes-Barre, where he was later confined to bed for 2 months.

By the end of his life, besides all the others who were entering the Orthodox Christian Church from the Unia, Father Alexis Toth had himself reunited 15,000 people to the Orthodox Church.

Repose, 1909

On Friday, 7 May, 1909, the Protopresbyter Alexis Toth fell asleep in the Lord in Wilkes-Barre.

The Funeral Services for the Burial of a Priest were offered in Holy Resurrection Church in Wilkes-Barre.

After the completion of the funeral obsequies, his body was interred at Saint Tikhon’s Orthodox Monastery (South Canaan, Pennsylvania), over which was built a special stone-and-marble shrine.

Tomb of Saint Alexis at Saint Tikhon’s Monastery, 2019 view

Glorification, 1994

The Righteous Protopresbyter Alexis Toth of Wilkes-Barre was a missionary priest, sent from his homeland in Slovakia as a Uniat, who, in order to serve and protect his flock in a hostile Latin (Roman Catholic) environment in the USA, recognised the need to lead them in a return to their Orthodox Christian heritage.

About 85 years after his repose, the grave of the Protopresbyter Alexis Toth was uncovered and opened. His body was found to be intact.

On 29-30 May, 1994, the Protopresbyter Alexis Toth was glorified as Saint Alexis of Wilkes-Barre by the Holy Synod of Bishops of The Orthodox Church in America, during services at Saint Tikhon’s Monastery. This service, which included the reading of the Proclamation of Glorification of the Holy Synod, was led by Metropolitan Theodosius (Lazor), and accompanied by Archbishop Nicholas (Kocvár) of Prešov, Slovakia ; Archbishop Maraky (Svistun) of Vinnitsia, Ukraine ; Archbishop Victorin (Ursache) of Detroit and the Romanian Archdiocese ; Bishop Nicholas (Smisko) of Johnstown and the Carpatho-Russian Diocese ; Bishop Paul (Ponomarev) of Zaraisk (MP) ; bishops of The Orthodox Church in America, and very many clergy, and attended by at least 5,000 people.

Metropolitan Theodosius, with Archbishop Nicholas (right) and Archbishop Makary (left)

At the Vigil on the eve, the Holy Relics were carried in procession from the tomb, and around and into the Monastery Temple (at the time of the Lity). In Matins, at the moment of the glorification, the Magnification for Saint Alexis was sung. This moment marked the acceptance by the whole Orthodox Church in America of Father Alexis Toth as a holy person, a saint ; and his name was added to the yearly calendar of saints.

The next day, the Holy Relics were carried in procession from the Temple to the outdoor pavilion where the Primatial Divine Liturgy was to be served. This was accompanied by the ringing of the bells and the singing of the Paschal Canon. After the Divine Liturgy, the Holy Relics were taken back to the Temple. The reliquary, a simple wooden casket, was opened and those present were able to venerate the Holy Relics. This took about 5 hours.

Afterwards, the Holy Relics were placed inside the special shrine that had been prepared in the Temple, where they have continued to be venerated by the faithful.

Glorification Liturgy with Metropolitan Theodosius (Lazor)

Metropolitan Theodosius (Lazor) shows the icon of the newly-glorified saint

Glorification procession

Glorification procession passes between the Temple and the bell-house

Reliquary when it was at the right kliros (choir) of the Monastery Temple

The reliquary is situated now in the left “kliros” of the Temple.

Feast-days

The main Feast-day of Saint Alexis Toth is celebrated on 7 May, the date of his repose.

The other Feast-day of Saint Alexis Toth is celebrated on 30 May, the date of his glorification in 1994.

Tropar (Tone 4)

O holy and righteous Father Alexis,

our heavenly intercessor and teacher,

godly adornment of the Church of Christ,

entreat with the Master of all

to strengthen the Orthodox Faith in America ;

to give peace to the world,

and His great mercy to our souls.

Kontak (Tone 5)

Let us, the Faithful,

sing hymns of praise about the Holy Priest Alexis,

bright beacon of Orthodoxy in North America,

model of patience and humility,

worthy shepherd of the flock of Christ.

He called back the sheep who had been led astray :

by his preaching,

he brought them to the Heavenly Kingdom.

Reflections

In January, 1993, a man prayed to Saint Alexis about his son whom he had not seen for many years. The next day, he received a telephone call from this son, who had been in church and felt an overwhelming urge to contact his father. His mother had taken him away when he was a child, and changed his name. The father and son were reunited in joy.

Some portions of the Holy Relics of Saint Alexis Toth were taken to Slovakia by Metropolitan Herman (Swaiko), and they rest in the episcopal chapel at the Office of the Diocesan Council of the Michalovce-Košice Orthodox Eparchy in Michalovce, and in the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin in Zemplinská Široká.

In addition to the more than 20,000 people who were reunited with the Orthodox Christian Church in the USA, under the same influence from Father Alexis, many also returned to the Orthodox Faith through the work of his associates and others in Canada and elsewhere.

If the number that returned in Europe were included, the number would be about 250,000.

The example of Saint Alexis, along with his tireless preaching and teaching of the Orthodox Christian Faith in the mill and mining towns throughout the eastern United States was undoubtedly influential for Father Orestes Chornock and other Uniat clergy as they faced a new era of misunderstanding, mistreatment, and changes to their faith by the Roman Catholic hierarchy.

Saint Alexis Toth is considered by many to be “the Father of American Orthodoxy”.

Archimandrite Luke (Murianka) wrote :

 Was he acting out of pique as a result of a simple human misunderstanding or were there deeper, more 
 profound motives behind his decision to break with Rome ? Fr. Alexis’ national/religious background gives 
 us the answer. Historically the Orthodox peoples of Galicia and Carpatho-Russia had been for centuries 
 under Polish and Hungarian rule. As a consequence, for political reasons, they were forced into union 
 with Rome. As nationalities they were under constant pressure to become Polish or Hungarian. These 
 peoples had not seen true, free Orthodoxy since the Union of Brest, nor had they been able to express 
 their national Slavic identity freely since the time of Kievan Rus ; nonetheless, they always preserved 
 the consciousness that they were both Orthodox and a part of the Great Russian nation. Proof of this lays 
 in their swift willingness to return to Orthodoxy when they were free to do so and their acknowledgement 
 of their common national identity with Russia. Moreover, back in their native country there was growing 
 popular support among the Uniate laity to embrace Orthodoxy. Fr. Alexis was well aware of the heritage of 
 his ancestors, and having finished the Uniate seminary with a doctorate in canon law, he was well 
 prepared to make a precise and educated evaluation of the situation. His thoughts on confessing true 
 Orthodoxy are expressed in his defense of Fr. John Naumovitch of Lvov in Galicia, a former Uniate who 
 returned to Orthodoxy in 1885 bringing many Uniates with him.  Fr. John was arrested in Lvov and slandered 
 in the American Uniate press. Fr. Alexis vehemently defended the honour of his co-patriot. The Uniate 
 publication ‘Vestnik’ stated that Fr. John Naumovitch, ‘[...] never mentioned that the people should renounce 
 their faith and accept Orthodoxy’.  Fr. Alexis retorted : ‘What kind of shameless lie is that ! Has Judas’ 
 hate killed the last drop of your conscience ?? Is it possible that you wish to distort such facts that the 
 entire world knows ? Why then did Fr. John Naumovitch fight, if not for the Faith and nationality ? Did not 
 the people in Hnilichki and Skolat return to Holy Orthodoxy at his call ? Was that not the reason why he 
 and those people suffered persecution and imprisonment in jails ? Was it not for that that the Pope 
 anathematized him by the rancorous Cardinal Sembratowicz, and then ? Was that not the reason why the 
 Austro-Polish governments accused him and his people of high treason [...] ?’ These words of heartfelt 
 defense for a fellow confessor prove that Fr. Alexis had, for a long time before his meeting with 
 Archbishop Ireland, realised that the Vatican’s real aim was to eliminate Orthodoxy, and the Archbishop’s 
 treatment of his new Uniate priest was simply a reflection of his fear of Orthodoxy even in its diluted 
 Uniate form. To infer that Fr. Alexis left the Roman Church only because he felt offended or humiliated 
 by the Archbishop’s words at their meeting is a very serious distortion of the truth. Later, having been 
 received into the Orthodox Church, Fr. Alexis defended himself against attacks in the following words 
 which are further evidence of his conviction that the Unia was designed to destroy the Orthodox Faith.

The words of Father Alexis :

 Did I ever hide my program which I have used as the basis of my Orthodox missionary activity ? Did I not 
 openly teach and am I not openly teaching now that the Unia is a spiritual yoke for the Russians from 
 Hungary and Galicia ? Therefore, if we want to stay Russian (Orthodox) not only in words but in deeds, we 
 have to free ourselves from Rome, which takes away from us our Faith, our nationality, our Church, our 
 Cross, and our monasteries. [...] This is my conviction, and this is what I fight for. [...] Did I 
 establish the Holy Orthodox Church and Faith [...] ? And if now, by the grace of God, our people have 
 found the true Knowledge and reunite with the Holy Orthodox Church, then your shameless, lying reproach 
 is not my denunciation ; it is, in fact, turned into your own dishonor and curse [...] !

Awards

The Most Holy Synod awarded Father Alexis Toth with the right to wear a jewelled Cross, and to wear a mitre.

He was also awarded the Order of Saint Anna by Tsar Nicholas II.

He also received from the Holy Synod through Bishop Tikhon (Belavin) the Order of Saint Vladimir and the Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky (in recognition of distinguished service to the Church).

May, 2019, veneration of the opened relics of Saint Alexis on the Feast-day

Writings

Saint Alexis published 4 books of his own writings ; articles in the “American Orthodox Messenger” ; the newspaper “Light” (“Svit”), and other publications, containing explanations of the truths of the Orthodox Faith, and reflections on how Slavs should live in America.

The articles and books of the saint were written in a simple, understandable language for Rusyns, with the use of sayings and humourous anecdotes.

Saint Alexis’ most famous book was “Where to Seek the Truth ?” (English), which has been republished in several languages, serving as an Orthodox catechism for the Uniats.

• “Where to Seek the Truth”, trans. & ed. George Soldatow (Minneapolis, MN : AARDM Press, 1994). (Full text in English.)

• “The Orthodox Church in America and other Writings” by Saint Alexis, trans. & ed. George Soldatow (Minneapolis, MN : AARDM Press, 1996). AARDM=Archives of the Americans of Russian Descent. (Full text in English.)

• “Letters, Articles, Papers and Sermons of Alexis Toth”, 4 vols., trans. & ed. George Soldatow (Chilliwack, BC : Synaxis Press, 1978).

• “Selected Letters, Sermons and Articles”, trans. & ed. George Soldatow (Minneapolis, MN : AARDM Press, 1982).

• “The Writings of St. Alexis Toth, Confessor and Defender of Orthodoxy in America, trans. & ed. George Soldatow (Minneapolis, MN : AARDM Press, 1994).

Cover of an issue of “The Russian American Messenger”

References

Liberovsky, Alexis P, “Repose of St Alexis Toth the confessor and defender of Orthodoxy in America”

“The Russian Mission in North America”

Tarasar, Constance J, ed., “Orthodox America 1794-1976 : Development of The Orthodox Church in America” (Syosset, NY : The Orthodox Church in America Department of History and Archives, 1975) ASIN : B000ZLZAUE.

Orthodoxwiki biography

Wikipedia biography

Saint Alexis Orthodox Church biography

Saint Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral biography

The Diocese of the Midwest, OCA biography

All Saints of North America Orthodox Church biography

Russian Wikipedia biography

Pravoslavie.ru biography

Pravoslavie.ru biography (in Russian)

Saint Alexis Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Church biography

Drevo Encyclopaedia biography

Saint Tikhon’s Monastery biography

Additional information :

Danilets, Yurij V, Saint Alexis Toth and the Carpatho-Rusyn Struggle for Orthodoxy (2 articles)

......, “The Orthodox Church in Transcarpathia – A Brief Historical Overview”

......, “Persecuted from Transcarpathia to Pennsylvania – Saint Alexis Toth and the Carpatho-Rusyn Struggle for Orthodoxy”

Gray, George A, Bear, Jan V, eds., “Portraits of American Saints” (Los Angeles : Diocese of the West, OCA , 1994).

Herbel, Oliver, “Turning to Tradition : Converts and the Making of an American Orthodox Church” (Oxford, UK : Oxford University Press, 2013). ISBN : 9780199324958.

– Connexions with regard to the following 3 references may be found in the previous article by Oliver Herbel :

• Archpriest Alexis Toth : Vol. 1 [Autobiography, Letters and Sermons]. – Minneapolis : Archives of Americans of Russian Descent in Minnesota (AARDM). (1978), 83 pp.

• Archpriest Alexis Toth : Vol. 2 [Autobiography, Letters and Sermons]. – Minneapolis : Archives of Americans of Russian Descent in Minnesota (AARDM). (1982), 83 pp.

• Archpriest Alexis Toth : Letters, Articles, Papers & Sermons. – Minneapolis : Archives of Americans of Russian Descent in Minnesota (AARDM). Vols. 1-4 (1978-1988).

Hopko, Protopresbyter Thomas, ‘Church History’ in “Volume III : The Orthodox Faith”.

Prokurat, Michael ; Golitzin, Alexander & Petersen, Michael, eds., “The A to Z of the Orthodox Church” (Lanham, MD : Scarecrow Press, 2010), pp. 322-323. ISBN : 978-0-8108-7602-6.

(Rozhdestvensky), Metropolitan Platon, ‘A Wreath Upon the Grave of Mitred Archpriest Fr. Alexis Georgievich Toth’ in “Russian American Orthodox Messenger”, vol. 13, no. 10 (15/28 May, 1909), pp. 177-182 (‘Venok na mogilu mitrofornago protoiereya o. Aleksiya Georievicha Tovta’ in “Amerikanskiĭ Pravoslavnyĭ Viestnik’, 13:10 (May 28/15, 1909), pp. 177-182), and in George Soldatow, “The Orthodox Church in America and other Writings, pp. 153-157.

Stokoe M, Kishkovsky, L, ‘Alexis Toth and the Uniate Return to Orthodoxy’ in “Orthodox Christians in North America, 1794-1994”, chapter 2, pp. 14-15.

Tomko, Jerej Dušan N, Orthodox Church of the Dormition, Nižná Rybnica, Slovakia : Saint Alexis Toth

Saint Mary's Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Orthodox Church in America listing for Saint Mary's Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Holy Resurrection Church in Wilkes-Barre

Orthodox Church in America listing for Holy Resurrection Church in Wilkes-Barre

Saint John the Baptist Orthodox Cathedral, Mayfield, Pennsylvania

Saint Tikhon's Monastery in South Canaan, Pennsylvania

Orthodox Church in America web-site

Orthodoxwiki article about the Orthodox Church in America

Orthodoxwiki article about the Church of Russia

Bishop Nicholas Toth (Greek Catholic)

Archbishop John Ireland (Roman Catholic)

Bishop Vladimir (Sokolovsky-Avtonomov)

Bishop Nicholas (Ziorov)

Saint Tikhon (Belavin)

Archbishop Platon (Rozhdestvensky)

Bishop Stefan (Dzubay)

OCA Repose of Saint Alexis Toth

Orthodox History : The Repose of Saint Alexis Toth

St Tikhon’s Cemetery Findagrave reference for Saint Alexis Toth

“Orthodox Christianity” article : Saint Alexis – A resolute Zealot for Orthodoxy

Pravoslavie.ru article about Saint Alexis Toth

Orthodox Church in America about Saint Alexis Toth : Confessor and Defender of Orthodoxy in America

Orthodoxhistory.org article “The extent of the Russian Diocese in the 19th century”

Article about “The Russian Mission” in North America

Wikipedia article about Szepes, Slovakia

Orthodoxwiki article about the Union of Brest

Encyclopedia Britannica article about the Eastern Rite Church

Blog article : “Repost : Can East & West Coexist With Married Priests ?” (22 October, 2011)

Roman Catholic article : “Fr. Alexis Toth, Bishop John Ireland, and the Grace of Reconciliation” (18 May, 2016)

Historic 125th anniversary of the Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church, Wilkes-Barre (17 April, 2020)

Video/Audio : Life of Saint Alexis Toth

Video : Preparation for the glorification of Saint Alexis

Video : Glorification of Saint Alexis Toth, Part 1

Video : Glorification of Saint Alexis Toth, Part 2

Video : Glorification of Saint Alexis Toth

Video : Story of Saint Alexis Toth

‘The “Father of American Orthodoxy” : Mitred Archpriest Alexis Toth’ in “Canadian Orthodox Messenger” (Summer, 1994), a supplement between pp. 6-7.

'The Glorification of St Alexis of Wilkes Barre’ in “Canadian Orthodox Messenger” (Autumn, 1994), pp. 1-2.