Archpriest John and Matushka Inna Karateev

Archpriest John Karateev (1885-1976)

and

Matushka Inna Karateev (____-1957)

Karateev is pronounced as and may be spelt Karateyev.

John may be spelt Ioann, Ivan.

Early life of John Karateev

John Karateev was born in 1885 in the village of Sinyukhin Brod, Yelisavetgrad Uyezd, Kherson Governorate in the Russian Empire. This region is now in the Mikolaiv Oblast of Ukraine. John was born into the family of a landowner. A landowner was part of a noble class within the empire.

John Karateev was raised as an Orthodox Christian in the bosom of the Russian Orthodox Church within the Russian Empire, and he received the primary and secondary education provided at that time, and in accordance with the family's place in society.

It is not known at present what further education he received, nor in what way he earned his living at that time.

John dreamed about becoming a priest since the years when he served as an altar boy (acolyte). However, first he was to pass the ordeal of World War I (1914-1918), the Bolshevik Revolution (1919), and the Russian Civil War (1917-1922).

Marriage

John Karateev was married to Inna (her family name is unknown at present) at a date and place unknown at present, although it may well have been before 1914.

From the Lord, John and Inna Karateev received 4 sons and 2 daughters.

Escape from the USSR, emigration to Canada, 1928

In 1928, by the mercy of God, the Karateev family were able to escape from the Soviet Union and to emigrate to Canada. At that time, John Karateev was 43 years of age.

Upon arrival in Canada, the Karateevs settled at Loyalist, Alberta, which is about 115 km southeast of Red Deer. This was at a great distance from any established parish, but the Karateevs were careful to make their way to services wherever and whenever possible. They lived and worshipped within the bosom of the Diocese of Canada of the “Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church of North America”, and they were known by the clergy.

Then, in 1939, Bishop Joasaph (Skorodumov) of Edmonton, Alberta, blessed him to prepare for ordination. Obediently, he undertook the studies prescribed for him.

Ordinations, 1942

In 1942, Bishop Joasaph (Skorodumov) ordained John Karateev to the Holy Diaconate, and then to the Holy Priesthood. He was 57 years of age.

Pastoral service

As can be seen, the Lord strengthened him and extended his life for priestly service.

Priest John Karateev served first in several northern Alberta parishes from 1942 to 1951.

Amongst these parishes was Holy Trinity Church at Spirit River, Alberta.

Holy Trinity Russo Orthodox Church, Spirit River, Alberta (this earlier Temple is now in a museum)

Then Father John was transferred to the USA, and to the Diocese of San Francisco. There, he served at Holy Ascension Church in Sacramento, California, from 1951 to 1956.

Holy Ascension Russian Orthodox Church, Sacramento, California

He was transferred again to Alberta, where he served again in the Central Alberta parishes from 1957 to 1962. At some time during his pastoral service, Priest John Karateev was elevated to the dignity of archpriest.

Bereavement, 1957

Matushka Inna fell asleep in the Lord in 1957.

In 1962, Father John was transferred again to the USA, again to the Diocese of San Francisco. He served as rector of Saints Peter and Paul's Church in Phoenix, Arizona, until 1972.

Just before his arrival, his predecessor, Archimandrite Peter (Zaychenko) had willed his residential property (which he had developed into the church community). From this, the parishioners had developed a larger space for worshippers, and in 1961, they had purchased additional adjoining property on which to construct a permanent Temple.

On 12 May, 1968, a new, beautiful Byzantine-style Russian Eastern Orthodox Temple was dedicated by Archbishop John (Shahovskoy) of San Francisco and the Western United States. Archpriest Dimitri Gisetti, the Dean, and Archpriest John Karateev, the pastor, and other Orthodox clergy were present and assisting the archbishop. The new Temple tripled the worship-space.

Saints Peter and Paul Temple, Phoenix, Arizona

Retirement, 1972

In 1972, Archpriest John Karateev retired from active service, and he went to live with his children in Vancouver, British Columbia. At that time, he was 87 years of age.

In Vancouver Father continued the Lord's work, attending Holy Resurrection Church and often substituting for Bishop Joasaph (Antoniuk).

From the first, he also worked towards the creation of a parish in Victoria, British Columbia (the provincial capital, on Vancouver Island). In association with Bishop Joasaph (Antoniuk), who was rector of Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Sobor in Vancouver, Father John would help in providing pastoral service to the nascent mission of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple, which later became the parish of All Saints of Alaska and Saint Arseny in Victoria.

Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Sobor, Vancouver, Britixh Columbia

Repose, 1976

Archpriest John Karateev fell asleep in the Lord on 15 August, 1976, in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The Funeral Services for the Burial of a Priest were served at Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Sobor in Vancouver by Bishop Joasaph (Antoniuk), Archimandrite Cyril (Bulashevich), and other clergy.

References

Holy Resurrection Orthodox Sobor, Vancouver, biography

Russian Religious Workers Abroad listing

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.

Additional information

A Chronological History of the Archdiocese of Canada, Part I

A Commemorative List of the Departed Servants of Orthodoxy in North America (“Diptychs”) (Syosset, NY : Department of History and Archives, OCA, 1992), p. 5.

Archdiocese of Canada web-site

Orthodoxwiki article about the Archdiocese of Canada

Orthodox Church in America web-site

Orthodox Church in America : Diocese of the West

Orthodoxwiki article about The Orthodox Church in America

A Chronological History of the Archdiocese of Canada, Part I

A Commemorative List of the Departed Servants of Orthodoxy in North America (“Diptychs”) (Syosset, NY : Department of History and Archives, OCA, 1992)

Patriarch Saint Tikhon (Belavin)

Metropolitan Sergiy (Stragorodsky)