Phone: 906-774-3772
office@imorthodox.org
office@imorthodox.org
The History Of St. Mary’s Orthodox Church
Years go by and memories fade. The following history has been revealed by Peter Massrouha and Helen Corombos. If by chance names are not included that should have been, we apologize.
Picture yourself back in 1934, 1935 and 1936. You are an immigrant to this beautiful country, yet you miss your weekly worship of our Lord Jesus Christ in the tradition you were taught by your parents.
You want to worship in an Eastern Orthodox House of God, yet there is no church within traveling distance of Iron Mountain.
You gather together your family, sometimes with other families to pay reverence to our Saviour, who stood by your side as you traveled to America, a strange yet electrifying country in which only a handful of people speak your native language.
Worshipping at home partially satisfied your needs, but what about gathering together with others of your faith — “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in the midst of them.”
Times were rough, money was difficult to come by let alone save, but save they did — salesmanship helped also — coffee normally selling for 5 cents a cup was offered at 10 cents with all proceeds going to what is now “Our Beloved St. Mary’s”.
Abe Khoury’s wife, Mary, and Sadie George, sister of Fadel George, embarked on a mission to procure their
own Eastern Orthodox Church along with the combined forces of a small group of families: Mike and Sadie
Abraham, Jake and Nora Jacobs, Abe and Tazeh Jacobs, Abe and Nazira Jacobs, Fadel and Mary George,
Steve and Bessie Papas, John and Helen Corombos, George and Marika Corombos, Chris and Mary
Anegon, Art and Penelope Mitchell, Mr. and Mrs. Rudy Rapaich, and numerous others.
By 1936, the amount raised from social gatherings and donations grew to $387.00. Somehow this money was entrusted to a priest from Spring Valley, Illinois, who was passing through. Perhaps communications were lacking because the priest took the money with him when he returned to Illinois. As some will remember, Fadel George worked for the railroad and obtained a free pass for his sister, Sadie, to journey to Spring Valley, Illinois, where she successfully collected the money and returned home determined more than ever to expedite the founding of an Orthodox Church.
Our little church was purchased for $600.00 from a Lutheran Bishop in Escanaba, Michigan in 1937. Today, 50 years later we are celebrating our Golden Anniversary. Most certainly Our Lord gathered his flock and paved the way so those of Orthodox Faith could worship as our Forefathers had, Proudly, Sincerely, and Faithfully. Therefore, it is with Pride and Love we dedicate this book — firstly, to our Forefathers who have made this history possible, secondly, to those who now follow in their footsteps, and finally to those who will follow in our footsteps and keep the Faith that has been established in our “Miracle Church”.
St. Mary’s first rectory, situated immediately adjacent to the church, was purchased in the early 1940’s for slightly over $3,000.00. Father Paul Schneirla, our Priest during this time, stimulated the ferver that made the purchase possible by donating $1,000.00 for tl3e down payment. The balance was raised by the enthusiasm generated by our forefathers in Orthodox. Father Schneirla, our first resident priest, lived in Iron Mountain at the new parish rectory which he helped purchase with his most generous donation. Prior to our new rectory, he and his wife rented a small home across the street from the Mike Abraham residence on Wells Street.
Father Paul was a shared priest with Ironwood. Sunday Church Service in those early days were held every other Sunday at Iron Mountain and Ironwood. Times were tough in those days, but those of Orthodox Faith were tougher.
In 1986, St. Mary’s House and Grounds Committee, under the Chairmanship of Dale Frei — also president of the Church Council at that time — purchased a newer home for the Rectory. The new parish home is now located at 1313 Stockbridge, Iron Mountain.
In 2002, The Parish sold the rectory and purchased a new rectory on Pine Mountain road.
We thank God for the progress HE obviously spearheaded for the SMALL but POWERFUL St. Mary’s Orthodox Church.
Picture yourself back in 1934, 1935 and 1936. You are an immigrant to this beautiful country, yet you miss your weekly worship of our Lord Jesus Christ in the tradition you were taught by your parents.
You want to worship in an Eastern Orthodox House of God, yet there is no church within traveling distance of Iron Mountain.
You gather together your family, sometimes with other families to pay reverence to our Saviour, who stood by your side as you traveled to America, a strange yet electrifying country in which only a handful of people speak your native language.
Worshipping at home partially satisfied your needs, but what about gathering together with others of your faith — “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in the midst of them.”
Times were rough, money was difficult to come by let alone save, but save they did — salesmanship helped also — coffee normally selling for 5 cents a cup was offered at 10 cents with all proceeds going to what is now “Our Beloved St. Mary’s”.
Abe Khoury’s wife, Mary, and Sadie George, sister of Fadel George, embarked on a mission to procure their
own Eastern Orthodox Church along with the combined forces of a small group of families: Mike and Sadie
Abraham, Jake and Nora Jacobs, Abe and Tazeh Jacobs, Abe and Nazira Jacobs, Fadel and Mary George,
Steve and Bessie Papas, John and Helen Corombos, George and Marika Corombos, Chris and Mary
Anegon, Art and Penelope Mitchell, Mr. and Mrs. Rudy Rapaich, and numerous others.
By 1936, the amount raised from social gatherings and donations grew to $387.00. Somehow this money was entrusted to a priest from Spring Valley, Illinois, who was passing through. Perhaps communications were lacking because the priest took the money with him when he returned to Illinois. As some will remember, Fadel George worked for the railroad and obtained a free pass for his sister, Sadie, to journey to Spring Valley, Illinois, where she successfully collected the money and returned home determined more than ever to expedite the founding of an Orthodox Church.
Our little church was purchased for $600.00 from a Lutheran Bishop in Escanaba, Michigan in 1937. Today, 50 years later we are celebrating our Golden Anniversary. Most certainly Our Lord gathered his flock and paved the way so those of Orthodox Faith could worship as our Forefathers had, Proudly, Sincerely, and Faithfully. Therefore, it is with Pride and Love we dedicate this book — firstly, to our Forefathers who have made this history possible, secondly, to those who now follow in their footsteps, and finally to those who will follow in our footsteps and keep the Faith that has been established in our “Miracle Church”.
St. Mary’s first rectory, situated immediately adjacent to the church, was purchased in the early 1940’s for slightly over $3,000.00. Father Paul Schneirla, our Priest during this time, stimulated the ferver that made the purchase possible by donating $1,000.00 for tl3e down payment. The balance was raised by the enthusiasm generated by our forefathers in Orthodox. Father Schneirla, our first resident priest, lived in Iron Mountain at the new parish rectory which he helped purchase with his most generous donation. Prior to our new rectory, he and his wife rented a small home across the street from the Mike Abraham residence on Wells Street.
Father Paul was a shared priest with Ironwood. Sunday Church Service in those early days were held every other Sunday at Iron Mountain and Ironwood. Times were tough in those days, but those of Orthodox Faith were tougher.
In 1986, St. Mary’s House and Grounds Committee, under the Chairmanship of Dale Frei — also president of the Church Council at that time — purchased a newer home for the Rectory. The new parish home is now located at 1313 Stockbridge, Iron Mountain.
In 2002, The Parish sold the rectory and purchased a new rectory on Pine Mountain road.
We thank God for the progress HE obviously spearheaded for the SMALL but POWERFUL St. Mary’s Orthodox Church.
PRIESTS WHO HAVE SERVED ST. MARY’S:
Father Paul Schneirla
Father John Matthieson
Father Peter Horton - Billard
Father Michael Welborn
Father Jerome Yared
Father James Allen
Very Rev. Zackaria Naser
Father Peter Lambert
Rt. Rev. Father Michael Tahan
Father Paul Kleinschrodt
Father Paul Blankenstein
Father Mark Hagan
Father John Matthieson
Father Peter Horton - Billard
Father Michael Welborn
Father Jerome Yared
Father James Allen
Very Rev. Zackaria Naser
Father Peter Lambert
Rt. Rev. Father Michael Tahan
Father Paul Kleinschrodt
Father Paul Blankenstein
Father Mark Hagan