Eastern Orthodoxy on Western Shores

In the late 1800's Galveston, Texas was a thriving metropolis with a population bigger than that of the neighboring city of Houston. Galveston's economy was booming&ldots; and the island city attracted men and women from around the world seeking the American dream. It was in this setting that a group of immigrants from Serbia and Greece banded together to build the first Eastern Orthodox church in Texas.

While Texas had a strong Roman Catholic presence, the religious environment of America, and therefore Texas, was predominantly protestant. Immigrants who did not fall neatly into these two categories faced much social, financial and spiritual difficulty in their adopted homeland. United together by their common faith, the local Serbian and Greek population of Galveston would gather together in rented facilities to celebrate the divine services of their church and form mutual aid societies. In January of 1895 this group of immigrants pledged their support to build a church of their own. Saints Constantine and Helen Orthodox Church was consecrated the following June 1896.

After several appeals to various Orthodox patriarchates in the old world a letter was sent to the Holy Synod of Russia and to Tsar Nicholas II. The Emperor, impressed with the small flock from Texas is reported to have said, "Let there be an Orthodox Church in Galveston." He then personally donated the icons on the Iconostasis, the Gospel book, the sacred vessels, and also sent the parish's first priest Archimandrite Theoclitos (Triantafilides).

St. Tikhon of Moscow

In the year 2000 Tsar Nicholas II and the royal family were canonized as saints by the Russian Orthodox Church.

In the late summer of 1900 one of the biggest hurricanes ever recorded hit Galveston, nearly destroying the city. The great storm killed between 8,000 to 12,000 people, nearly one sixth of the city's population. The young Orthodox parish was not immune to the destruction. Though the building survived it was badly damaged, and many parish members were lost to the great storm. Strong in their faith, the congregation was determined to continue on and repaired the damaged church. In 1901 Bishop Tikhon (later to be elevated as Patriarch of Moscow and the Russian Orthodox Church and canonized as a saint in 1989) re-consecrated the church.

This was not the only storm the tiny parish would have to weather. The church was hit by another hurricane in 1909, and again in 1915. After each storm the congregation and its priest would galvanize their community and repair the building and its people. In addition to mother nature the church has had to endure the loss of its first priest, Fr. Theoclitos, who served for 21 years (currently buried under the altar); the loss of their patronage from Moscow following the Russian revolution in 1917; the great depression; and two world wars. All the while it has maintained its place as a beacon to the Serbian community on the Texas coast.

This is the story of a little church with a big history. Built by saints, it has witnessed and weathered major storms, suffered though economic hard times and good, and been an ark of salvation for its congregation and the city where they live. The spirit of this historic church can be summed up by the old Serbian saying "As long as you build you live". Saints Constantine and Helen Orthodox Church in Galveston, TX continues to build on their past, creating a future, and living their faith.