Holy Assumption to receive Ohio Historical Marker
MARBLEHEAD - Ohio’s oldest Orthodox church building and the immigrants who built it will be honored with the dedication of an Ohio Historical Marker during a ceremony on Saturday.
Holy Assumption Orthodox Church parish, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, was founded by Carpatho-Russian immigrants in 1898, and the church building was constructed in 1905 to 1906 with the aid of Russia’s last tsar, Nicholas II.
The “Holy Assumption Orthodox Church and County Immigrants” marker will be Ottawa County’s 21st Ohio Historical Marker.
Immigrants from modern-day Poland, Slovakia, Czechia and the Ukraine immigrated to the Marblehead area to work in stone quarries within the village and on Kelleys Island.
“They brought their faith with them,” said Roberta Royhab, who is a member of Holy Assumption along with her husband, Ron Royhab. “They came to work in the quarries, and they came here for religious freedom.”
The immigrants shared a common faith but had no formal meetinghouse for worship.
Immigrants from Russia came for religious freedom
“The people were very religious but had no church,” Ron said. “They didn’t have any money, so they sent word back.”
Local resident John Onyock wrote a plea for help to the tsar, who shocked the church by personally responding to the letter. Nicholas sent Bishop Tikhon, who headed the Russian Orthodox Church in North America, with financial aid and gifts. Those gifts included a chalice and communion set which are still used in the church today, and four icons, or religious paintings, which have also been preserved in the church.
Ron explained the significance of icons to the Russian Orthodox Church, which are an emotional means of connection to Christ and the saints.
“They are important, but we don’t worship them,” Ron said. “If you had a son or daughter in the military, and you picked up their photo and embraced it, you’re not pretending its them, but it’s a way to connect.”
Holy Assumption’s rich history is both religiously and culturally significant. On the world stage, its ties to Nicholas are important. Nicholas and his young family were murdered during the Russian Revolution, and Nicholas was later glorified as a saint of the Orthodox Church.
Many immigrants moved to Ottawa County
Locally, the immigrants who formed the parish and built the church impacted the growth and culture of Ottawa County. Seventy years after Holy Assumption was constructed, a quarter of the county’s population were immigrants. Today, many of their ancestors still reside in the area, and their culture infiltrates the personality of Ottawa County through events such as the church’s annual Halupki Festival.
The parish survived 125 years, and today, the historic church still holds weekly services with a small but faithful congregation.
“We’ve always been a small church, but we do many wonderful things,” Ron said. “It’s like one big family.”
The public is invited to the Ohio Historical Marker Ceremony on April 1 at 2:30 p.m. at Holy Assumption Orthodox Church, 110 E. Main St., Marblehead. The Ottawa County Historical Society will host the event, which will include tours of the church where the tsar’s historic icons can be viewed.
Attending the ceremony will be Ottawa County Historical Society President Patrick Lawrence O’Keeffe; Laura Russell of the Ohio History Connection/Ohio Historical Marker Program; Archpriest John Adamcio, who serves as the church’s supply priest; and Kristina Smith of St. John Lutheran Church in Port Clinton.
Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at sheritrusty4@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Historical marker to honor Holy Assumption church in Marblehead
