'For us, this is home.' St. George Antiochian Church celebrates centennial, growth
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CANTON – Since 1922, St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church has been an oasis of faith, tradition and history in a changing city.
This weekend, the Eastern Orthodox church at 1118 Cherry Ave. NE celebrates its centennial with special events today and Sunday, including a sold-out anniversary banquet at the Brookside County Club that will feature a "Hafli" band.
Metropolitan Archbishop Joseph Al-Zehlaoui, head of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, and Bishop Anthony Michaels, head of the Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest, will preside over great vespers services today at 5 p.m. Orthos/matins will be conducted at 8:45 a.m. Sunday, followed by the hierarchial divine liturgy at 10 a.m. The service will be followed by a luncheon.
A private benefactors' reception with the bishops was held on Friday.
As part of the weekend's activities, the church's youth will have a gathering and breakfast with the bishops at 10 a.m. Saturday. They will install a time capsule inside the church's 1922 safe.
The congregation also will present U.S. Marshal Tim Wires with the St. George Medal of Valor and the Archdiocese Meritorious Service Award. Wires, a special deputy for the Stark County Sheriff's Office and an agent with the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force, was shot in the line of duty on March 24.
Rosemary Shaheen, the church's longtime organist and seamstress, will be presented with the Archdiocese Meritorious Service Award. St. George's oldest member, Bea Shaheen McPherson, 100, also will be recognized, and the church's high school graduates will be presented with Orthodox study Bibles.
'An exciting time' at St. George
At a time when many churches are struggling to keep their doors open, St. George is enjoying growth consisting of former Protestants, said the Very Rev. Michael Corbin, priest for 12 years.
Corbin said the new members have found Christian Orthodoxy to be "the true and ancient church," one which goes back 2,000 years.
"It's happening across the country," he said. "For us, this has never happened in our community. It's a milestone. These people aren't looking for the latest fad. Our church roots goes back to Acts 11."
"And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch."
"It's a really exciting time," Corbin said. "It's life-changing. To be an Orthodox Christian is not easy. It takes an enormous amount of dedication. We take our faith seriously."
Corbin attributes the COVID-19 pandemic as a part of the reason for their growth.
"I think it's leading people on a spiritual path that I've never witnessed before," he said. "I believe it is God-directed. The future is going to look much brighter than it did 20 years ago. We have young families who are solid and very committed. There are signs that we are not only the legacy of the founders, but are trying as best we can to live our faith. We have emerged from the last few years of the pandemic as a stronger church. I think it's by God's grace."
Canton, a city of immigrants
In 1922, one in five Cantonians was an immigrant. They included the Syrians and Lebanese Orthodox Christians who formed St. George in 1918. The church was dedicated on April 23, 1922.
Corbin's wife is from Lebanon.
"For us, this is home. Our children are growing up here," he said. "I feel like it's my home. We're all in this together."
Many of the founders' descendants, including centennial chair Rhonia Shaheen, continue to worship at St. George's. Shaheen also chaired festivities for the church's 95th anniversary.
Shaheen said she can't imagine being anywhere else.
"I've always been involved," she said. "I know it sounds crazy to say, but it's my faith. This is where my roots are. My kids were raised here."
Shaheen, whose son KJ II is a subdeacon, credits the church's spiritual leadership.
"When Father Mike came, he was a great draw for the kids," she said. "He's great with the youth. He makes everybody feel welcome. We've had a lot of converts. I attribute that to Father Mike. He's a very welcoming force."
Shaheen said the growth has been such that she no longer knows many of the members.
"My dad died last year," she said. "There's no one left of his generation. "We're growing as we're losing people."
St. George is staying put in Canton
Decades ago, much of the neighboring community, which is bordered by 12th Street NE, was dominated by St. George parishioners. Many of the homes and parishioner-owned businesses are now gone. Many of the houses that remain are rentals.
Though there was some talk of moving, the church remains.
Since 1922, there have been additions, including a church hall, and most recently, a new icon donated by Bruce Abraham Jr. It is located inside the altar.
Fathers and sons
On Sunday, the church will bless and dedicate its new lobby, which includes an elevator made possible through contributions from members of the defunct Holy Cross Orthodox Church in Canton Township.
Ed Bendekgey Jr.'s father was a member of Holy Cross but his grandparents belonged to St. George. Like his father, Bendekgey is a craftsman who is using his skills to make sure the sanctuary is ready for the celebration. Edward Sr. died in 2017.
The son is proud of his late father's work, which was brought over from Holy Cross. Some of it can be seen in the vestibule of St. George, including a display case containing a 1923 icon from Holy Cross.
"He built a lot of things for the church," Bendekgey Jr. said.
St. George has produced at least three priests, most notably among them the late Archbishop Michael Shaheen, whose father pastored St. George.
Ordained in 1951, Shaheen became the first American-born priest to be elevated bishop in the Orthodox church. He is widely credited with healing a major rift in the Syrian Antiochian Church of North America when he relinquished his position as the head of the Toledo Diocese and became an auxiliary bishop, which allowed the merger of the Toledo and New York dioceses in 1975.
He died in 1992. His vestments are on display in the church vestibule.
Others include the Very Rev. Michael Massouh, grandson of St. George's first priest, the Very Rev. Spyridon Massouh, and the Very Rev. Basil Shaheen.
"We haven't lost sight of who we are," Corbin said. "We're staying true to the church."
Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com
On Twitter: @cgoshayREP
This article originally appeared on The Repository: St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Canton turns 100
