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John Kochurov was born on [[July 13]], 1871. His father was a priest. His education included attendance at the Ryazan [[Seminary]] before continuing at the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. He excelled at his studies at both the seminary and academy. After graduating in 1895, Fr. John married and then entered his life's work when he was ordained [[deacon]]. On [[August 27]], 1895, he was [[ordination|ordained]] a priest at the St. Alexander Nevsky [[Lavra]] in St. Petersburg by Bishop [[Nicholas (Ziorov) of the Aleutians|Nicholas (Ziorov)]] of the Diocese of the Aleutians and Alaska.
Having expressed the desire to be a missionary priest in the United States, Fr. John was soon transferred and became the first permanent priest at St. Vladimir's Church in Chicago. This parish was later to become the [[Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral (Chicago, Illinois)|Holy Trinity Cathedral]]. As St. Vladimir's parish did not yet have their own building, his first major project was construction of the church building. Under the guidance of Bishop Tikhon, later [[Patriarch]] [[Tikhon of Moscow]] and saint, Fr. John enlisted the services of the noted architect Louis Sullivan to design the church. To finance the project, Fr. John sought and obtained donations from Tsar [[Nicholas II of Russia|Nicholas II]] as well as from a few Americans, notably Harold McCormick and Charles R. Crane who was the American ambassador to China. Construction of the church began in April 1902 and was completed the next year for the [[consecration of a church|consecration]] by Bishop Tikhon.
Fr. John devoted much effort to aiding the establishment of other parishes in the Chicago area. He performed the first service for the future Archangel Michael Orthodox Church in southwest Chicago. In the greater Chicago area he was active in the formation of the parishes in Madison, Streator, and Joliet (all in Illinois), as well as aiding the parishes in Buffalo, NY, and Hartshorn, OK.
