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[[Image:John Mitropolsky.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Bp. John (Mitropolsky) of the Aleutians]]His Grace the Right Reverend Bishop '''John (Mitropolsky)of the Aleutians''' was the first ruling hierarch assigned to the new [[Church of Russia|Russian]] [[diocese ]] of the Aleutian, Islands and Alaska, an event which signaled the growth in importance of the mission to North America in Alaska from being an auxiliary of a diocese centered in eastern Russia.  As part this administrative move , Bp. John moved the see from Sitka to San Francisco in 1872, bringing a strong presence to the continental United States. Using his fluency in English this move enabled him to engage the heterodox native American Americans and his their press about Orthodox Christianity. This importance of this move was eventually to be seen in the next decade as emigration from central Europe to the United States increased.

Stephen Mitropolsky was born in Kaluga on [[September 27]], 1836. He was an uncle of the [[Archpriest]] Nicholas Mitropolsky. His father was a sexton. His early education included attendance at the Kaluga Seminary, followed by attending the Moscow Theological Academy from which he graduated in 1862. While a student at the academy he was tonsured [[tonsure]]d a [[monk ]] on [[August 29]], 1861 , with the name of John. After his ordination as a deacon, John was ordained a [[priest]] on [[June 21]], 1862. The following September [[Hieromonk]] John received his Master’s Master's degree and was awarded a fellowship at the Academy initially in church archaeology and then in general church history.  On [[October 27]], 1868, he was raised to the rank of [[archimandrite]], followed by his consecration as [[bishop]] of the Aleutian Islands and Alaska. This was a new episcopal title that indicated that the Alaskan bishop was no longer an [[auxiliary bishop|auxiliary]] to a diocesan bishop but rather a ruling bishop with his own diocese.

On [[October 27]]Early in his stay in America Bp. John sensed that his missionary efforts would be enhanced if the diocesan see were located in San Francisco rather than remaining in Sitka, 1868a "request undoubtedly based upon the fact that most Russians had left Alaska" (FitzGerald, he was raised 22). He initiated a request to the rank of [[archmandriteHoly Synod]], followed by his consecration as as of the [[BishopChurch of Russia]] of to make the move, and in 1872 he received approval to move the Aleutian Islands diocesan administration, mission school, and Alaskaepiscopal see from Sitka to San Francisco. This was move began a new episcopal title that indicated that twenty-eight year period in which the seat of the Alaskan bishop diocese was no longer an auxiliary outside its defined territory (Alaska), which FitzGerald identifies as the first signal of the eventual canonical irregularities which would plague American Orthodoxy in years to come (ibid.). With the movement of the see to a diocesan bishop but diocesan hierarchSan Francisco, Bp. John initiated the construction of the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral on Pierce Street.

Early Having studied church history in his arrival in America academy days, Bp. John sensed that had developed a concept for his missionary efforts work in North America that would be enhanced if convey the truths of Orthodox Christianity to the diocesan see were located heterodox in San Francisco rather than remain North America. With his fluency in Sitka. He initiated the English language he used a request scholarly approach to argue the [[Holy Synod]] truths of Orthodoxy and to defend them. He was able to debate the Church heterodox in Russia to make the movepress, and his accomplishments are recorded in 1872 he received the approval of the Holy Synod to move the diocesan administration, mission school, and episcopal see from Sitka to San Francisco. With the movement his ''History of the see Sects in San Francisco Bp. John initiated the construction of the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral on Pierce StreetAmerica''.

Having studied church history in his academy days, Bp. John had developed a concept for his missionary work 's stay in North America that would convey the truths United States ended when he was appointed on [[April 12]], 1877, to the staff of the office of Orthodox Christianity to the heterodox in North America. With his fluency Holy Synod in the English language Moscow where he used served for a scholarly approach to argue the truths of Orthodoxy and to defend itlittle over twelve years. He Then, on [[August 12]], 1889 he was able to debate appointed Bishop of Aksaisk, an [[auxiliary bishop|auxiliary]] of the heterodox in bishop of the pressDon diocese. [[On April 9]], 1910, Bp. John retired from active service as a bishop and his accomplishments are recorded in his ''History became head of Sects the Protection Monastery in America''Astrakhan until [[November 8]], 1913. From that time he fully retired and then died on [[May 2]], 1914.

Bp. John’s stay John's service in the United States ended when he was appointed on [[April 12]], 1877 to Alaskan mission brought two significant advances in the staff progress of Orthodox Christianity into North America. First was the office establishment of the Holy Synod in Moscow where he served for mission as a full diocese, not dependent upon a little over twelve yearsforeign diocesan administration. Then, on [[August 12]], 1889 he Second was appointed Bishop of Aksaisk, an [[auxiliary]] the movement of the Bishop headquarters of the Don diocese. [[On April 9]], 1910, Bp. John retired from active service as a bishop and became head to the mainland of the Protection Monastery in Astrakhan until [[November 8]]United States, 1913. From that time he fully retired and then died on [[May 2]], 1914closer to the center of American life.

==ImpactReference==Bp*FitzGerald, Fr. John’s service in the Alaska mission brought two significant advances in the progress of Thomas E. ''The Orthodox Christianity into North AmericaChurch''. First was the establishment of the mission as a full diocese Westport, not dependent upon a ‘foreign’ diocesan administration. Second was the movement of the headquarters of the diocese to the mainland of the United StatesCT: Praeger Publishers, closer to the center of American Life1998.

before=[[Paul (Popov) of Novoarkhangelsk (Sitka) Auxiliary of the Kamchatka Diocese|Paul (Popov)]]|

after=[[Nestor (Zass) of the Aleutian IslandsAleutians|Nestor (Zass)]]}}