The first liturgical Christian service held in Hawaii was a [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox]] [[Pascha]]l service. Somewhere Sometime between 1792 and 1750 - 1793*, while traveling from the Far East to what was then Russian America, a Russian trading ship stopped over in the Hawaiian Islands. The Russian Orthodox [[priest]], not wanting to celebrate Holy [[Pascha]] (Easter) at sea, instructed the captain to disembark. The captain then told the priest that he feared the "natives" but was then told, "They will not harm us, for we are Orthodox, and we bear the Light of Christ to illumine their hearts." They disembarked and blessed a temporary [[altar]] under a newly built temple made out of palms and bamboo and adorned with a Znammeny icon of the Mother of God and the Christ Child. It was rumored that as they departed the Orthodox priest left the icon used in the Paschal Liturgy. The ship's priest promised that, "We shall return and baptize these natives to the [[One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church|One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church]]."  The first Protestant service was a lay funeral service conducted by Capt. James Cook for an English sailor at Napo‘opo‘o (Kealakekua) on the Big Island of Hawaii in 1779. <i>*Exact dates differ from 1750, 1792, and 1793</i>

[[Image:Fortelizabeth.jpg|rightleft|frame|Russian Fort Elizabeth as it was in 1815 on the Island of Kauai]]In 1815, Russians built Hawaii's first [[Orthodox Church]]church; the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox]] chapel at [http[w://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Fort_Elizabeth Russian Fort Elizabeth|Fort Elizabeth]]. On the Island of Kaua'i, three Russian forts were built: Fort Alexander, Fort Barclay, and Fort Elizabeth. Fort Alexander also housed a small Orthodox chapel, but Fort Elizabeth was the trading base for the new Russian-American Company in Hawaii. When King Kaumuali'i of Kaua'i ceded his kingdom to King Kamehameha the Great in 1816 following the tsar's refusal to annex Kaua'i due to political troubles in Russia, the forts were also ceded, and the Hawaiian Islands become one unified kingdom. The chapels ultimately fell into disrepair after Calvinist missionaries from the United States landed in 1820 after the death of King Kamehameha I.

In 1882, the Hawaiian Kingdom sent a diplomatic delegation to St. Petersburg, Russia, to witness the coronation of Tsar Alexander III. The reports of the Hawaiian Hawaii's special envoy to the Russian court, Colonel Curtis I'Iaukeaaukea, about Secretary of Foreign Affairs for the Kingdom of Hawaii, regarding the Russian Orthodox [[liturgy|liturgical]] services were widely published in Hawaiian-language newspapers. Two years later, Tsar Alexander III sent King Kalakaua the Imperial Order of St. [[Alexander Nevsky|Alexander of Nevsky]], the highest Russian award, and established a permanent Russian embassy in Hawaii, along with a very small Orthodox chapel. Subsequently, 200 Ukrainians were imported by American sugar planters.

In 1893, Queen Lili'uokalani was deposed by U.S. Marines and American sugar plantation owners, who were mostly the children of American Calvinist missionaries, and a provisional government under the protection of the United States was installed. In 1898, Hawaii was incorporated into the United States despite near universal opposition from native Hawaiians. In the early 1900s, the Russian ambassador to Hawaii was recalled, the embassy was moved to a small office, and the Russian Orthodox chapel was forever closed.

It is also worth noting, that Saint St. [[Innocent of Moscow]] also made a brief stop-over in Hawaii during his travels from Asia to Western America.

[[Image:korchinsky.gif|left|frame|A photo of Fr. Jakob Jacob Korchinsky from the Pacific Commercial Advertiser, January 23, 1916]] On [[November 27]], 1910 ([[Julian Calendar|O.S.]]), with the blessing of the [[bishop]]s of Vladivostok and in America, the first Russian Orthodox reader services were held by Reader Vasily Pasderin. November 27 was, and is, the "Feast Day of the Znamenny-[[Kursk Root Icon]] of the Sign of the [[Theotokos|Mother of God]]), [[Reader|reader services]] were organized and served by Vasily Pasderin."

In 1915, at the petition of an official request by the Russian Orthodox community in Hawaii and the Episcopal Bishop of Hawaii, Henry B. Restarick to the [[Holy Synod]] in St. Petersburg; a priest was dispatched that same year to Hawaii (with the blessing of the Archbishop [[Church Evdokim (Meschersky) of Russia|Russian Orthodox Churchthe Aleutians]], a Russian Orthodox priest was dispatched to Hawaii ) to pastor the large population of Orthodox Russian faithful. He establishsed permanent liturgical services in Hawaii and on [[Church of Russia|Russian OrthodoxChristmas]] [[December 25]] faithful(O.S. On Orthodox Christmas ) / [[January 7]] (DecN.25/JanS. 7)1916, Protopresbyter Jakob Jacob Korchinsky celebrated the [[Divine Liturgy ]] at Saint Andrew's Episcopal Cathedral in Honolulu, and he established permanent liturgical services. Thus Orthodoxy was re-established in Hawaii. [[Image:episcopal.jpg|right|thumb|100px|St. Andrew's Episcopal as it appears today in downtown Honolulu]] Fr. Jakob, a well-known [[missionary]] priest, established churches in Canada, the United States, Alaska, and Australia. He was murdered in [[Odessa]] shortly after the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Orthodox_Church#Russian_revolution Bolshevik Revolution] in Russia. This martyred priest has not been officially recognized as a martyred saint....yet.

In subsequent years[[Image:episcopal.jpg|right|thumb|100px|St. Andrew's Episcopal as it appears today in downtown Honolulu]]Fr. Jacob, a well-known [[missionary]] priest, established churches in Canada, the United States, Alaska, Australia and the Phillipines. He was murdered in [[Wikipedia:Odessa|Odessa]] on [[June 23]], 1941<ref>[http://www.rusvera.mrezha.ru/515/14.htm Газета "Вера" (Newspaper ''Faith'')]</ref>, but has not yet been officially recognized as a martyred saint. St. [[Tikhon of Moscow]] once quoted Fr. Jacob's missionary exploits this way, "He did much to convert the heathens to the Christian Faith and returned many [[Uniate]]s to the Orthodox Church . He set the foundation for parish life in many places, built churches and assisted the unfortunate with his acquied medical knowledge." ''<br>(Report by Bishop Tikhon Belavin to the Holy Synod. No. 155 Nov. 26, 1906)''  Following the departure of Russia|Fr. Jacob Korchincky to Australia in March of 1916, he was subsequently replaced by Archpriest John Dorosh in that same year, who remained in Hawaii until his departure in the 1920s. In subsequent years, the Russian Orthodox]] Church in Hawaii shipped or flew temporary priests to Hawaii the Hawaiian Islands to care for the dwindling Orthodox population, becoming part of the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]] (ROCOR). A permanent priest was not stationed in Hawaii until [[Archimandrite]] Innokenty Dronov of Hilo, a contemporary of St. [[Jonah of Manchuria]] and , St. [[John Maximovitch|John of Shanghai and San Francisco]] and Metropolitan [[Meletius (Zaborosky) of Harbin and Manchuria|Meletius of Harbin]], was dispatched and served the entire Orthodox Christian flock on all the Hawaiian Islands throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Fr. Innokenty Innokentiy had a large following of [[Church of Japan|Japanese Orthodox]] Christians. He frequently returned to the [http://www.wadiocese.com Diocese in San Francisco] to report to Archbishops +[[Appolinary Apollinary (Koshevoy) of San Francisco|APPOLINARYApollinary (Koshevoy)]] and +[[Tikhon (Troitsky) of San Francisco|TIKHON of San FranciscoTikhon (Troitsky)]] and for medical reasons. He is now purportedly buried on the Big Island of Hawaii.

== Hawaii, the "Melting Pot" of Orthodoxy Multiple jurisdictions ==Up until the 1960s, the Russian Orthodox Church was the only Orthodox jurisdiction in the Hawaiian Islands. Following the 1960s, parishes from three seperate separate Orthodox jurisdictions established themselves in the Islands; : [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America|Greek]], [[Serbian Orthodox Church in the USA and Canada|Serbian]], and [[OCA]]. At one point there were as many as five different Orthodox jurisdictions in the Hawaiian Islands. All Despite this multiplicity of jurisdictions, all Orthodox churches in Hawaii are in communion with one another, however, and have good friendly relations. (See also: [[Orthodoxy in America]], [[Diaspora]].) ===The Russian Orthodox Church (ROCOR)===In the late 1960s, a group of Russian Orthodox Christians parted ways with the local Greek community and joined the Russian Orthodox Church in Hawaii under the Omophorion of Archbishop Anthony of Los Angeles; they formed the St. [[Mark of Ephesus]] Russian Orthodox Mission. In the early 1980s, this mission parish was later re-[[consecrate|consecrated]] under the heavenly protection of the [[Mother of God]] and is now known as the Holy [[Theotokos]] of [[Panagia Portaitissa|Iveron]] Russian Orthodox Church. In the late 1990s, the Council President of the Russian Orthodox community in Hawaii, Anatole Lyovin, was [[ordination|ordained]] to serve the Orthodox faithful in Hawaii. Currently this parish is without a permanent structure, hoping to build the first Russian Orthodox [[church]] in Honolulu. This church is also where the Miracleworking "Hawaiian" Iveron Icon of the Theotokos is brought on most Saturdays and Sundays for veneration, when not travelling to other churches. This community is under the spiritual care of Archbishop +[[Kyrill (Dmitrieff) of San Francisco]] ([[ROCOR]]). Three clergy are assigned to this parish; Priest Athanasius Kone, the Rector, Archpriest Anatole V. Lyovin, and Deacon Michael Bressem. In the mid to late 1990's, a separate Russian Orthodox mission community was established on the Big Island of Hawaii. It later became inactive. ===The Greek Orthodox Church (GOARCH)===In the mid 1960s, a Greek Orthodox community established a Greek Orthodox mission under the auspices of the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America|Greek Archdiocese]]. This community became known as [http://www.schgoc.hi.goarch.org/ Ss. Constantine Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church]. The current Dean is Fr. Alexander Leong, who was assigned to the parish in Honolulu in 2013. The community is under the omophorion of Metr. [[Gerasimos (Michaleas) of San Francisco]] ([[GOARCH]]). This community is well-known for its annual Greek Festival held at Ala Moana Beach Park near Waikiki. Priest Alexander Leong is Dean of the Cathedral in Honolulu. In the 1990s, a Greek Orthodox mission was established on the Island of Maui. It later became inactive, but there are efforts underway to revive it. The mission has been served by clergy from Ss. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Honolulu. ===The Serbian Orthodox Church===In the early 1990s, a Serbian community established an Orthodox mission dedicated to St. [[Lazar of Serbia|Lazar of Kosovo]]. The Serbian mission later became inactive, and its remaining members joined the local Russian and Greek churches. There has been a recent interest within the Serbian Orthodox community in Hawaii to re-establish this mission. In recent months, visiting clergy (including the Serbian Bishop [[Maxim (Vasilijevic) of Western America]]) have come from the mainland to minister to them. This mission is now active and under the spiritual direction of Archpriest Blasko Paraklis.

====The Russian Church in Hawaii====In the late 1960s, a group of Russian Orthodox faithful joined formed the St. [[Mark of Ephesus]] Russian Orthodox Mission Parish under the auspices of [[ROCOR]]Image:Bishop Benjamin. In the early 1980's, this mission parish was later re-[[consecratejpg|thumb|consecrated]] under the heavenly protection of the [[Mother of God]] and is now known as the Holy [[Theotokos]] of [[Iveron]] Russian Orthodox Church. In the late 1990s, the current pastor of the [[Church of Russia145px|Russian Orthodox]] community, Father Anatole Lyovin was [[ordinationright|ordained]] to serve Bishop Benjamin visits the Orthodox faithful OCA Kona Mission in Hawaii. Currently there are plans to build the first [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox]2004] [[church]] in Honolulu.

Fr===The Antiochian Orthodox Church===In 2003, the short-lived St. Anatole also oversees Paul the Russian Apostle [[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America|Antiochian Orthodox ]] Mission was established in Honolulu at Fort Shafter Army Base. The rector of this mission communities on Kauai and was Fr. Isaiah Gillette, a chaplain with the Big Island of Hawaiimilitary. Following Fr. Isaiah's transfer to Texas, the mission was disbanded.

These communities are ===The Orthodox Church in America (OCA)===In early 2004, a new Orthodox community under the spiritual care jurisdiction of Archbishop the Orthodox Church in America ([[Kyrill (DmitrieffOCA]])|+KYRILL was established on the Big Island of San Francisco]Hawai`i, in Kailua-Kona. In 2007 this was named [http://stjuvenaly.org St. Juvenaly Orthodox Mission]. The pastor of this mission is Fr. John Schroedel, and it is under the current successor oversight of His Eminence, Archbishop [[Tikhon Benjamin (TroitskyPeterson) of San Francisco|Archbishop +TIKHON of San Francisco]] ''of blessed memory.'' Archbishop +TIKHON was Archbishop the [[Diocese of San Francisco when Fr. Innokenty Dronov oversaw the Russian Orthodox Church in Hawaii in West (OCA)|Diocese of the 1940sWest]].

====The Greek Church in Hawaii====Also in the mid 1960sIn 2013, this community purchased a building in [[Greekw:Honomu|Honomu]] community established a separate Greek Orthodox parish under , on the auspices east side of the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America|Greek Archdiocese]]Hawaiʻi. This community became The east-side mission is known as the Saints [[Constantine the Great|Constantine]] and [[Helen]] [[Church of Constantinople|Greek http://ascensionhilo.org Holy Ascension Orthodox Church]]. The current (and temporary) pastor of the Greek Orthodox community in Hawaii is Fr. Demetrius Dogias, he was assigned to the Greek church in Honolulu in 2007.

In ==A Miracle in the 90's, on Islands==During the Island month of MauiOctober in the year 2007, a Greek Orthodox mission was established, this mission is served by clergy great miracle occurred in the State of Hawaii when the Miracleworking and Myrrh-streaming "Hawaiian" Iveron Icon of the Greek Theotokos began streaming myrrh in the home of an Orthodox church Christian couple in Honolulu.

====The Serbian Church in Hawaii====In the early 1990sIveron Icon, a small mounted print, (a Serbian community established an Orthodox mission dedicated to Saint copy of the Montreal [[Lazar of SerbiaPanagia Portaitissa|Lazar of KosovoIveron]]. The Serbian mission later became inactiveIcon), and its remaining members joined originally purchased at the local Holy Trinity Russian and Greek Orthodox churchesCathedral's small church kiosk in Toronto by Rev. There has been Anatole V. Lyovin, was given to the Reader Nectarios in Hawaii as a recent interest within gift for the Serbian Orthodox community aforementioned name's day. This Icon was in Hawaii to rethe Reader's possession for eight years before it, along with a small hand-establish this mission. In recent monthspainted cross, visiting clergy (including began exuding a fragrant oil-like substance traditionally referred to as "myrrh" by the Serbian Bishop +Orthodox Church. It was decided by Archbishop [[Maxim Kyrill (VasilijevicDmitrieff) of Western AmericaSan Francisco|MAXIMKyrill]]) have come from of San Francisco that this Icon of the mainland Mother of God was to minister be taken to themthe Holy Virgin Russian Orthodox Cathedral in San Francisco where it underwent tests and was carefully examined by the Archbishop and a commission of priests to verify the Icon's miraculous attributes.[[Image:Bishop Benjamin.jpg|thumb|145px|right|Bishop Benjamin visits the Kona Mission]]

====The Antiochian Church in Hawaii====In 2003June of 2008, the short-lived St. Paul "Hawaiian" Iveron Icon of the Apostle Antiochian Orthodox Mission Mother of God was declared to be a genuine and miraculous Icon, which was established in Honolulu at Fort Shafter Army Basefact exuding myrrh on a continuing basis. The rector of this mission It was Fr. Isaiah Gillettedecided by Episcopal proclamation ([[Ukaz]]) that the Reader Nectarios, a chaplain with the military. Following Fr. IsaiahIcon's transfer original owner, be "Her" guardian and was to take the Icon to Texasthe various churches and monasteries of Holy Orthodoxy, this mission parish was disbandedin effect, to provide for the veneration of all Orthodox Christians.

====The OCA Since that time, the Miracle-working Icon has visited over 350 churches and monasteries in Hawaii====In early 2004North America, and has been venerated by over a new Orthodox community under quarter of a million people. The holy Icon has been a constant source of a growing number of miraculous occurrences, including the jurisdiction healing of the [[OCA]] was established in Konacancer, blindness, demonic possession, Hawaiiand various types of physical and spiritual infirmities. Fr. Sergius Naumann served People have felt a deep spiritual connection to this community for a time until leaving for Alaska. They are currently overseen by Bishop +BENJAMINIcon, even spending hours on end simply standing before "Her", of and watching the Diocese of myrrh flow from the West, hands and other clergy from stars on the mainlandimage.

==As She travels, the Holy Icon has been lovingly called in Greek, "The Wandering Panaghia" since She does not have a church to call Her own. When resources become available, plans are underway to build a proper chapel or church structure in Hawaii to house the Mother of God's holy Icon. It has also been affectionately referred to as the "Protectress of the Orthodox churches in Hawaii==*Holy Theotokos " by some of Iveron Russian the Orthodox Christian faithful in Hawaii, since Orthodox Church of Christians from all the Hawaii - [http://www.orthodoxhawaii.org Official website]*Ss. Constantine parishes have come to love and Helen Greek Orthodox Church - [http://www.ssconhelhi.goarch.org Official Website]*St. Lazar Serbian Orthodox Mission Parish - [http://www.westsrbdio.org/latest_news/visit_to_Hawaii.html News site] (No Official Website)*Maui Greek Orthodox Mission Parish - [http://www.mauigreekorthodoxmission.com Official Website]*OCA Mission in Kona - [http://www.oca.org/DIRlistinghave grown very close to this miracle from God.asp?SID=9&KEY=OCA-WE-KONOCX Official website]

May She forever protect the Christian faithful of Hawaii!  ==See alsoParishes in Hawaii==*Holy Theotokos of Iveron Russian Orthodox Church (Honolulu) - [http://www.orthodoxhawaii.org Official website]*Ss. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral (Honolulu) - [http://www.ssconhelhi.goarch.org Official Website]*St. Juvenaly Orthodox Mission (Big Island) - [http://oca.org/DIRlisting.asp?SID=9&KEY=OCA-WE-KONOCX OCA listing], [http://stjuvenaly.org Mission website]* St. Lazar Serbian Orthodox Mission Parish (Oahu) - [http://www.westsrbdio.org/info/showarticle.php?article=church_hawaii Contact Information] (No resident clergy or regular services)*Maui Greek Orthodox Mission - [List http://www.mauigreekorthodoxmission.com Official Website] (currently regrouping under the leadership of parishes in Hawaii (USASs. Constantine &amp; Helen)| ==Orthodox Parishes Clergy Assigned in Hawaii]]==*Priest Alexander Leong, Rector of Ss. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral.*Priest Athanasius Kone, Rector of the Holy Theotokos of Iveron Russian Orthodox Church.*Priest John Schroedel, Rector of St. Juvenaly Orthodox Church.*Archpriest Anatole V. Lyovin, Retired Rector of the Holy Theotokos of Iveron Russian Orthodox Church.*Deacon Michael Bressem, Cleric of the Holy Theotokos of Iveron Russian Orthodox Church. ==References==<references/>