First Monument Of Great Russian Saint To Be Erected In US - Priest

The unique statue of one of the greatest Russian saints, St. John of Kronstadt, will be erected for the first time in the United States at the grounds of St. John the Baptist Orthodox cathedral in Washington, the church's dean Victor Potapov told Sputnik on Friday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th July, 2019) The unique statue of one of the greatest Russian saints, St. John of Kronstadt, will be erected for the first time in the United States at the grounds of St. John the Baptist Orthodox cathedral in Washington, the church's dean Victor Potapov told Sputnik on Friday.

"The statue of St. John arrived to Washington. This is the only sculpture of him in the US," Potapov said.

St. John of Kronstadt (1829-1909, secular name Ivan Sergiev) was a very famous preacher blessed with many spiritual benefactions. Russians call him "all-people's father."

The 9-foot 850 kilos bronze statue, created by sculptor Dmitry Kukkolos, will be erected at a Washington neighborhood not far from the downtown.

Donated by Russia's Foundation Under the Protection of Theotokos (Mother of God) and Russian National Creative Studio ARTPROEKT, it was delivered to the United States by Aeroflot Russian Airlines free of charge.

"Many Americans know St. John of Kronstadt because they have reading English translation of his most famous work - My Life in Christ, his diaries.

He is known in the Orthodox community in the US," Potapov said.

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROCOR) metropolitan Hilarion will conduct a solemn dedication of the monument on September 8, the day of the parish's patronal saint, St. John the Baptist.

"Our parish is dedicated to St. John the Baptist and was founded by St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco in 1949," Potapov said. "Now, the third St. John - St. John of Kronstadt - is becoming our patron. Now we have the protection of three saint Johns."

St. John of Kronstadt is named after the Russian sea port near St. Petersburg, where he lived. He was the first saint canonized by the Russian church around 1964. The Moscow Patriarchate glorified him in 1990.

The Foundation Under the Protection of Theotokos sponsors creation of sculptures of great Orthodox saints in Russia, Europe, Australia and America. Several of its sculptures are placed in the United States at the Synod of Bishops of ROCOR in New York, at the Eastern Diocese's cathedral in the city of Howell, New Jersey, and in San Francisco.