When the Homily is about Immunology

St. Alexis Toth, Defender and Confessor of Orthodoxy in America

On May 7th 1909, St. Alexis Toth reposed...almost exactly 6 years after my 18 year old Great Grandfather Janos stepped off the boat at Ellis Island. I have a number of "connections" with St. Alexis which I will briefly discuss herein. First he came over from Slovakia (Ja som Slovak!), a widowed Carpatho-Rusyn (Ja Rusyn byl, iesm i budu!) priest. Once in America he came to serve a Uniate Parish in Minneapolis (Ya, sure ya betcha...my wife's home turf). He was a "Greek Catholic", as were all of my family in Juskova Vola, Slovakia and - in about 15 years - also in the coal mines around Bradenville PA.)

He would (as you can read in detail via the two links provided above) end up leading many Uniates back into the unity of the Orthodox faith, thus illuminating a pathway that many in my family would take nearly 40 years after his repose. He is an American Saint who (it seems to me) gets "forgotten" behind the ranks of St. Herman of Alaska, St. John of San Francisco, and St. Raphael of Brooklyn...but that may be simply my limited perception from where I sit and call home.

In my little "book of Orthodoxy" he plays the lead role - though I never knew it. I like to think,that since St. Alexis is likely praying for seeking Uniates throughout the world and specifically in America, that he might also be praying for their offspring...and perhaps his prayers helped lead me and my family to where we are today?

Troparion (Tone 4)
O righteous Father ALEXIS,
Our heavenly intercessor and teacher,
Divine adornment of the Church of Christ,
Entreat the Master of All
To strengthen the Orthodox Faith in America,
To grant peace to the world
And to our souls great mercy.

Kontakion (Tone 5)
Let us the faithful praise the priest ALEXIS,
A bright beacon of Orthodoxy in America,
A model of patience and humility.
A worthy shepherd of the flock of Christ,
He called back the sheep who had been led astray
And brought them by his preaching
To the heavenly Kingdom.