Years go by and memories fade. The following history has been revealed by Peter Massrouha and Helen Corombos. If, by chance, names are not included that should have been, we apologize.

Picture yourself back in 1934, 1935 and 1936. You are an immigrant to this beautiful country, yet you miss your weekly worship of our Lord Jesus Christ in the tradition you were taught by your parents.  You want to worship in an Eastern Orthodox House of God, yet there is no church within traveling distance of Iron Mountain…

You gather together your family, sometimes with other families to pay reverence to our Saviour, who stood by your side as you traveled to America, a strange yet electrifying country in which only a handful of people speak your native language.  Worshiping at home partially satisfied your needs, but what about gathering together with others of your faith — “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in the midst of them.”         

Times were rough, money was difficult to come by let alone save, but save they did — salesmanship helped also — coffee normally selling for 5 cents a cup was offered at 10 cents with all proceeds going to what is now “Our Beloved St. Mary’s”.

Abe Khoury’s wife, Mary, and Sadie George, sister of Fadel George, embarked on a mission to procure their own Eastern Orthodox Church along with the combined forces of a small group of families: Mike and Sadie Abraham, Jake and Nora Jacobs, Abe and Tazeh Jacobs, Abe and Nazira Jacobs, Fadel and Mary George, Steve and Bessie Papas, John and Helen Corombos, George and Marika Corombos, Chris and Mary Anegon, Art and Penelope Mitchell, Mr. and Mrs. Rudy Rapaich, and numerous others.

By 1936, the amount raised from social gatherings and donations grew to $387.00. Somehow this money was entrusted to a priest from Spring Valley, Illinois, who was passing through. Perhaps communications were lacking because the priest took the money with him when he returned to Illinois. As some will remember, Fadel George worked for the railroad and obtained a free pass for his sister, Sadie, to journey to Spring Valley, Illinois, where she successfully collected the money and returned home determined more than ever to expedite the founding of an Orthodox Church.

Our little church was purchased for $600.00 from a Lutheran Bishop in Escanaba, Michigan in 1937. 50 years later, in 1987, we celebrated our Golden Anniversary with His Grace Bishop Antoun presiding. Most certainly Our Lord gathered his flock and paved the way so those of Orthodox Faith could worship as our Forefathers had, Proudly, Sincerely, and Faithfully. Therefore, it is with Pride and Love we dedicate this church — firstly, to our Forefathers who have made this history possible, secondly, to those who now follow in their footsteps, and finally to those who will follow in our footsteps and keep the Faith that has been established in our “Miracle Church”.

We thank God for the progress HE obviously spearheaded for the small but powerful St. Mary’s Orthodox Church.